Calves share mommas

[Whitakerfarms]

We run 160 head of sim/angus momma cows. They are all about 2-4 years old & most
Are on their 3rd calf. Quite frequently we will see two sometimes three calves nursing one cow!
The cows allow this and will let another calf that is not theirs come up & nurse. It's
Very hard to pair them up to move them to other pastures because they don't pair up well.
Has anyone else seen this? Is there a reason they are doing this?

 

[slick4591]

Mine only tolerate this when I throw down some cubes, otherwise they will kick them off. If you will tag the calves as soon as you can after they are born and keep good records, you shouldn't have a problem recognizing the pairs.

:welcome:

 

[Nesikep]

Mine will steal milk when the cows are at the feed bunk. It's a mixed blessing.. it can be handy if you get an orphaned calf or need to graft one, and also if a cow has far too much milk for a young calf, it might as well be drank by someone!.. I do get mad when they steal milk from a cow I'm planning on keeping a replacement heifer from however.

 

[bigbull338]

some cows will accept other calves sucking them no problem.and other cows will kick them away.

 

[Williamsv]

I have a calf right now sucking its mama and another cow. The other cow lost her calf a few minutes after this calf was born. She stayed on with the calf and its mother. Now the calf sucks both cows and does not know which is his mother.
In December I had a calf to start sucking a simangus cow that had a new calf. I worried about that, but pretty soon she stopped on her own. It seems pretty common for this to happen. In fact I see something new about every day.

 

[kucala5]

We've seen it and for us seems to be inherent with the cow. Repeatedly, a calf stealing milk will be tapping the same cows that just don't seem to mind. Last year, a first calf heifer was super generous and couldn't afford to be. Her utter is better this year and she is still "open minded" with her groceries.

 

[dun]

Th first timer we had that we pulled the frozen dead calf rom is feeding the other 4 heifers calves. They don;t need to but she just has to take care of someone, in this case she has 4 someones and is happy as a clam.

 

[Backbone Ranch]

Our cows will sometimes nurse two calves at once. As long as the cows hold good condition, I am not against it.