Heifer just had a calf 36 hours ago and her bag is very small. Calf is moving from teat to teat trying to suck. Is this normal ? I tried to get close to bottle feed calf and almost got killed.(not the first time ). Any suggestions? I feed them massively. Don't know what's going on or what to do thanks.
1st calf heifer no bag!
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M-5
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she should come into milk but you will likely have to intervene and supplement the calf till then .
In addition to the above, some heifers just have small bags &/or teats. Can you get her in a chute? That's the only way you'll find out.
If it makes you feel any better, few years ago I had a first calf heifer with a tiny bag/teats, similar situation. Calf rejected the bottle and I got up close-n-personal to watch her nurse (that cow's as sweet as they come, totally let me). The calf went teat-to-teat but never looked drawn, always had a full belly, calf turned out great.
The next year her bag/teats still looked pretty small but she raised a whopper of a bull/steer and while she still doesn't have a huge bag I never worry about her calves. Good luck but I'm assuming it's just a matter of time.
The next year her bag/teats still looked pretty small but she raised a whopper of a bull/steer and while she still doesn't have a huge bag I never worry about her calves. Good luck but I'm assuming it's just a matter of time.
True Grit Farms
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TCRanch":ck2v5c2e said:
That's the kind of cow you want right there. I'm raising beef not milk, more milk equals more feed.
farmerjan
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You do need to get her in a chute and check to see if she has milk. The comment about feeding them massively could be right. Sometimes feeding "too well" will cause fatty tissue in the udder and the milk producing glands will actually be hindered or suppressed so as to not properly develop. This may be permanent.... But, the biggest thing to determine if she has milk...good milk not watery stuff.... in each quarter. If so, then you may have to keep her and the calf where you can get the calf in to supplement with a bottle at least once a day for a few days/weeks until she comes into her milk better.
Knew someone whose son raised and showed a heifer. Fed her to the N th degree and she did grow. She was so over conditioned and it arrested her udder development. Bred her and her calf was normal sized and she had a teacup for an udder. Not much milk. Calf was small and was eating whatever it could find from a very young age. Gave her a second chance and second calf was the same thing. Udder never did have much milk.
Knew someone whose son raised and showed a heifer. Fed her to the N th degree and she did grow. She was so over conditioned and it arrested her udder development. Bred her and her calf was normal sized and she had a teacup for an udder. Not much milk. Calf was small and was eating whatever it could find from a very young age. Gave her a second chance and second calf was the same thing. Udder never did have much milk.
farmerjan
Well-known member
Bought a cow once and she had a nice small but functional looking udder. Had a calf, and the calf disappeared after about a week. Thought it was coyotes. Next year same thing, nice udder, but watched a little closer. Calf went from teat to teat. saw some foam on its face so figured all was okay. A few days later calf looked weak. Got them in the cow had about 3 squirts of milk in one quarter and the other 3 were blind. Nice udder to look at..... useless as tits on a bull....shipped the cow, put the calf on a bottle and within a week it was growing and filling out.
wbvs58
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If they get nothing from birth they are usually OK for 48 hrs then go downhill very rapidly. I would say he is good to go, peeing is a good sign, taking in fluids and running around means he has a bit of surplus energy.
Ken
Ken
Black and Good
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Get some Oxyctocin. Sometimes that can really help. B&G
farmerjan
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Glad she came into her milk. Sometimes a heifer is a little slow. And sometimes they have so much edema (swelling) that it takes a bit before it goes down and the milk flows better. But regardless, very glad she has come around for you.
