4 mth. old calf not growing out so good, suggestions?

[BARNSCOOP]

I have a four month old beef calf whos body score it's doing great compared to my other calves. I caught another calf who we weaned May 25th at 6 months old nursing this calfs' mom a month ago and moved him out of the field. I thought that could have been my problem but this calf doesn't eat a daily grain ration with the rest of the herd while calves older and younger are doing so. Now, we don't feed alot of grain just enough to see everybody everyday. We are in a drought and started feeding hay at the beinging of July so there is very little grass for this guy to eat. He is his mothers first calf but she seems to have plenty of milk. He has already had all his vacs and has been dewormered twice since spring. Should I try to creep feed the calves out in the field? I am not sure if I should try to grain him or sell him and buy a bigger steer?
Can anyone tell me what could be happening here or how to handle it?

 

[dun]

In a common feeding regimen, frequently timid calves don;t do as well as the more bold calves. Then of course there is the possiblity that even with plenty of groceries he would be a runty calf.

 

[BARNSCOOP]

This calves mom looks great and she has plenty of milk but your right the calf is timid when it comes to scraping for grain. This calf is tall and weighed as much as calves born two months before him at birth. But he just isn't filling out. Should I sell and buy a bigger calf? Or, should I try to work with him?

 

[angie1]

If all are growing good with the exception of this one calf, who appears to be healthy but small (correct me if I am wrong here), I would say "Well, that sucks. There's the one we eat."

You are taking good care of him and your cattle. You can of course sell him and get another to raise ~ don't expect this one to turn around I think. He will finish, just not as well as the rest by any means. Just make a note so you know how this cow performs next year.

 

[BARNSCOOP]

Angie,

This calf oddly is not small in height and has good bone mass rather he is on the thin side. I see no ribs but he has some hip showing . He looks more like a dairy calf than beef calf.

 

[bigbull338]

pen that pair in the corral.an worm that calf.an feed him an his momma.an see if that wont help him get to growing.now he could just be a runt.but i bet worming will help him.

 

[angie1]

He has been wormed. IF IT WERE MINE ~ I would NOT bring the pair up. The mom is in good condition and has plenty of milk, she does not need to be supplemented ~ she is not lacking. Seperating out for one calf who is healthy, just built differently then the others, is just one more thing to mess with and will potentially stress the mom. The calf has plenty of milk, feeding him grain is not going to impact the growth worth the time and grain you invest. If he is not performing on milk as the others are, I don't know that investing the extra time and grain is going to help. The others are performing as they are. Maybe he is just growing frame, is a different breed, is a lesser performer. Do you propose she seperate him out til finish? If he catches up in a corral due to being timid around the others he will just fall back again when re introduced ~ and it wil be worse for having been seperated from the herd.

 

[newrancher]

He has been wormed. IF IT WERE MINE ~ I would NOT bring the pair up. The mom is in good condition and has plenty of milk, she does not need to be supplemented ~ she is not lacking. Seperating out for one calf who is healthy, just built differently then the others, is just one more thing to mess with and will potentially stress the mom. The calf has plenty of milk, feeding him grain is not going to impact the growth worth the time and grain you invest. If he is not performing on milk as the others are, I don't know that investing the extra time and grain is going to help. The others are performing as they are. Maybe he is just growing frame, is a different breed, is a lesser performer. Do you propose she seperate him out til finish? If he catches up in a corral due to being timid around the others he will just fall back again when re introduced ~ and it wil be worse for having been seperated from the herd.

I agree with you Angie, there is no need if they are healthy. You dont have to powder their a$$e$.

 

[angie1]

Then if the fella is not willing to take advice why post on the board? If he is not willing to listen he can figure it out on his own as far as Im concerned.

Ouch! Why do you think this person is not willing to take advice? I gave him/her advice, it was only different from yours, but advice none the less ~ and sound advice at that.

 

[BARNSCOOP]

TN.MasterBeefProducer: Why would you think I am not taking advise? I haven't replied to any advise yet?

 

[Bez+]

Reckon you can do whatever you want.

Me? I leave them be - if I have to hand feed, separate, powder their ass or whatever - then they need to do one of two things - go into my freezer - or go down the road. Sooner the better because now it is costing me money - and that is the driving factor - period!

Sell it early and save your money - or eat it early and enjoy the darned steaks.

You have to spend money to bring a runt up to normal size and you do not mind - then you have more bucks than me.

Some are born to be runts and you can spend a pile of dollars on something that will always be a runt.

Just because this cow SEEMS to have lots of milk - not sure how you tell that without actually milking her out - does not mean she does. Bag size means diddly.

I am with Angie on this one - mind you I do not remember the last time we killed the best steer in the field for home use.

You can baby this thing - cost you time, effort and money - or you can just sell it or put it in the freezer.

Mom pulls this stunt again, sell the calf and eat her.

They'll both taste just fine.

You will do as you see fit - and good on ya' for that.

Regards from the middle east,

Bez+

 

[dyates]

With what little information is provided, I say leave them be. This calf is putting on frame faster than the others, and will consequently be thinner. So what. As long as it is healthy, pounds are pounds. Some would argue that a calf such as this might be your best money maker in the end.

 

[dieselbeef]

stop meddlin..just decide if its one for sale or eatin whichever is more profitable in your situation. keep doi what youve always done. cant always make em into somethin ya want em to be.
id have said what angie did but she beat me to it