Need advice on twin calves

kyplowboy · Nov 5, 2009

I am 31, raised here on my grand parent's farm my whole life, found our first set of twins this morning that I can recall. Grandmother says they had a set about 40 years ago. They are brand new, still wet and the mother was still cleaning the 2nd one off an hour ago. Been watch'n from a safe distance, see is licking both. Don't look like she has a whole lot of milk just yet. Both are try'n to get up. How long should I wait to make sure she takes both them before I run out with a bottle? Both are pretty good size and seem health.

Thank you much.

Dave

Anonymous-0 · Nov 5, 2009

If she's licking them both, just let nature take it's course.

gitrib · Nov 5, 2009

Just wait a few hours, they need the clostrum first milk. If they both get to the dinner table they will get enough to get them started then there will be time to see if they are getting enough milk. One other thing to remember. if you got a bull and a heifer the heifer will be a free-martin and not breed. Two heifers or two bulls will be OK.
gitrib

ricky green · Nov 5, 2009

We had twin Holsteins heifers , next time the old girl had calves the last 2 months you couldnt get here to leave the barn to go to the pasture, she could hardly get around, was cleaning the barn out one morning you could tell she was going to come in that day, then she started , she hard 2 back to back , i hollered for DAD , told him she doing it again, but she didnt stop at 2 , she dropped 3, we let nature do it thing, she took care of all 3 three, but her bag had dropped so low they couldnt suck without help so Dad would milk her out then we pail fed them , Dad raised them up 2 bull 1 heifer, she never would come in season so Dad Butchered her , in the process he look around for her female equipment inside , but she didnt have any, she looked like a heifer but outside but thats as far as that went, we were even in the little CLYMER NY town paper

Nancy Howell · Nov 5, 2009

Can't help you with advice, but how about some pics?

Michael Soldan · Nov 5, 2009

You are right on all counts..my vet used to say that the first six hours, the colostum, will determine what kind of cattle beast will develop right down to the animal's ability to grow, gain and so on. Free Martinism usually leave sterile heifers but it has been know to not always come out that way..but who wants to gamble..I had one set of twins and I attribute it to this..this first time calver lost her calf. Then the bull I got to replace my bull turned out to be a dud, this cow came into estrogen several times before I got a new bull in the field..and then she had twins..I guess she was trying hard!

dieselpup · Nov 5, 2009

Last set I had I let the cow raise them both and they did fine. I guess it depends on how good the cow is. Time before that I bottle fed one and it was a huge pain. I've just never had as good a luck bottle feeding anything. The other thing to try is to ask the neighbors if anyone has a cow that just lost a calf. You could graft one of yours over. Let us know how it turns out.

Anonymous-0 · Nov 5, 2009

If one is a heifer she may be a free martin.

kyplowboy · Nov 5, 2009

I have a group of year and a half old replacements that are about to get bred, gonna be a while before I worry about keeping any more and have no plans of selling private sale to any one as replacements.

Thanks.

Dave

kyplowboy · Nov 5, 2009

She is an older girl and has always been a good momma. Seems she normally has more milk than it looks like she has now. She is still lick'n both for all she's worth and both look like they have sucked. Really don't want to mess with a bottle calf. I have an 18 year old cousin who works after high school for a BIG time red angus joint that does alot of ET and ends up with quite a multiple births plus always loose a few mommas every year. He has built him a nice little herd out of bottle calves his boss would knock in the head. He's gotten pretty good at raise'n them. If something don't look right by the time my wife gets home, I will run one over to his house and make him swear not to tell her.

Dave

kyplowboy · Nov 5, 2009

Sent an email to James, didn't have your email address. Hope he lets you see it. Yall can post on here if you wish.

Dave

kyplowboy · Nov 5, 2009

Southen States here carries some pretty good powdered colostrum I have used a few time when I have lost a momma or she'd gotten down or something. It works pretty good but never seems to have the same "kick" as the "momma".

Dave

James Howell · Nov 5, 2009

Are these the twins you're talking about?

<a href="http://s200.photobucket.com/albums/aa5/jameslloydhowell/?action=view¤t=twins.jpg" target="_blank">

twins.jpg" width="500" border="0" alt="Photobucket

</a>

Congratulations! Look like two healthy calves to me.

James Howell · Nov 5, 2009

If she's been a good mamma before, then she will take care of these two.

If it looks like both calves have "sucked", then they should be alright.

Make sure that both calves get another opportunity to "suck"; they'll figure it out own their own after that.

Keep an eye on mamma and make sure that she "accepts" them both; nothing worse than a calf "shunned" by its mamma.

You might keep mamma and babies away from the herd for a week or two; you don't want her milk to get "stolen" by other calves.

I've bottle fed many calves before and it is a chore; their schedule doesn't always fit your schedule.

Let "nature" take its course and just keep an eye on them; all will work out OK.

Anonymous-0 · Nov 5, 2009

Id say back off on giving them a bottle milk,,,,but id start feeding that cow a good rash en a feed and the best hay ya got on the farm and make shure she has watter at all times,,,,,and a nice comp fey place to rest for a few days,,,,,,,,,,twins are really cute and fun but can also turn into a Royal head ake,,,,,,,,,,lol

Anonymous-0 · Nov 5, 2009

I"d worry more about getting some condition on that cow especially if feeding twins.

kyplowboy · Nov 5, 2009

She looked great two days ago, when I found her this morning she looked gutted. Never had a cow look like that in my life, especialy now after one of the wettest Sept. Oct combos ever.

Dave

kyplowboy · Nov 5, 2009

They are both bulls. Even if I wanted a hiefer or two to keep next year ain't got to worry bout it now.

Dave

kyplowboy · Nov 5, 2009

Got done with most of my chores for the day (short list, worked 12 hour shift at work last night) so I packed a cooler and went for a ride on the four wheeler. Found her about 100 yards from where she had them, parked four wheeler and walked up for a closer look then sat under a shade tree for a while. Both are bulls. One a good bit bigger than the other. Stayed till I watched both suck. She is still stupid about both, but did find some ankle deep clover to hang out in. She already looks better than she did this morning. I swear I have never had a cow look like that in my life, please don't sic the good folks from PETA on me. Bout time for a nap. Hope I can get up and go check on them before dark.

Thanks much to every one who posted, and thank you James for post'n my cell phone pic even if the old girl looks like dead cow standing.

Dave

James Howell · Nov 5, 2009

You're very welcome; anytime and any way I can help.

Nancy Howell · Nov 5, 2009

Nice looking calves! Keep us updated about how they and mom get along.

Elmers Grassman · Nov 7, 2009

Sounds like a good start for a pair of oxen.

Need advice on twin calves

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