Bottle calf! Some say I'm crazy...

[MurraysMutts]

Uh oh-someone failing as a mom?

Finally freed up now.
The calf nursing the cow above does not belong to her. That's Rosie. One I sold a neighbor. She calved this morning sometime. Appeared to have abandoned her calf. Calf had not been licked dry yet. I had to go check em out and count calves. She still had placenta hanging while Blues calf was nursing her. These 4 cows are on about 5 acres. And all due to calve about the same time. This is the 3rd one on the ground. All out of Big Sexy.

So after assessing the situation, and determining there was not a twin, I decided we better get some colostrum in her newborn. I don't know if her calf had nursed or not before Blue's calf drained her.

The newborn took half a bottle of colostrum pretty easily. Gonna get the other half in her shortly. Yeah, it's a heifer and a sweetheart!

Neighbor will be home shortly. He's gonna catch Rosie and get her penned then we will re-unite em and see how it goes.

Also on the hunt for a second calf, seeing as how Rosie is so accommodating....
I've always thought she had PLENTY of milk. I think she may have a touch of Jersey or something in her background. She's bug eyed and smaller stature. I've never messed with trying a 2nd calf on her as she was with my 2nd herd at a different location. (Not a home cow) if all goes right we will have her a 2nd calf tmrw evening.

This may get interesting.......

Edited to add...
Here's Rosie day I bought her. She gave me 2 calves before I sold her. So she's is probably about 9 yrs old now maybe

 

[Hpacres440p]

Finally freed up now.
The calf nursing the cow above does not belong to her. That's Rosie. One I sold a neighbor. She calved this morning sometime. Appeared to have abandoned her calf. Calf had not been licked dry yet. I had to go check em out and count calves. She still had placenta hanging while Blues calf was nursing her. These 4 cows are on about 5 acres. And all due to calve about the same time. This is the 3rd one on the ground. All out of Big Sexy.

So after assessing the situation, and determining there was not a twin, I decided we better get some colostrum in her newborn. I don't know if her calf had nursed or not before Blue's calf drained her.

The newborn took half a bottle of colostrum pretty easily. Gonna get the other half in her shortly. Yeah, it's a heifer and a sweetheart!

Neighbor will be home shortly. He's gonna catch Rosie and get her penned then we will re-unite em and see how it goes.

Also on the hunt for a second calf, seeing as how Rosie is so accommodating....
I've always thought she had PLENTY of milk. I think she may have a touch of Jersey or something in her background. She's bug eyed and smaller stature. I've never messed with trying a 2nd calf on her as she was with my 2nd herd at a different location. (Not a home cow) if all goes right we will have her a 2nd calf tmrw evening.

This may get interesting.......

Edited to add...
Here's Rosie day I bought her. She gave me 2 calves before I sold her. So she's is probably about 9 yrs old now maybe
View attachment 22134View attachment 22135

She's your little Lowline that raised nice calves….hope she takes hers back

 

[TCRanch]

Well, if that isn't the cutest little heifer! Glad she took the colostrum replacer and I have no doubt you'll either get her paired back up w/mama or latched onto another one.

 

[MurraysMutts]

She's your little Lowline that raised nice calves….hope she takes hers back

Well, if that isn't the cutest little heifer! Glad she took the colostrum replacer and I have no doubt you'll either get her paired back up w/mama or latched onto another one.

Not great news this evening.
Poor girl got confused and was ALL ABOUT a calf that didn't belong to her. She tried to steal Blue's calf. And Blue didn't care. So there's 2 problems. The third problem, I think, is the fact they are on such short acreage. Normally a cow will go off by itself and calve. That ain't happening with these girls because of the acreage limit my neighbor has.

The reunion did not go well. She tried to kill her own dang calf TWICE. Canceled my/their order for a second calf.

My 2nd butcher date in November is now taken. I'll let ya'll know how the ribeyes and filets from an old cow taste. The rest will be burger.

And of coarse I'll update on the calf!
Shes had a terrible first day of life. But the plan is, theyvare gonna bottle her and keep her. For now that's the plan. Plans change.

 

[Travlr]

Not great news this evening.
Poor girl got confused and was ALL ABOUT a calf that didn't belong to her. She tried to steal Blue's calf. And Blue didn't care. So there's 2 problems. The third problem, I think, is the fact they are on such short acreage. Normally a cow will go off by itself and calve. That ain't happening with these girls because of the acreage limit my neighbor has.

The reunion did not go well. She tried to kill her own dang calf TWICE. Canceled my/their order for a second calf.

My 2nd butcher date in November is now taken. I'll let ya'll know how the ribeyes and filets from an old cow taste. The rest will be burger.

And of coarse I'll update on the calf!
Shes had a terrible first day of life. But the plan is, theyvare gonna bottle her and keep her. For now that's the plan. Plans change.

View attachment 22156

Did you rub Vick's Vaporub all over the cow's nose and under the calf before introducing them?

Will Blue take the new calf?

 

[MurraysMutts]

Did you rub Vick's Vaporub all over the cow's nose and under the calf before introducing them?

Will Blue take the new calf?

No on the vicks
But we did try in the field first. Her own darn calf and she just wanted to shove it away to get to the other one that wasn't hers. Once penned it was even worse. We took the calf away and she seemed interested again after she calmed down. But she pinned the calf up against the wall with her head and was not happy about it. Thought she broke the calf. The second time she pinned against the chain link. After that we were done! Ain't getting a good lil calf killed for no good reason.


I think Blue might, but I also don't think she has enough milk but for her own.

If they get tired of bottling, I may have to recruit Bessie for a month or 2...
Really didn't want to. Wanted to see Bessie raise this single but it'll work out one way or another.

We shall see.

 

[Travlr]

No on the vicks
But we did try in the field first. Her own darn calf and she just wanted to shove it away to get to the other one that wasn't hers. Once penned it was even worse. We took the calf away and she seemed interested again after she calmed down. But she pinned the calf up against the wall with her head and was not happy about it. Thought she broke the calf. The second time she pinned against the chain link. After that we were done! Ain't getting a good lil calf killed for no good reason.


I think Blue might, but I also don't think she has enough milk but for her own.

If they get tired of bottling, I may have to recruit Bessie for a month or 2...
Really didn't want to. Wanted to see Bessie raise this single but it'll work out one way or another.

We shall see.

If Blue will take the new calf, let her calf go with the new mother. Put them in separate fields and let them each raise the other's calf. Problems all solved.

 

[MurraysMutts]

If Blue will take the new calf, let her calf go with the new mother. Put them in separate fields and let them each raise the other's calf. Problems all solved.

Holy crap!
Why did that thought not occur to me!

I'll get with em and see if they wanna try that

 

[MurraysMutts]

It MAY be too late.....
Appears we have more than one calf thief!!

 

[MurraysMutts]

And she named her!

Cindy.

It fits. She's gonna be a princess (Cinderella)

O yeah, I'm officially out of milk replacer too! Gave it away. No excuse to get me another one this winter now.

And if you think I'm kidding about being a princess.....
This is gonna be her house thru winter!

 

[branxchar&charx]

And she named her!

Cindy.

It fits. She's gonna be a princess (Cinderella)

O yeah, I'm officially out of milk replacer too! Gave it away. No excuse to get me another one this winter now.

And if you think I'm kidding about being a princess.....
This is gonna be her house thru winter!
View attachment 22182View attachment 22183View attachment 22184

All cleanout out and everything! Pricess indeed. I did something similar cleaning the floor out of an old farmhouse... Then i put pigs in it.

 

[Peace]

They only say you're crazy?

 

[MurraysMutts]

Awwwww!

Guess the cow is done.
Gave them my second butcher date and they gonna throw me some filets and ribeyes.
They plan on keeping the heifer.
Gonna do 3 bottles a day I hear.
I've always done 2 due to scheduling conflicts.

@ksmit454
@Buck Randall
Maybe @Hereford2
Have made comment on 3 a day. I'm super excited to see how she does!

 

[Hereford2]

Awwwww!
View attachment 22208View attachment 22209View attachment 22210
Guess the cow is done.
Gave them my second butcher date and they gonna throw me some filets and ribeyes.
They plan on keeping the heifer.
Gonna do 3 bottles a day I hear.

@ksmit454
@Buck Randall
Maybe @Hereford2
Have made comment on 3 a day. I'm super excited to see how she does!

Yes, I believe calves grow better that get 3 bottles a day for the first month of life. Because the calves that I have fed 3 times a day grew better than the twice a day fed calves

 

[TCRanch]

Oh, my heart!!!

 

[MurraysMutts]

Ya'll know I love me some bottle babies. I tried the online bidding thing today and let me tell you!!

Bid on a lil black heifer.
Bid pending..........................................
Like a minute and a half later, floor Bid accepted before your Bid. Grrrr.

Well. One of the LAST calves to sell was a lil brahma bull calf. Bidding start at 100 bucks. Had my bidding finger ready!
All of a sudden they are down to 25 bucks!
Swipe! Swipe!
Bid pending.......................................
Same $%@& result!
I was so mad I almost threw my phone. Idk what happened but I suspect they were not paying attention to the online bidder (me)
Calf sold for 25 bucks!

I still got steam coming out my ears!!!!

DERN IT!

I quoted myself...

Had to use a different browser. Was fiddling around with it today and bought a bwf 90lb bottle calf. (Now remember I said I gave my milk replacer away) Only bidder. I don't know what I bought other than that. And it was definitely the right price.
Pics later.
Liable to get a bit western....

 

[MurraysMutts]

Went to pick up the 90lb calf. It's a heifer.
Left with 2 more 100lb heifer calves on top of that.....
I had to leave! There was MORE! Lots more! And hardly any baby buyers.
Evidently cows and babies are getting cheaper.

You'll notice the 3rd ain't in the last pic.
Shes penned with Rosie! And Rosie ain't trying to kill it. We will see how it goes.

 

[Hpacres440p]

Went to pick up the 90lb calf. It's a heifer.
Left with 2 more 100lb heifer calves on top of that.....
I had to leave! There was MORE! Lots more! And hardly any baby buyers.
Evidently cows and babies are getting cheaper.

You'll notice the 3rd ain't in the last pic.
Shes penned with Rosie! And Rosie ain't trying to kill it. We will see how it goes.
View attachment 22238View attachment 22239View attachment 22240

I don't know how you walk into a barn full of orphan calves and walk out with just a few all the time. Granted, I wouldn't even walk in because I know I have no time for bottle calves. They sure are pretty

 

[MurraysMutts]

I don't know how you walk into a barn full of orphan calves and walk out with just a few all the time. Granted, I wouldn't even walk in because I know I have no time for bottle calves. They sure are pretty

It's great fun!
Gotta make time, my friend.

Gotta know when to say when. Today I didn't know when to say when. The first one went so cheap I thought I'd try ONE MORE TIME with neighbors cow. (And I wanted to see if my browser was the issue with online bidding anyway) She was cheap enough I can re-sell and turn a nickle if I have to. I get there and they are selling calves pulled off cows that they couldn't pair up. I just shook my head and told myself LEAVE, LEAVE NOW!!

I don't listen to the voices in my head sometimes.

As an aside. I think I could've squeezed one more in the crate! Now we know. That's makes it more dangerous

 

[Buck Randall]

It's great fun!
Gotta make time, my friend.

Gotta know when to say when. Today I didn't know when to say when. The first one went so cheap I thought I'd try ONE MORE TIME with neighbors cow. (And I wanted to see if my browser was the issue with online bidding anyway) She was cheap enough I can re-sell and turn a nickle if I have to. I get there and they are selling calves pulled off cows that they couldn't pair up. I just shook my head and told myself LEAVE, LEAVE NOW!!

I don't listen to the voices in my head sometimes.

As an aside. I think I could've squeezed one more in the crate! Now we know. That's makes it more dangerous

You should have filled a trailer. Milk replacer and calf starter are cheaper by the ton, and you'd have some very valuable light calves in the spring.