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Horns N Hooves
🐄 Horns and Hooves: The Highland Cattle Podcast
Are you tired of sorting through bad advice about raising Highland and Highland Cross cattle? Do you need practical, proven strategies to make smart decisions for your farm? You've come to the right place!
Welcome to Horns and Hooves, the podcast dedicated to being your go-to source for all things Highland and Highland Cross cattle.
Join your hosts, Lori Racicky (from Creekside Highland Haven) and Taylor Hauser (from Hausers Homestead). We started this podcast because we learned the hard way - through our own mistakes and by trusting the wrong advice. We know what it's like to feel all alone, juggling costly decisions and second-guessing every move.
The good news is: You don't have to anymore!
What We Cover:
We dive into topics that truly matter to the everyday cattle owner, offering real stories and honest advice from people who live it. We keep it real and share what works, learning from experience, not nonsense.
- Farm Economics: Expert tips on managing feed costs and making financially savvy choices.
- Buying & Selling: Strategies for navigating the complexity of livestock auctions and sales.
- The Hard Truths: We tackle the subjects others avoid, like getting straight answers about cattle sizes, temperament, and quality.
- Community Support: Our mission is to build a strong community where everybody feels welcome, no matter how long you've been in the game.
Our goal is to cut through the noise and give you the practical takeaways you need to raise a healthy, successful herd.
Hit that subscribe button and give us a five-star rating to help our community grow!
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Horns N Hooves
Stop Guessing! The VITAL First 24 Hours for a Healthy Mini Calf (with Dr. McKenzie Hendrix)
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Welcome to a very blessed and important episode of the Horns N Hooves Auction Podcast! This week, we are joined by a special guest, Dr. McKenzie Hendrix, a phenomenal and amazing veterinarian, to talk about the crucial basics of mini cattle care, particularly focusing on the first few months of a calf's life. We cover everything from proper colostrum and nutrition to essential vaccination protocols and signs of illness like pinkeye or pneumonia. Dr. McKenzie offers incredible insights to help you manage your herd and tackle those stressful calf-birthing times with confidence.
Key Takeaways: Mini Cattle Health & Management
The importance of the first 24 hours of a calf's life for colostrum intake and immune system set-up is a core theme.
Proper nutrition and having a good veterinarian relationship are non-negotiable for mini cattle health.
Be vigilant for subtle signs of illness or unusual behavior in your animals, especially during stressful times like shipping or calving season.
Prevention is easier and more cost-effective than treatment, so having supplies on hand is crucial.
Episode Highlights
Veterinary Relationship & Protocol: We emphasize building a formal relationship with a cattle vet and having a pre-set vaccination protocol for your herd.
Colostrum & Immunity: Learn the vital role of the mom's first milk (colostrum) in transferring antibodies (IgG) within the first 24 hours and the need for high-quality replacers if the calf does not receive enough.
Disease Prevention: Discussions include managing risks like BVD, pneumonia, and pinkeye, noting how they can spread quickly, especially in new or mixed herds.
Calving & Labor: Guidance on the three stages of labor and when you should be prepared to intervene or call your vet, particularly after two hours of active pushing by the cow.
Nutrition: Essential advice on balancing your herd's diet with forage (hay and grass), avoiding too much grain, and consulting a nutritionist for optimal health.
Timestamps
[0:00] Welcome, Introduction to Dr. McKenzie Hendrix
[0:05] Discussing the importance of a good vet relationship
[0:15] Talking calf care basics: Colostrum and immunity
[0:20] Vaccination and disease prevention protocols
[0:30] Understanding the stages of cow labor and intervention
[0:40] Nutrition, feed, and why forage is primary
[0:50] Signs of a sick calf (fever, nasal discharge, pinkeye)
[1:00] Dealing with BVD and quarantining new animals
[1:05] Wrap-up and thanks to Dr. McKenzie
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Website: hornsnhoovesauction.com
Production Credit:
Edited and produced by @the32collective_ / https://www.the32collective.co/