why does something else always have to die?

lonelyfarmgirl · #1 07/20/11, 11:25 PM

we went the other day to where our cattle are pastured to pick up a load for the butcher. when we got there the hired man took us to the water tanks for a not so nice surprise. 2 nice brood cows, we just bought a couple months ago (and these were BIG cows BTW) had spent the night leaning against the steel portable water tank. We have been having bad storms lately.
Well, they were dead. Best we can figure is the tank got hit by lightening in the middle of the night and they were electrocuted. Thats 1500 pounds of meat down the toilet.

Even worse (or better depending on your point of view) One had a 3 day old calf, which I am now bottle feeding, sigh...

Why is it always something? Can't some one get a break once in a while?

springvalley · #2 07/20/11, 11:29 PM

Sorry to hear, did you have insurance? we always say , if we didn`t have bad luck- we`ed have no luck at all, > Marc

allenslabs · #3 07/21/11, 09:01 AM

What a shame. I think it is the year for it. We have had similar luck. We had one just die by the bale ring this winter, no signs of anything wrong and she was young. One died calving as the calf was about 130lbs at birth and now, like you, I have an unintended bottle baby. Another just flat became paralyzed in the back end and got herself in the pond while we were trying to figure out how to get her on the mend. Sorry about your luck! Here's to hoping both of ours turns around for the better!

lonelyfarmgirl · #4 07/21/11, 10:11 AM

no, unfortunately no insurance. I can insure our stuff to death and be flat broke, then nothing will die, no natural disasters, no medical emergencies, and we'll still be broke. at least she died AFTER the calf was born.

SCRancher · #5 07/21/11, 10:15 AM

Insurance on cattle - tell me more.

Timberline · #6 07/21/11, 10:30 AM

I'm so sorry you lost your cows. Seems like some years are just bad, no matter how hard we try.

I've used this company for insurance. It wasn't very expensive.
http://www.amlivestock.com/

rancher1913 · #7 07/21/11, 09:03 PM

insurance for cows in a moderate or large heard is cheep. I have 10 cows and one bull insured, which 10 and 1 is anybody's guess as they all look alike and surprisingly the only cows that die are the insured ones. the average loss to an event around here is 6 or 8, usually to lightning, so I figure that's worth the cost of insurance.

lonelyfarmgirl · #8 07/22/11, 10:24 AM

Looked at the link and can't find a price. It also says registered cattle. We only have 7 registered animals. The two that died weren't.

agmantoo · #9 07/22/11, 11:23 AM

lonelyfarmgirl

You are probably correct with the cause of death being lightning. I have also had that to occur but I lost 8 at one time.

I have been reading that a large number of cattle have been dying in very hot and/or dry areas with the cattle consuming excessive amounts of water at one time. Just a reminder that water needs to be available 100% of the time to avoid over consumption.

SCRancher · #10 07/22/11, 11:51 AM

I put my water away from the shade at the beginning of the week (7 day rotation) in this paddock. I'm about to move it closer to their shade for today and tomorrow since it's going to hit 100 for the next 2 days with 108 heat index in my area. Not much difference than the previous 2 days but I'm a bit worried about the extra degree or two.

They don't have great shade in this paddock compared to the rest of them.

Oh I and I try to keep it away from the shade so they will better graze the paddock because they have a tendency to over graze near the shade if I keep the water nearby but graze more evenly if I spread them out.

lonelyfarmgirl · #11 07/22/11, 06:33 PM

The people caring for them have a water tank with a float, and they roll it with the cattle when they rotate pastures. It is always there. They have the coolest fencing set up I have ever seen. They have buried water lines all over, so when they switch pastures and roll the water tank, they simply unplug the hose from the ground line and move it to the next hook-up.

Jennifer L. · #12 07/23/11, 06:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by allenslabs

What a shame. I think it is the year for it. We have had similar luck. We had one just die by the bale ring this winter, no signs of anything wrong and she was young. One died calving as the calf was about 130lbs at birth and now, like you, I have an unintended bottle baby. Another just flat became paralyzed in the back end and got herself in the pond while we were trying to figure out how to get her on the mend. Sorry about your luck! Here's to hoping both of ours turns around for the better!

If there was a hay build up around the ring and she laid down facing towards the ring, she could have trapped herself so she couldn't rock her self to her feet when she tried to get up. My neighbor has a herd of 200 Angus and he walks out after dark every night in the wintertime to make sure no cows are bedded down like that.

SCRancher · #13 07/24/11, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lonelyfarmgirl

The people caring for them have a water tank with a float, and they roll it with the cattle when they rotate pastures. It is always there. They have the coolest fencing set up I have ever seen. They have buried water lines all over, so when they switch pastures and roll the water tank, they simply unplug the hose from the ground line and move it to the next hook-up.

This is how my setup is - 5,000 feet of buried water lines with hydrants every 200 feet and a rolling water/mineral cart.

Here are some pictures showing my setup.
any ideas for converting to rotational grazing?

lonelyfarmgirl · #14 07/24/11, 10:42 AM

looks quite similar to what they have. theirs is kind of in a circle, and all the pastures are curved, that way they can run one of those automatic irrigation things when it gets too dry. The wheels simply roll over the stretchy gate wires and they pop back up. Its awesome.

On a positive note, the calf is doing well.

houndlover · #15 07/24/11, 11:09 AM

Our American Family umbrella policy has our livestock listed on it. We don't make a claim every time we lose an animal, but if something serious happened (the barn burned down) and we lost all our sheep, goats, horses - we'd be covered. It's $56 a month, doubles as our house (and barn, shop, milkhouse) insurance, and provides for a million dollars in liability coverage (for dumb city folks that wander onto the property) too.

Shirley · #16 07/25/11, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lonelyfarmgirl

Why is it always something? Can't some one get a break once in a while?

Not around here...I am still numb, my milk cow died from heat stroke three days ago.

mozarkian · #17 07/25/11, 04:31 PM

Oh no, thats awful! So sorry...

lonelyfarmgirl · #18 07/25/11, 05:26 PM

We should have a pity party sticky. That way everyone losing due to dead livestock all have a place to cry. Sorry about your milker.

Shirley · #19 07/25/11, 08:12 PM

Thanks for acknowledging my loss.
This hit me really hard. And sorry for your loss of two cows.
You are right, a new thread for who has lost what this summer would probably get alot of traffic, it has been a deadly summer...

lonelyfarmgirl · #20 07/25/11, 09:13 PM

thanks. Its a shame all the time and money and work and love you put into an animal that size, just to lose them to something unavoidable.
It has to get better right?