Angry first time momma

[TJSideBiz]

Had a first time heifer calve late one evening. Good thing I went to check on her because I found her mad as h3ll and pushing that calf around with her head. Luckily she wasn't stepping on it but, man, she was angry at it! A really amazing thing was watching the other cows chasing her off to protect the calf. I was sure there was no way the calf could have nursed as it couldn't even stand yet. I remembered a couple posts here on CattleToday about momma cow not accepting her calf. (THANK YOU!) I decided to chute mom, tie her leg back and carry the calf to the teat. It worked. When we let mom out of the chute she still tried to go after the calf but we intervened. It took at least an hour for her to stop. I did notice a large hernia on her belly and thought that might have contributed to her anger and blaming the calf.
Here we are a week later and that heifer is a great mom. She's a nice cow but don't know if this is a case of the heifer/cow not knowing what happened or if she'll repeat the problem.
Has anyone dealt with a cow who was downright mean to her newborn calf?

 

[faster horses]

It can be a common problem. Some of it is genetic. If it happens next year I would not keep her another year. They usually don't get better. Good luck.

 

[Stocker Steve]

Burger will solve this problem.

 

[TCRanch]

I had a first calf heifer get a little too aggressive with her calf and had to intervene. Got the calf latched on and that's all it took. Kept her and that heifer just had her 10th calf.

Hernia probably didn't have anything to do with it. Poor mothering sometimes happens after a difficult birth or if there's twins. But keep in mind, heifers are the equivalent of teenage girls and some of them simply have NO clue.

 

[Brute 23]

Bounce her. A cow has one job and it's bred in to their DNA. Any variations from that should be culled.

 

[GoWyo]

Had one did that one time. She was licking her calf off just fine and two other looky loo heifers came over to see what was going on. She started fighting with them and I ran them off because she was about to step on her calf in the commotion. The calf tried to get up and she would knock it down and lick it. After 20 minutes of that, I took the calf and penned her up next to it after milking enough to get the calf a drink. Two hours later put the calf back and same thing, so gave her a couple CC's of rompun and she took a 30 minute nap, woke up and loved her baby after that. Never had another problem with her and has been a great cow and daughters have been great mothers as well.

 

[Redgully]

Some cows over mother their calves, but they do it whether you're watching or not and 999 times out of a 1000 they figure it out for themselves. Worst ones are the ones who turn around and get a fright when they see the calf and bolt. Had one like that a couple of years ago, she went straight on a trailer.

 

[greybeard]

Worst ones are the ones who turn around and get a fright when they see the calf and bolt. Had one like that a couple of years ago, she went straight on a trailer.

me too.
Had trouble getting her up after calving and when she did get up, took off pell mell across the pasture, bounced off a trailer, then got up, went off a a full gallop at a right angle into and thru a 4 wire fence and when she got thru, suddenly stopped, bent down and started grazing as if nothing ever happened. She was never 'right' afterwards. neurological wise.

 

[TJSideBiz]

It can be a common problem. Some of it is genetic. If it happens next year I would not keep her another year. They usually don't get better. Good luck.

Had one did that one time. She was licking her calf off just fine and two other looky loo heifers came over to see what was going on. She started fighting with them and I ran them off because she was about to step on her calf in the commotion. The calf tried to get up and she would knock it down and lick it. After 20 minutes of that, I took the calf and penned her up next to it after milking enough to get the calf a drink. Two hours later put the calf back and same thing, so gave her a couple CC's of rompun and she took a 30 minute nap, woke up and loved her baby after that. Never had another problem with her and has been a great cow and daughters have been great mothers as well.

Sure could have used Rompun! Think I might get some but hope I never have to use it. Thanks for the suggestion

 

[TJSideBiz]

I had a first calf heifer get a little too aggressive with her calf and had to intervene. Got the calf latched on and that's all it took. Kept her and that heifer just had her 10th calf.

Hernia probably didn't have anything to do with it. Poor mothering sometimes happens after a difficult birth or if there's twins. But keep in mind, heifers are the equivalent of teenage girls and some of them simply have NO clue.

This is the experience I'm hoping for. Glad to hear it's possible.

 

[TJSideBiz]

Bounce her. A cow has one job and it's bred in to their DNA. Any variations from that should be culled.

Since she is now a great momma could I chalk it up to her being a first-calf heifer and take a chance next breeding?

 

[moses388]

Angus Screamer. My guess is she will do it again. Angus Screamers have been talked about on this forum, but nothing comes up in search.

 

[TJSideBiz]

Burger will solve this problem.

It certainly would. Not sure I want to though. Really like her phenotype and she's out of a nice, reliable cow. Plus she's easy to work even with her calf at her side.

 

[TJSideBiz]

Angus Screamer. My guess is she will do it again. Angus Screamers have been talked about on this forum, but nothing comes up in search.

Well, how about that. The behavior actually has a name other than "b!tch." I googled it too and found nothing. But glad to know she's not the only one. Though it was emotionally exhausting so I hope no one else has to go through it.

 

[TJSideBiz]

It can be a common problem. Some of it is genetic. If it happens next year I would not keep her another year. They usually don't get better. Good luck.

She's out of a cow with real good mothering skills and a well-known bull revered for his daughters but I guess it could still be genetic. Or she could just have a screw loose. If we decide to keep her and she does it again she'll be gone.

 

[Brute 23]

Since she is now a great momma could I chalk it up to her being a first-calf heifer and take a chance next breeding?

I would advise against it but you have to decide what kind of operation you want.

Hoping you or no one else ever has to go through it and keeping her doesn't match up.