bad momma.

[greybeard]

3rd cup and breaksfast is done, now to go try to deal with a calf it's mother has not taken on.
Sumbeech can run faster than the deer I spooked up while looking for the calf right before dark last night. I had to lead in, then lock the whole herd into a 20 ac parcel at dusk just to help/hope the calf makes it thru the night, as it ran into the woods that make up what used to be my brother's place. Hopefully it had enough instinct to rejoin the group. Knew something was wrong Thursday evening when momma showed up all alone right behind the shop with afterbirth hanging and no calf anywhere around. Yesterday morning, I found the calf with her out on the other side of the pond and it was trying to suck, but she just kept pushing it away but I decided to let it stay with her during the day. I'll have to try to graft it on to another cow or give it to someone that has a milk cow I guess...I don't bottle feed them at these low prices.
She just wrote herself a one way ticket to sale barn and the kill pen. She raised one last year, but barely.
bye bye

 

[Caustic Burno]

It happens, part of the game that stinks. I agree ruthless culling and get a better cow.

 

[Nesikep]

Yep, she's a dummy and just is longing to become McDonalds burgers.

 

[TCRanch]

Can you pen them together, put her in a chute to let the calf nurse? Maybe you can force the love long enough to sell them as a pair? Or she might surprise you & decide to claim it, then sell her at weaning.

 

[Silver]

My usual process when this happens is to do what TC suggested, plus add short hobbles while mom is in the chute. Once the calf gets going good and realized the cow can't get away it's usually just a matter of time until it's a proper pair. Then in the fall at shipping time the problem gets a more permanent solution.

 

[greybeard]

They are sequestered now in a smaller area, about 4 acres right by the house. Momma does let the calf suck, but not for long and still wanders off and leaves it 'anywhwere'. (My pen has no shade and it would be brutal for both if I locked them in there, and I had a lot of trouble getting that calf to go thru a gate just to get them where they are now. He's gonna be a wild one I suspect.
They may come around after some forced 'quality time' together..may not, but she has a poor udder no matter what so she's leaving anyway.

 

[Nesikep]

How old is that momma?

 

[greybeard]

Not sure exactly but I believe between 3-4 years.

 

[Aaron]

They either accept them or they don't. I have played the game before and while perseverance can work, it quickly overwhelms my short fuse. Much more satisfying to give the calf a decent life with someone else and ram the beach into the trailer with extreme prejudice.

 

[Little Cow]

Good grief! Send the calf here. I have the opposite trouble. I have a mama cow that will go into milk if a calf looks at her, lol!

Another of my little Dexters was like the one I have now. Little dun cow lost a calf years ago, after it was stepped on, and she mourned it for 3 days straight (I left it in with her for 24 hours before I buried it. Thought she would get the hint that it wasn't getting up). Well, I couldn't stand it, so I paid $10 for a dairy bull calf and gave it to her. Funniest thing you'd ever seen was that little black and white calf on his knees to reach her udder as he grew up lanky and tall! She fed him for six months and bawled when he was weaned.

 

[Caustic Burno]

They either accept them or they don't. I have played the game before and while perseverance can work, it quickly overwhelms my short fuse. Much more satisfying to give the calf a decent life with someone else and ram the beach into the trailer with extreme prejudice.

I agree life is too short to fight a bad bovine.

 

[f1tiger]

Cb what happen to brimmer pimping lol , is this an opportunity girl that you bought at sale barn , oh well xxxx happens

 

[greybeard]

Update...

She did better but never did really care much for it and would let it nurse 'some' but never did develop much of a bag but the situation resolved itself. Calf latched on to another momma all by itself a couple 3 weeks ago and she accepted it and Bad Momma is now gone. good riddance..

 

[CG1]

That's awesome! Better for everyone and that white cow is a good cow. I am having a bit of a different issue with one of my cows. One of my heifers calved 2 days ago a huge bull calf. But momma is soooooooo defensive of her calf shes fighting everyone and everything. I managed to sneak up and do an iodine dip but the calf had to go without its initial vitamin shots. I think the cow might kill me if I step foot in the pasture haha.