Cow and twins
- Thread starter dt34715
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Nesikep
Well-known member
lock her up with no calves, put her in the chute and have both nurse at once for a few days, then see how she behaves... or bottle feed the one she doesn't want.. either way, make sure that little guy gets a good belly full of colostrum from somewhere
Nesikep
Well-known member
you need to be more determined than she is.. hobbles, anti-kick clamps, grain and treats, make sure she hears you say you'll ship her out too!
dt34715
Well-known member
She is an older cow and probably her last year hear. She has been one of my best.
This calf was the first one born and had already nursed before the second one came. She is now 4 days old and I started her on a bottle yesterday.
She seems to be doing okay.
It's just a chore I didn't want on my list.
But I guess that's part of farming.
I just was looking for an easier way.
I guess I'll have a close friend for a while!!!
This calf was the first one born and had already nursed before the second one came. She is now 4 days old and I started her on a bottle yesterday.
She seems to be doing okay.
It's just a chore I didn't want on my list.
But I guess that's part of farming.
I just was looking for an easier way.
I guess I'll have a close friend for a while!!!
Good luck! Relatively recent thread may be of interest to you. Still not a fan.
www.cattletoday.com
pro's and con's on twinning?
Do you like the twinning type of cows? why? and Why not? Do you feel it comes from the dam or the sire or both?
www.cattletoday.com
Nesikep
Well-known member
I like twins when they work.. I've been pretty lucky, my cows usually accept both, the one I had this year knew exactly how to do it and loved both equally.. I pulled one off at 6 weeks though because I had a cow that lost hers
MurraysMutts
Well-known member
Check out my thread....
Itll take ya from start to finish with folks comments as we went.
Bottle calf! Some say I'm crazy...
But it keeps me from going insane... Found this lil gal a while back. Turns out my biggest cow had twin heifers and she was left behind. She was very lucky to be found even. I was out on the 4wheeler and just stopped and shut it off. Let out a big moooooo like I sometimes do, and she popped up...
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Jeanne - Simme Valley
Well-known member
3 days after the fact is a bit too late to make the cow accept the 2nd calf. But, Nesi gave good advice. Now, "IF" you have a mishap and lose a calf, you can graft this one on the cow. Takes work, but very do-able. I keep a product in stock at all times - Orphan-No-More. It's a powder, you sprinkle on the calf. A cow just can't resist licking the calf. Once a cow licks the calf, it's usually pretty easy to bond them.
O-No-M is very cheap - get from Valley Vet or any of the on-line companies. Maybe $7-8 for years worth of help. I wouldn't have a calving season without in my arsenal.
O-No-M is very cheap - get from Valley Vet or any of the on-line companies. Maybe $7-8 for years worth of help. I wouldn't have a calving season without in my arsenal.
A highly recommended product. Bought some the same day a heifer rejected her calf. Practically doused the calf in it, rubbed some on the heifers' nose, penned them together in a small area & waited for the love-fest. Didn't happen. Got the heifer in the chute, let the calf nurse, dumped & rubbed-in an additional layer of O-no-More, penned together again and anxiously waited for the bonding (because surely it would work this time, right?). Nada. Kept at it for almost a week, gave up and sold the calf to a friend that grafted it onto one of her cows in less than a day.
I think it only works if the heifer/cow actually wants a calf in the first place. And yeah, she took a ride.
MurraysMutts
Well-known member
Grandpa used to call things like that snake oil. Lol
The next one I try, and I hope I dont have to!, I may give it a shot.
This last one about beat me. I almost gave up. We got it sorted out finally but it takes a special kind of dedication I think.
The next one I try, and I hope I dont have to!, I may give it a shot.
This last one about beat me. I almost gave up. We got it sorted out finally but it takes a special kind of dedication I think.
Nesikep
Well-known member
a shot of Oxytocin may help, it's a hormone that does all sorts of stuff, including promoting bonding
After this cow had the second calf she went to the other end of the trap and the first born followed, but the second stayed laying down. In less than 5 minutes there were several of them black headed buzzards sitting on fence post next to the calf. We got the buzzards run off and after a little bit of a rodeo got the cow and #1 and #2 pen up together. She worked it out after a little bit and all is well. But we hate having twins, but they're cute little boogers.
Nesikep
Well-known member
a few years ago now.. she's going on 16 I think now
Ever since she had twins she's been a psychotic momma for the first few days, as if she's expecting another one and don't you interfere!
Ever since she had twins she's been a psychotic momma for the first few days, as if she's expecting another one and don't you interfere!
Dsth
Well-known member
the last cow that I had twins did the same thing. I bottle fed the calf and left it with the cow and about 5 others that calved around the same time. calf was pretty persistent about nursing and soon learned that it could suck on mommy from behind while sister sucked from the front. soon started robbing from other cows in the group. probably gave it the bottle for about 3 weeks.
Nesikep
Well-known member
If they don't want the bottle they're probably getting enough by stealing!
I lost a cow a few years ago, her daughter adopted the orphan, but he got really good at stealing, by weaning time he had about 5 mommas, and he'd always be looking around the field scoping out which calves were nursing and would run over and join in.. could never tell he was an orphan
I am a little late to this but if we had this situation we would pull both calves off for a couple hours, make sure they are hungry, give the cow a quarter CC of Rompun and get the calves onto her. Even with grafting calves this on its own works most of the time, on rare occasion we will have to skin out a cows own lost calf to get her to take a new calf but usually one shot and letting the calf get suckling on her and it is a done deal.
