I now have a four day old calf that had a birth weight of 28 lbs. Is not a twin, will she always be a runt or can I expect her to grow to normal size? She has two half brother this year with a BW in the 80's. How about future health problems? seems normal no problems, moms doing all the work. After 4 days I'm wondering if the cats will think she is a rat! LOL
I had a 24 pound calf this spring. She has tripled her birth weight and still weighs less than the others were born (on average). Mine looks like she will always be smaller. She is very fine boned, samll hooves, tiny muzzle, small head and looks more mature and less calf-like than her taller mates. She had to stand on her toes to nurse at first. On day three, when her momma was at the feed bunk and she couldn't get to her side, she went under the belly of four cows to reach her dam's udder!
Well, the smallest we ever had was 35 pounds, she grew up and be came fertile, cycled regularly, but did not concieve till after she was 18 mo., I sold her as a commercial bred cow, all the females I keep have to calve before 26 mo, so she may grow and develope fine, but may be a little slower to reach full reproductive maturity. zjudgement call, if you have set target goals for production females that you retain in your herd.
