Have a 2 year old bred heifer calve first in a pen of 5 bred heifers. None of the other bred heifers have calved yet.The calf was born between 7pm wednesday and 6am Thursday. Have not seen the calf nurse yet, but I am not around during the day to observe. The cows teats are not swolen and her bag is smaller than it was prior to calving so it appears the calf could be nursing, however when I observe the calf trying to nurse the mother aggressively pushes the calf away with her head and kicks at the calf, not allowing the calf to nurse. What do you think of the situation?
Calf Nursing???
- Thread starter William
- Start date
Help Support CattleToday:
I think that if you could get someone to maybe ovserve them during the day would be good, but how does the calf look.....does it look like it has gotten any milk? Is the cow protecting the calf? If you are absolutly certain that she is pushing the calf away every time it goes to get milk then I would pull the calf......just what I would do
Well, if the calf has not nursed and that is the time line of its birth ~ then it is too late for colostrum, and that is very important. You should see that calf going down really fast about now if it is not/has not been allowed to nurse.
First of all, if your calf is still viable, I would offer it a bottle if this behavior is continuing. Wacth to see the calf nurse, if you do not see it nurse, then assume it is not regardless of udder appearance. If it is dead or weak, it is safe to assume that no, it was not nursing after all.
After the calf has had its bottle, I know that you can use food coloring and color the teats of the heifer. This way you can see if they are being nursed on, they will be clean, or the calf will have color on his face. This may sound like a pain ~ but short of watching there is no way to know.
Good luck!
First of all, if your calf is still viable, I would offer it a bottle if this behavior is continuing. Wacth to see the calf nurse, if you do not see it nurse, then assume it is not regardless of udder appearance. If it is dead or weak, it is safe to assume that no, it was not nursing after all.
After the calf has had its bottle, I know that you can use food coloring and color the teats of the heifer. This way you can see if they are being nursed on, they will be clean, or the calf will have color on his face. This may sound like a pain ~ but short of watching there is no way to know.
Good luck!
K2011
As of this morning the calf does appear to be healthy so due to the calf appearing healthy and the condition of the cows udder, I believe the calf has nursed. The cow will lick the calf as is normal behavior. What is not normal is the cows aggressive behavior that I listed earlier.
As of this morning the calf does appear to be healthy so due to the calf appearing healthy and the condition of the cows udder, I believe the calf has nursed. The cow will lick the calf as is normal behavior. What is not normal is the cows aggressive behavior that I listed earlier.
I'd watch them as much as you can....although I have seen where some people will watch to close and didn't give them enough room and the cow didn't allow the calf to nurse while they where watching....around Christmas time last year we had a cow that calved and it looked like the calf had nursed but we never actually saw the calf nurse and after a few days the calf was looking bad, we offered a bottle and she took it but it was too late, next morning she was dead....calf didn't get the colostrum and therefore died...as Angie said that is very important that they get it.
I luv herfrds
Well-known member
I would just take a peek at the cow once in awhile. If she is still butting the calf away and kicking it plan to get rid of her. Every cow we have had that acted that way never quit doing it, even the following year. They just got worse.
hillsdown
Well-known member
Well I am going to add my two cents from experience with heifers and intervening because of panic and paranoia instead trusting that the cow knows what she is doing.
As you stated this is a heifer ,the first to calve in a pen of heifers too,
my theory is that she and her calf are just fine until you come along and then she goes into fight or flight. When a cow nurses a calf it puts them in a vulnerable position especially the calf, so when you come around she is unsure what do do being that she has no previous experience and no one to learn from. Therefor she stops what she is doing until she deems it safe again.
If the teats are clean and the udder looks like quarters are being utilized I would not worry too much, Once the calf gets older and more aggressive the cow will have to stand for it even if you are watching; also when you have more calve in that group they will probably get into a routine and schedule and you will see all of the heifers nursing their calves around the same time every day.
So, if your calf is looking healthy and the teats are not swollen and leaking it sounds to me that you are experiencing new mom syndrome.
Good luck with your new mommies.
As you stated this is a heifer ,the first to calve in a pen of heifers too,
my theory is that she and her calf are just fine until you come along and then she goes into fight or flight. When a cow nurses a calf it puts them in a vulnerable position especially the calf, so when you come around she is unsure what do do being that she has no previous experience and no one to learn from. Therefor she stops what she is doing until she deems it safe again.
If the teats are clean and the udder looks like quarters are being utilized I would not worry too much, Once the calf gets older and more aggressive the cow will have to stand for it even if you are watching; also when you have more calve in that group they will probably get into a routine and schedule and you will see all of the heifers nursing their calves around the same time every day.
So, if your calf is looking healthy and the teats are not swollen and leaking it sounds to me that you are experiencing new mom syndrome.
Good luck with your new mommies.
