Dumb Calf Update

in-too-deep · Mar 31, 2016

Ram home at lunch to check things out. Wife and I went to the barn to rope the cow again and milk her and we said let's just watch. Calf is bouncy and looks fed. Decided to wait and milk her later. I was walking away from the barn to get back in my car and wife yells to me...lo and behold... he was NURSING! On his own! Kind of a half-hearted dumb/lazy suck, but he's getting fed. I'm sure he'll be alright, now. Thank you for the encouraging words on my previous post. If I find time today I'll check back.

rrlund · Mar 31, 2016

Sometimes they'll surprise you. Usually not,but there are those rare occasions. I had one of those super good,couldn't loose one for anything years seven or eight years ago. Had to pull a calf one day,when I got it out it was dead in the eyes,wasn't breathing,just a goner for sure. I cursed a little,let the cow out of the chute and she started licking it. Darned if it didn't start breathing. It took a few minutes for it to even start flopping around,two or three hours before it got up,but it sucked the cow and survived.

Fordfarmer · Mar 31, 2016

At least I'm not the only one with dumb calves!

My latest dummy is a two month old simmental-holstein cross. STILL pushes his face to the bottom of the pail when drinking, then comes up gasping for air and blowing milk replacer all over the manger. Takes him 2-3 times as long to drink as the others.

da.bees · Mar 31, 2016

Cows don't always only nurse from maternal instinct,sometimes they alow calf to nurse so her bag will quit hurting. Gotta try and let that happen before milking her out every day.

01gentdc · Apr 1, 2016

I run around 20-30 mommas ,,. about 5 yrs ago , I had a bull calf that was born stupid ,, would not nurse ..the momma was extra gentle,and had patiently likt the little guy all over and got him up walking . but he would not take hold and nurse .was gonna put momma in a head gate ,. but she stuck her head in a bucket of feed and then I grabbed STUPID and got him to take milk after about 10 minutes ,,. next day I had to do it again,,. 3rd day he was doing ok ,.. if I had not penned them in the barn ,, that calf certainly would not had made it ... kept them there for at least a week ,,..when I turned them loose STUPID stayed in the barn for at least a week before finally going out to pasture with his momma...

Dumb Calf Update

in-too-deep

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rrlund

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Fordfarmer

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da.bees

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01gentdc

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