Bad udder.

[KNERSIE]

If you keep feeding it a bottle it will never want to go for its mama... I have cows with big tits and after the calf nurses them really well they tend to shrink down. I think personally you are worrying too much and should step back and let them do their thing.

I agree with Sky.

If you can't get it over your heart not to feed the calf, feed it only half a bottle so it wants more and only feed twice a day, reduce the morning bottle to quarter of a bottle after a day or two, you'll soon see if he is getting enough from his dam

 

[John1987]

If you keep feeding it a bottle it will never want to go for its mama... I have cows with big tits and after the calf nurses them really well they tend to shrink down. I think personally you are worrying too much and should step back and let them do their thing.

I agree with Sky.

If you can't get it over your heart not to feed the calf, feed it only half a bottle so it wants more and only feed twice a day, reduce the morning bottle to quarter of a bottle after a day or two, you'll soon see if he is getting enough from his dam

I have only been giving him a bottle twice a day, just in case he wasn't sucking get, he wouldn't get weak. He is three days old today though, and if he's not eating on his own by this evening when I get in, it will be his last bottle. He either learns or goes to the sale. I hope you guys are right, I'm probably worrying too much, I haven't been around cattle long enough to know that much about them yet.

 

[Supa Dexta]

Leave him be, he'll be fine.

 

[John1987]

Gave the calf one last bottle this evening, it was trying to eat off of its mama, but it will only suck off the from two quarters, which are dry.

 

[Muddy]

Let the cow do her job. You worry too much! I have a cow has an udder like that. Her calves will suck the two first quarters when they're few days old then they will suck on the two last quarters. The udder will shrink down eventually after the calf gain some size/age. The big reason why the tits are big is because you fed the calf already.

 

[John1987]

Well, tomorrow its on its own, I'll let it go till Thursday and see if it's eating by then. Thanks for the advice, I'll try to start listening to it! It's just hard to think about the what if's, I've lost them before cause I wasn't worried, don't want that to happen again.

 

[skyhightree1]

Well, tomorrow its on its own, I'll let it go till Thursday and see if it's eating by then. Thanks for the advice, I'll try to start listening to it! It's just hard to think about the what if's, I've lost them before cause I wasn't worried, don't want that to happen again.

Better get out the biz now cause there is not clear cut and dry of when you will lose one... Worrying or not has no bearing on whether you will lose them or not. In this biz you can do everything by the book and still lose some that's just how it is. Some stuff you can prevent some you cannot.. One things for sure in this biz you will lose some.

 

[John1987]

Better get out the biz now cause there is not clear cut and dry of when you will lose one... Worrying or not has no bearing on whether you will lose them or not. In this biz you can do everything by the book and still lose some that's just how it is. Some stuff you can prevent some you cannot.. One things for sure in this biz you will lose some.

I know I will lose some, especially calves, I wasn't meaning that, just that I don't want to lose any more due to my not paying attention. I didn't pay attention to some a few years ago and lost a few cows as a result.

 

[skyhightree1]

it happens... Its a life lesson.. The best lesson is going through something and coming out with a valuable lesson learned.. The big tits thing is nothing to worry about and certainly not a reason to cull if you are a commercial farmer.

 

[branguscowgirl]

I understand your fear John. You don't want to sit back and let the calf starve to death for what ever reason it is not sucking the back teats. Make sure that you can still get some milk out of them. Even though you need for that calf to "get a bit hungry," you still have to insure that it gets enough colostrum in time to do it some good. I too would have milked the cow out and gotten the colostrum in it also.
Now I would make sure those back teats are open and keep putting the calf on them morning and night. You will soon know if the calf starts sucking them down on its own during the day.

 

[John1987]

Well, it's been 48 hour since I gave that calf a bottle. I wish I could say that everything was going good, but it's not. That stubborn little fellow still won't suck those rear quarters, and is now dehydrated. He is alert and will get up when I go to the barn, but now won't even go to his mama, he just comes to me and sucks at my fingers or shirt. I try putting him on her, but after not getting anything out of those front quarters, he sucks once or twice on the rear and goes and lays down. I believe I will have to bottle feed him now, or he will be dead by morning. Better to do that and sell him the first of next week, as to have a dead calf tomorrow. Thanks for the all the advice, I guess there are just those stubborn animals that are the exceptions!

 

[branguscowgirl]

Sorry John. Better feed the little guy.

 

[Muddy]

Sounds like he's a slow learner. Sometimes intervening them can be harmful for both calf and mother cow.

 

[Supa Dexta]

Where are they currently? Can you pen them, tie the cow in place and then grab a lawn chain and sit next to the cow? Stick the tit in its mouth, squirt some in and hold the calf in position. Work at it for 20mins if need be..

He may be too weak by now, but its very rare a calf wont take to sucking - unless you taught it milk comes in a bottle, rather than having to work for it.

 

[KNERSIE]

I'll have to disagree with Sky on this one, this cow isn't worth keeping.

Milk the two hind quarters since you have to mess with teh calf anyways and feed that milk to the calf, that way he'll keep the smell of his dam and the teats should go down enough for him to latch on to.

 

[fitz]

I don't like the teats on that cow. If the front teats are giving anything enough to support the calf it will eventually go to the back and work those down. Too much "if" for me. I've dealt with them and those bottle teats are heredity and will only get worse with age. If you can work her out with this calf I would suggest letting her go when you sell her calf.

 

[skyhightree1]

I'll have to disagree with Sky on this one, this cow isn't worth keeping.

Milk the two hind quarters since you have to mess with teh calf anyways and feed that milk to the calf, that way he'll keep the smell of his dam and the teats should go down enough for him to latch on to.

I don't feel its the cows fault honestly.. Sure may have bad udder but.. Like muddy said I feel that the intervention has messed up the natural want to nurse personally. We want to take care of our stock the best we can but sometimes need to step back and let nature take its course.

 

[bird dog]

I had a cow like that and the calf almost died before I intervened. It took almost three weeks of bottle feeding the calf before it had to the size and strength to get after the moms large teats. The teats also came down in size some and that helped. After the calf finally took over, everything went back to normal and the calf weaned out with the rest. This had happened two years before with a calf on this cow but the one the next year jumped right on them without a second thought.
I shipped her after this one. I am not around all the time to make sure the calf sucks and she was a big cow that brought a lot as a packer cow. Lifes to short to have to worry about that every year.

 

[John1987]

I don't feel its the cows fault honestly.. Sure may have bad udder but.. Like muddy said I feel that the intervention has messed up the natural want to nurse personally. We want to take care of our stock the best we can but sometimes need to step back and let nature take its course.

I don't believe it's because I interviened, this calf tries its best to suck, sometimes up to a few minutes at a time, but just on the front, which are dry. I am 100% sure of this as I have tried to milk them dozens of time without a single drop of milk from either. As soon as I'm done giving the calf a bottle, it runs to mama, to try again, but refuses to suck the rear quarters! I've decided to raise it as a bottle calf, a few more days of milking his mama, and then switching to milk replacer and keeping the calf in a lot closer to home where I can keep a closer eye on him. My daughter will get a kick out of feeding him anyways!

 

[skyhightree1]

If you were closer id take her off your hands for sure