Questions. Please help!

[VtMapleGal]

I am new to the bored, and the cow world. I just got a 6 month old Simmental Heifer. She weighs in at about 325Lbs (taped). I can feel her ribs. Right now she is getting free choice 2nd cut grass hay, and about 3 pounds of 16% protien grain. She was wormed with ivermectin pour on wormer about 3 weeks ago. We are undecided if she will be bred or sent to slaughter, but either way, do you think i need to add something to her feed? She also has a salt block to lick. Another thing is she is losing the hair on her ears. Its not raised, so im pritty sure its not ring worm. Just flakey. Dry skin? She went from being in a heard outside to my 12x12 stall. I dont let her out yet because i am afraid she will go through my electric fence. Do you think she will? She wont run from you if i go in the stall and will let me walk up to her head if i have a treat. One thing she started this week is kicking when she doesnt like something (if im trying to brush her, pick her stall ect). What shall i do to stop this?
Thanks in Advance for all the help!

 

[Caustic Burno]

Six months and 325 lbs has salebarn and Alpo written all over it.

 

[Stepper]

I dont think it would be good to keep her in a 12 x 12 pen or stall for several reasons. It would be really hard to keep such a small area like that clean. And it is not going to be able to get much excersize. Cows are herd animals they feel more at home with at least a couple or few more cows with them. So it is really not a good idea to confine an animal like that to such conditions. And i know you are wanting what is best for it or you would not be looking for information on how to take better care of it. But it sounds like for now you have it on a pretty good feeding program. I think though since you are giving it minerals you could do away with the salt block.

And Caustic has a very good point if it is six months old and only weighs 350 lbs. There is something bad wrong. Because it should weigh somewhere arround 600 lbs at that age.

 

[backhoeboogie]

The sooner you sell that little gal, the sooner you can cut your losses. If you keep pouring the feed to her you are burning money.

Could it be that she is only 3 months old?

 

[Susie David]

IMO her ration is fine could up the grain a pound or two over a week or so.
Is the age actual or is that what you were told...way to small for that age. The stall is way to small and will not give the heifer room to grow and will muck up quickly.
Cattle are herding animals and your little gal needs a buddy for normal development and growth.
Minerals not just salt.
Once she gets the feel of the electric fence she will respect it...we seperate a pasture with two strands of hot wire (one 18" for the calves and one 30" for the big gals. Calves will sometimes bolt into the fence if they get shocked on the neck but will back away when the nose gets the lesson.
Hate to say it but she could be a failure to thrive calf and needs to move along to another owner. You could be making alot of expensive manure with no growth.
Just my two bits worth....DMc

 

[Alice]

Oh my...let her out of that stall and into the fresh air and sunshine. Give her a little time to see if things change. If they don't, then sell her...if they do, then all the better...altho I doubt her temperament will change...but ya' never know...

Just don't keep chasing a lost cause...

Alice

 

[VtMapleGal]

I was told she was 6 months old, i dont know for sure. I am weighing her with a weight tape, maybe im not doing it right? I know the other calfs that were in with her were a little bit bigger, but not a ton. and they were boys. I have posted a pic of her when i first got her (2 weeks ago). According to the tape she did gain about 20 pounds in a little over a week. I do have a horse which spends a lot of his time next to her stall, so she has a "companion" i dont really have the pasture for 2 cows and a horse. I am tempted to let her out in the pasture, but was afraid she would go through the fence. Maybe i will brave it. If she does go through i dont know how i would catch her though.

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[preston39]

Vt...Gal,

She does not look runted. I don't think she is 6 months.....a simmi!!.....guess her at 3 mos. She is a good 300#. Rather feel ribs ....at her age...you want growth not fat.

These are herd animals and like company..get another one to put with her. They don't require much grass at this age. Get her out in the open. If you are concerned about the fence....repair it..... where she is contained. Don't keep her in the barn.

 

[vbd]

I agree with preston...no way this baby is 6 months. Alice and I have one that looks very much like her and she is smaller than our herefords, but growing well.

I am a novice as well; however, this is what I would do with her...

Give her a shot of A, D & E and B complex vitamins, hit her with the Ivomex one more time, put her on a good starter / grower feed for a couple of months, free choice hay, AND, by all means, turn that baby out! ;-)

Caustic and others were right on if this calf was 6 months old, just doesn't look that old and I don't see anything in the pic to make me think there is anything wrong with her...the pic doesn't match the first description you left with me... :shock:

Give her a chance to prosper...if you do not see progress on a regular basis, you can always pull up and sell.

Van

 

[shorty]

I've seen alot worse looking calves than that one. you could be wrong on the age but it could also be that she was a small twin , 3 years ago we had a heifer that gave birth to twins , a dead bull and tiny heifer , she was only 34 pounds but in good shape, the cow wouldn't accept her at first , she wanted the dead bull , but after about 3 days we got them together, she did well but she was always behind size, I didn't want to sell her to my regular buyer so we fed her out for ourselves, at 17 mths she weighed 1020 live and 625 hanging she was finished nice and ate good but just a little small for her age . we just slaugtered that cow's 2nd calf which also a heifer she was a normal size calf at birth she was 15 months and was 710 hanging and also was finished nice and eats good too. Just from your picture I'd give her a chance she may or not be something you would want to breed but she should grow up and finsh nice. if you want to feed her out you could up the feed to about 2% of her body weight. She should also have a buddy.

 

[Frankie]

I've seen alot worse looking calves than that one. you could be wrong on the age but it could also be that she was a small twin , 3 years ago we had a heifer that gave birth to twins , a dead bull and tiny heifer , she was only 34 pounds but in good shape, the cow wouldn't accept her at first , she wanted the dead bull , but after about 3 days we got them together, she did well but she was always behind size, I didn't want to sell her to my regular buyer so we fed her out for ourselves, at 17 mths she weighed 1020 live and 625 hanging she was finished nice and ate good but just a little small for her age . we just slaugtered that cow's 2nd calf which also a heifer she was a normal size calf at birth she was 15 months and was 710 hanging and also was finished nice and eats good too. Just from your picture I'd give her a chance she may or not be something you would want to breed but she should grow up and finsh nice. if you want to feed her out you could up the feed to about 2% of her body weight. She should also have a buddy.

If she's a twin, she's probably not a breeder.

 

[Cowdirt]

I am new to the bored, and the cow world. I just got a 6 month old Simmental Heifer. She weighs in at about 325Lbs (taped). I can feel her ribs. Right now she is getting free choice 2nd cut grass hay, and about 3 pounds of 16% protien grain. She was wormed with ivermectin pour on wormer about 3 weeks ago. We are undecided if she will be bred or sent to slaughter, but either way, do you think i need to add something to her feed? She also has a salt block to lick. Another thing is she is losing the hair on her ears. Its not raised, so im pritty sure its not ring worm. Just flakey. Dry skin? She went from being in a heard outside to my 12x12 stall. I dont let her out yet because i am afraid she will go through my electric fence. Do you think she will? She wont run from you if i go in the stall and will let me walk up to her head if i have a treat. One thing she started this week is kicking when she doesnt like something (if im trying to brush her, pick her stall ect). What shall i do to stop this?
Thanks in Advance for all the help!

Not a bad looking calf at all. As others said, she appears to be younger than 6mos. I guess I would kick too if I were confined by myself in that small of stall. Someone suggested whacking her when she kicks. I don't think that would be good in this situation. I suggest that you don't try to rub her head this makes cattle act rambunctious(sic?). While she's eating from her feeder rub her spine with your stick. As she get's comfortable with that move closer and eventually rub her with your hand. In no time you can place your hand anyplace you want on her without the kicking. Didn't think I'd ever give cattle petting instructions. Should have left that to the pro. Y'all know he's much more experienced in that area. ;-)

 

[Alice]

Go to TSC or the lumber yard or wherever they sell fence supplies and get some hog panels to fix whatever part of the fence needs repair. You can also fashion a decent sized pen with hog panels. When a calf stays enclosed like that hygiene comes quickly into play. Smelling urine in an enclosed area can cause respiratory problems, I firmly believe that. And the calf needs to be able to run a little bit.

Just some thoughts.

Alice

 

[TheBullLady]

But for God's sake, don't let her loose with the horse! That could easily turn into a nightmare, no matter how good of "buddies" you perceive them to be.

I agree she also looks too small for 6 months. I raise Simmentals!

 

[VtMapleGal]

The fence isnt broken, but its hot wire. 2 stranded. She has to be turned out with the horse, its the only pasture i have. Why could this cause a problem? The lady told me she was born beginning of august..maybe she ment october? I can walk up to her and pet her back, and i know not to pet her head. she likes her ears rubbed. We are soposed to get a big storm tonight and tomorrow so tomorrow afternoon i will let her out. She cant run so fast in the snow if she gets out. good idea?? of course then the fence wont shock as hard either if its in the snow.....

 

[Cowdirt]

won't shock as hard either if its in the snow.....

whoa!! think you are wrong about. The subject (calf) would have a near perfect ground. I think it will loosen her teeth.

 

[Roadapple]

VtMaple: Run a ground wire close to the hot one so she touches both at same time. Ran a single hot wire once, did'nt even slow them down.

 

[VtMapleGal]

we have decided to just break down and get some boards and board in some of the pasture for now with electic on the inside of the booards until she knows what it is.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

I raise Simmentals and I live in the same kind of environment as you. She appears younger, but if not, than the suggestion that she is a twin might be right. The picture makes her look more like a 3 month old than a stunted 6 month old.
I disagree with the others. Her pen is fine for her for now. I would make sure there was an open door or window for ventilation. If you can let her go out during day & in at night - or have access to go in & out would be best.
Before I turned her out in 2 strand electric fence, I would want to know she KNEW what electric fence was. You could run a wire in her pen to get her broke to what a wire was.
Trust me, snow may slow her down, but it'll slow you down MORE. And, by the way, when the cattle are standing on snow, they DO NOT get much of a shock. Not sure why, but I know that for sure. Air????

 

[VtMapleGal]

I know she wasnt a twin. She was out of a 10 year old cow, was what i was told though. And she was in a pen with some steers that were pushing her outta the grain, but she isnt skin and bones. I know from expierence that standing in snow gives you less of a shock then out of snow, i have hit the fence before lol. Thanks for the help everyone.