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Thanks for your kind words and advice. I feed daily , around noon, a bucket of 20% cubes for 6 momma's and a bull plus have a molassesfeed tub (with minerals) and the mineral salt. I keep them used to the bucket as a formality so that when I need them I can call them up and the bucket works every time. I mentioned the placenta over the nose as I have pulled numerous calves over the years (before I learned to wait for the cervix to expand adequately) and several had their heads covered. Some mamma's got up immediately and started the cleaning process, usually head first, and some just laid on the ground for awhile before they got up. It's those that I worry about. I have seen over 20 buzzards at a time around here soaring and have chased as many as half dozen off a calf at one time more than once..... hard for a mamma to keep up with that many ducking in and out trying to get a whack at a new born calf. On what killed your calves around the hay ring, they probably got stomped as one of you guys surmised. I had the same thing happen but it was an abandoned hay pile and the calf was on top of it. Cow that stomped it probably didn't see it in the dark....really hated that as calf was doing real good. So, now I run a couple of flood lights on the feed area at night so that they don't have to stumble around in the dark. Also, on those calves that like to lie up against the ring they are just a disaster waiting for a time to happen. With the cows pushing and shoving, heads are in the hay so they can't see where they are stepping.... My stomach gets weaker every year and I really have a hard time with the start of the calving season. With all the hard times we have had lately and what it costs to run this operation, I (and probably IRS too) wonder why I do it. Thanks again for your compassion. Mark
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