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Fontanelle, IA | My takeaway....
Don't vaccinate calves and cows for viral and chlostridial diseases. Save a few bucks on preventative shots so that you can shoot the big gun antibiotics later. Maybe you save them - maybe you don't but calves are cheap. Cow comes up empty at preg check- Bulls fault, hot weather, or the fact that you didn't give a breeding shot? Why the heck should we even Bangs vaccinate ? Better yet, don't vaccinate your kids against mumps, measles, contagious coughs that decimated indigenous and worldly populations... Strong survive.
Line breeding works great in purebred business. It is a viable system for very strict, regimented breeders. However, as we have found in some pure bred breeds, Many sires share similar pedigrees as the females that they are AI'd or mated to naturally. Problem is that you "can" perpetuate and multiply lethal or very undesireable genes in the process or line breeding. Carriers can be bad... The only easy button way out is by crossbreeding.
Don't check your cows during calving. If the neighbors big bull jumps into your heifer pasture or cow pasture, just laugh. When the cow needs assistance because a freak foot is back... Tough luck for the cow. It's cheaper to dig a hole and bury her... ( Actually, seems to me that digging a hole might take longer to do than lending some assistance). Wait, I am probably being a little harsh- don't do a night check and let a cow wear herself out trying to push a troubled birth out. Exhausted cow / dead calf - I'm stupid but even I can calculate the negative ROI on that one... Accidents happen enough as it is, why encourage Murphy?
EDIT: author says to not withhold treatment / assistance to animal in need. But, how do you help in a timely manner if you are not there?
The author does bring up many good points about recognizing the self imposed demands and management constraints with a cow herd that we box ourself into. However, there is some ignorance or arrogance that fails to recognize and blatantly overlooks the value of prevention efforts and management into producing humane, safe, healthy, vibrant, and wholesome food while the critter is on this face of the earth.
Edited by Baby Robin 1/15/2018 22:48
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Do you make your livestock work for you?
