do cows need baking soda?

myersfarm · #21 02/28/12, 06:17 PM

keep in mind these are experienced cattle farmers

"Later I was told he had been stroking the bull and it tossed him up in the air."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/cou...two-weeks.html

PrettyPaisley · #22 02/28/12, 07:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by springvalley

No, you don`t need baking soda, unless your feeding a large amount of grains and silage in your ration. Cows on pasture is as back to nature as you can get, so no baking soda needed if you do that. Good question , > Thanks Marc

Thank Marc. We don't do grain at all so we should be good.

shanzone2001 · #23 02/28/12, 07:42 PM

Shannon, so sorry for the thread drift! I didn't mean to open a can of worms!!!

shanzone2001 · #24 02/28/12, 07:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tinknal

Shan, then there is no reason not to cut him. Please do it, otherwise he will most likely turn mean before he reaches his full beef potential.

But he is 3 months old.....I couldn't band him now. How do I cut him? Does a vet have to come out?

PrettyPaisley · #25 02/28/12, 07:55 PM

Oh it's okay. I just had to go back and reread to see what the answer was. Keep the kiddos safe...after being busted in the face earlier tonight I can imagine what a bull with intent could do!

springvalley · #26 02/28/12, 08:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shanzone2001

But he is 3 months old.....I couldn't band him now. How do I cut him? Does a vet have to come out?

You can very well band a bull at three months, can be done and should be done. I`m with everyone else, you need to cut your bull calf. I just butchered my four year old jersey bull last fall, he was getting frisky, and it was him or I, And he lost this round. They can turn on you so fast it isn`t funny, I had a yearling steer one day got my small daughter cornered. She wasn`t supposed to be in with them but she was, we lucked out that day. My kids are not allowed in with any cattle other than the bottle calves, and the cows when they are in the barn. They now listen to me, because I aged ten years the day that steer changed our lives, it could have been so bad. I beg of you to change that bull into a steer, if I were closer, I would do it for you no charge. > Thanks Marc

myersfarm · #27 02/28/12, 11:20 PM

I can band easy..even yearlings at 600 lbs no problem with my Callicrate Bander just give a tetanus shot because of the metal part being agains the skin

You can castrate from 200-1200 lbs., but we normally castrate at 575-675 lbs. A good option if raising ‘natural’ beef. from the Callicrate Bander web site

myersfarm · #28 02/28/12, 11:21 PM

I can tell you how to cut him if you want....or you can look at this video and then ask questions.....you have to pull testies out do not cut off just like they did but use a scaple it makes it so much easier....grab bottom of scordom with thumb and index finger just so you can get a good hold of it cut off above that with a scaple...pull out testies if the cord turn into a string just like in video YOU DID GOOD get both of them make sure it is a clean cut on scroum pour on the iodine and your done

you need to figure out how to hold them while you do it......

Plus I am sure you know somebody that will do it for you if you just ask around

shanzone2001 · #29 02/28/12, 11:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by springvalley

You can very well band a bull at three months, can be done and should be done. I`m with everyone else, you need to cut your bull calf. I just butchered my four year old jersey bull last fall, he was getting frisky, and it was him or I, And he lost this round. They can turn on you so fast it isn`t funny, I had a yearling steer one day got my small daughter cornered. She wasn`t supposed to be in with them but she was, we lucked out that day. My kids are not allowed in with any cattle other than the bottle calves, and the cows when they are in the barn. They now listen to me, because I aged ten years the day that steer changed our lives, it could have been so bad. I beg of you to change that bull into a steer, if I were closer, I would do it for you no charge. > Thanks Marc

Thanks...I do wish you were closer.

shanzone2001 · #30 02/28/12, 11:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by myersfarm

I can tell you how to cut him if you want....

Yikes, I have to be honest with you...I wouldn't be able to do it.

shanzone2001 · #31 02/28/12, 11:28 PM

I just put an ad in the local paper looking for someone to help me......

Thanks again to all of you who brought me to this decision.

myersfarm · #32 02/28/12, 11:40 PM

this is the bander I use

myersfarm · #33 02/28/12, 11:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shanzone2001

Yikes, I have to be honest with you...I wouldn't be able to do it.

why I wanted you to see what you are getting into BUT YOU NEED TO GET IT DONE

myersfarm · #34 02/28/12, 11:44 PM

shan were are you city and state somebody from here might be close

shanzone2001 · #35 02/28/12, 11:48 PM

Placerville, CA

myersfarm · #36 02/29/12, 12:03 AM

might start a new thread asking for help some people read just some post might not see you need help on this one

Karen in Alabam · #37 02/29/12, 10:58 AM

I was going to bring this back to the original thread. (though I have to either sell Bones or steer him--I decided I can't breed him with my girls--too big)

I bought some baking soda for animals.

I changed where I was getting feed--the Co op was ticking me off--never having the feed again--I think it is their New Years thing--I lost Maggie last year and I think them never having feed when I needed it was a big part of it--so they started with the same thing the first of the year so I looked elsewhere for feed--I now travel an hour to get it from a dairy.

So I get their feed it is loose, not pellets. During this trip which was our second and we got a ton of it, we talked with the farmer and he says he ads Baking Soda to his feed for his Holsteins and soy--for higher production.

Yo has had some problems with sluggish rumen, so I got some and add 2 small handfuls (closed fist) at each feeding. Only she and Sissy get this feed and the baking soda. They seem to be doing ok on it. I don't add or want to add the soy--get enough milk and don't like soy.

I also picked up at a yard sale a book on Cattle health--best $5.00 I spent in a long time. I read only a small portion of it and learned a lot--like I need Muscovy ducks to eat the horn fly eggs in the cow poop.

myersfarm · #38 02/29/12, 12:41 PM

cattle health book whats the name and author ?

Karen in Alabam · #39 02/29/12, 12:53 PM

The Cattle health handbook. Heather Smith Thomas 2009

farmgirl6 · #40 02/29/12, 03:59 PM

I know Jerseys are infamous as bulls for temperament, how are other bulls? Is it because they are dairy and live more closely with folks do you think? mine was bottle raised so double trouble, they do not have the same respect a cow raised calf has...