Torro Day 3/Mare Update/Calf count/Egg laying has stopped????

I was lucky enough to get a picture of the very first calf born this year! Can you see him??? Next are the first pictures of Torro taken, at a day old. What a cutie!!!!

Torro started out at just over a pint of milk, but wanted more. However not to shock his system and give him scours, we held off for two days feeding a watered down version of milk. He has acted like it wasnt enough so today tried him on a full bottle -full strength and sucked it down, wanting more! My goodness he will be an eater! This afternoon I gave him 1 1/2 bottles (3 quarts) and he filled up and only left a couple sucks of emptying the last bottle! He now knows who his mother is - ME- and follows me everywhere now. He finally got his legs last night, he looked bow legged at first and I was a little worried he had a deformity, but the straightened up good. I exercise him and get him to walk and run as much as I can. He helps me feed the rest of the barn. staying so close that when I stop I have a calf head running into my rear! LOL He jumped, kicking up his heels today for the first time! He is also getting some vitamines every 8 hours , 1/2 ounce due to size, its called Dairy and Beef Multi-Drench. So the critical part is over, unless he scours then its something to really watch, especially at this age, but he is very healthy and active and a great eater, good signs!
Pepper has now filled up a full carton of her cute little brown eggs! However she stopped laying for 3 days!! Any one know why??? Is this normal?

I have finally been by to see everyone, couldnt leave comments for a few, but I have been to everyone I follow! I'm so glad to have cought up!

I've had some new visitors and I want to tell you thanks for coming over to say hello! I hope you'll come back and visit some more! I'll come by and check out your blogs soon, tonight and tomorrow look to be busy....but I can't wait to check your little spot of the world out!

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Georgia Update:

We have approximately 2 1 1/2 weeks until she foals...Today her bag has really filled in, and she had some discharge. I wish I knew more what to look for...again any suggestions and info on a mare foaling?

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Calf Count

8 - On the Hill

7 - Poodles

5 - Heifers

Total as of 2/25 4:29pm = 20

Calf Lost (included in total above)

3

Making live calves

17

Calf Loss Reasons : 1- still birth

1- Buzzards

1- infection in navel area

Twin Count

1 set - Torro (rejected) and brother/buzzards

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So yes Kim they can and do sometimes have twins, not often..BUT there are exceptions to every rule. 2008 we had 5 sets of twins and mother took care of both twins, except for on - Oliver...which is one the main reason you get a bottle fed calf. 5 sets is ALOT, only sometimes to you get one..one of our bulls must be throwing twins. So we'll see how many more (if any) we get this year. last year we lost 13 calves - LARGE loss, but the twins help make up for that, and making it 8 loss - 4 or 5 is an average with this many cattle. Last year was super rough on them, the mud was just too much for those little calves.

We usually have a calf for every cow so we are expecting 170 calves...Next year we'll add 20 to that count..if we keep the heifer calves we want to keep this year. It all depends on the grain market.

Sold 20 of the heifer calves yesterday...smaller blacks and some of our Marchigiana mix whites. This is the dumbest thing...the feeder lots prefer an all black calf and will dock you for a white...HOW STUPID..they all eat the smae, but they say (supposedly) that all blacks eat more and gain more...hmmmm not sure on that at all.

Okay so here is the market:

Heifers averaging 430 pounds each brought 78.5 cents a pound (all blacks)

Heifers averaging 646 pounds each brought 75.5( mixed colors mostly blacks)

Thats the average we saw last night. Some heifers brought more than steers which is really differant steers bring more for the most part.

We are still feeding silage, but the mud has forced us out of the troughs and into the field laying it in wind rows and luckily the cows are eating it off the ground, in fact cleaning it up. Cows are fickle creatures, they often dont accept change - at least for a long time.

Well thats all for the report - Oh and Douglas made all A's and B's and Norm is WAY ahead of most who have had the same surgery....so the worry is gone that he will hurt himself...well at least my worry, it could still happen for a time he needs to be careful...Ha whatever, Norm Careful.