Just bought our first calves!

Well had the seller hold off delivery until tomorrow so I could finish the fence for the paddock. I had set up two strands of electric with the solar charger but found online that if they have never been in electric before that a visual barier is need as well at first. So, I had to come up with something. Finally got everything done. Hooked up the charger and stuck my finger to the wire. Small shock. So, called my poor dog over and she stuck her head to it, KAPOW!, poor dog took off hollering. Forgot the rubber boots I had on insulated me from the ground. Took off a boot, stepped on the wet ground and KAPOW! Boy will that wake you up. MY wife laughed for 10 minutes while calling me an idiot, lol. We have the hay in the stall, hay feeder and grain table in there and they have a small paddock outside the barn with grass where the water buket is. We bought two bags of calf starter. After haying the stall have a bale and a half of feed hay left. They will be here tomorrow. Still not sure how we will get them TO to pen. Guy pulls a 32' trailer and I doubt he can get anywhere near my pasture or pen.

Can someone help me out and tell me if the black leg vac, LA-200 shot and worming the seller gave them is all that is needed or if there are any other vaccinations or shots they need? I appreciate it. Thanks.

Nathan, you didn't believe the dog....I guess it could have been acting, highly un-likely though....good luck tomorrow & keep us in the loop....TJ

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LOL, well, she's a spoiled cry baby who sits in the corner and shakes when it thunders even though she is a hundred pound lab and stays inside so I wasnt exactly sure. I remember grabbing electric fences as a kid, but its been a long time. Things must have changed since I was a kid, lol.

I used to do that, too. What's changed is that I used to be stupid, but I got smarter as I got older.

Bet you're smarter now, after touchin' it once, ain'cha?

Nathan, have the calves arrived.....Need pics ya know

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sigh... No, not yet. Couldnt get ahold of the guy all day and he finally called tonight and told me that his uncles fence washed out in all the rain we had last night so they are chasing down all his cows that got out. Wont be able to bring mine over until either tomorrow evening or maybe even sunday. I had everything ready, already have feed out in the trough, but now its just wait. We were sure excited to be getting them today to. Talk about a let down. I was tempted to go ahead and try picking them up and hauling them in the back of my truck but decided we could wait another day or two instead of risking that. As soon as they get here, Ill be posting pictures though.

OH NO!

Well, we have cow, but had a bad problem. Seller showed up with the two cows. Put the first one in the pen easily. The second one was the braford and it was upset. Put it in the pen, turned on the electric fence, and it took off. It Jumped the short visual barrier we had around the electric fence and went straight through the electric wires. Went straight out into the pasture. I figured that wasnt too bad as the pasture is fenced with 5 strand babrbwire. Well, it didnt even slow down and it went right through the barbwire. We It was like it knew the only way out of there as instead of heading into the front pasture it went straight for my driveway and right out my open gate. We all took off with me on 4 wheeler, seller in the truck and his buddy hoofing it on quick feet. It went up the road a ways and I got it turned around twice but it kept bolting and changing directions. Finally, I got close enough the grab its tail. We got it loaded back up in the truck and the poor little guy had cuts all over its face and shoulders. Luckily, its eyes were ok and the cuts were not very deep. I cant believe it went straight through that barbwire like that. Well, the seller is taking that one back and bringing me another calf which is more docile. He said he doesnt know why this one bolted like that but I would probably have a hard time keeping it in especially since it already knows it can go through the fence. So, we wont be getting the red and white braford. Thats too bad as it was a good looking calf. The brangus is a sweet heart. very friendly. IT sure looks skinny though. Hips poking out and you can see lots of bone. He said they go through that when they come off milk. I guess we will see. Im sure this one would still take a bottle as it was sucking on my finger. Ill take pictures and post them today. So, I can get some opions on whether this really is a brangus and whether how skinny it looks is normal.

Livestock placed in a new and unknown environment exhibit what is called instinctual "fight or flight" reaction. Yours chose flight. Once this reaction is activated, a wire fence means very little.
Learning by doing.... LOL.

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We got the second calf in. He said it was an angus cross. It is not as friendly as the first one but not berzerk like the braford either. We have them both penned up in the small stall inside the barn for now and will let them out into the small paddock after a day or two. The taller one acts like a puppy. It loves to be scratched and was rubbing its head on us and nibbling on our clothes. We gave it a bottle of electrolyte water and it drank it with vigor. Loves that bottle. We will not be giving them milk though, but figured getting some electrolytes into it may help with the stress of the move. Here are the pictures. Let me know what you think and if they do look to be what he said they were which is a brangus and an angus cross. He also said he gave both of them a nuflor shot two days ago.

The calf in post #31 is the Brangus...nice looking calves Nathan, sounds like you had quite a day....

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Very large ears, well larger than you other calf...different shape too.

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Yes, the one in post 31 is the brangus. She is the sweetheart. The other calf looks a little strange to me, lol. Almost looks like an elk calf, lol. He said she was an angus cross. No clue what she's crossed with. She is supposed to be about two weeks older than the brangus but she is shorter. Our girls are in love with them already of course and have named them Lucy and Ethel. The Brangus is Lucy. They do know that we didnt just get two more pets though and that they have a purpose. They are ok with that. I may get a third calf in the next few weeks with the intention of selling in the fall to pay for overwintering these two.