Can't tell if it's sucked

[Bigfoot]

A really really good friend of mine has one cow it's a hiefer. Long story short he dropped it off here to be bred. Another long story short it calved here today. I doubt the hiefer weighs 750 pounds. Smallest bag I have ever seen on a Hiefer.I gave the calf some bagged colustrum. I hate that stuff, but its better than nothing. The hiefer is crazy about everything but the calf. She wouldn't follow it to the barn. I thought about necking her, and dragging her in. I decided they are both better off where they are. If its getting anything, I can't tell it. I haven't actually seen it suck her yet. I don't know how I get in these predicaments.

 

[Aaron]

Question you should be asking is, if her bag is that small, does she have any milk beyond a 1/4 cup-full?

 

[inyati13]

A really really good friend of mine has one cow it's a hiefer. Long story short he dropped it off here to be bred. Another long story short it calved here today. I doubt the hiefer weighs 750 pounds. Smallest bag I have ever seen on a Hiefer.I gave the calf some bagged colustrum. I hate that stuff, but its better than nothing. The hiefer is crazy about everything but the calf. She wouldn't follow it to the barn. I thought about necking her, and dragging her in. I decided they are both better off where they are. If its getting anything, I can't tell it. I haven't actually seen it suck her yet. I don't know how I get in these predicaments.

Hey Bigfoot, beat the he$$ out of her with a good tobacco stick, I know a Kentucky man has to have one of those on the farm. Just making a joke on Fire Sweep Ranch's thread last week that was the same kind of issue. No don't beat her!!! Just some morning humor. :lol: BTW how is that 50 year woman doing, who is still dragging on the tit?

Sounds like this heifer was a little on the young and small side. How old is she? If your friend had you breed her too early, then it is not the heifer's fault.

 

[Bigfoot]

He's such a good friend, I just had to. He raised it on a bottle. She was old enough, just not big enough. She's bred to a coriente. I wasnt real worried about her having it, just raising it.

 

[Limomike]

He's such a good friend, I just had to. He raised it on a bottle. She was old enough, just not big enough. She's bred to a coriente. I wasnt real worried about her having it, just raising it.

If he is such a good friend, then he SHOULD be over there making sure its sucking and feeding it, IF he is able.
Otherwise, it wont take too long and you will KNOW it hasnt sucked. :nod:

 

[Red Bull Breeder]

Not even close to the same problem.

 

[Bigfoot]

He's an accountant. He want see the light of day for a while. He knows where the little old ladies are that need a field cut for hay instead bush hogged as well.

 

[inyati13]

He's such a good friend, I just had to. He raised it on a bottle. She was old enough, just not big enough. She's bred to a coriente. I wasnt real worried about her having it, just raising it.

I remember you saying you have coriente cattle. Do you have only bulls for covering heifers?

BTW, it is a good thing you bred her to a coriente or she would have had a pretty hard go with a bigger breed?

 

[inyati13]

Not even close to the same problem.

Still might help her if you beat the he$$ out of her. :nod:

 

[A.J.]

Sounds like my kinda luck right there. If you can't tell for sure, I would get some milk replacer and try to get it to take a bottle or tube feed it. If you can get it's belly full and through the next day or so, maybe her bag will come down some and her maternal instincts will kick in and she will start letting it nurse.

 

[Bigfoot]

Inyati,

I have a little of everything. Mostly brangus, and charlois. I used to keep about 10 percent of my hiefers every year for cows. A few years ago I started buying 10 every other year. I cover them with a corriente bull. For me it's practical. Most wouldn't do it. We rope, so every other year I don't cut one of the roping calves. If I don't have one a friend will.


Update on hiefer------------her calf is definatly sucking. She came to her milk a little better today as well. It's still nothing to brag about. My suggestion to him was wean it early, and sell the hiefer. He would be better suited with about 5 steers every spring, after tax season calms down.