Cow hiding calf for 3 weeks...

[Andrew]

Has anyone seen a cow hiding the calf in the woods for three week? I have a cow that had her calf three weeks ago and has hidden it since then. I saw it right after birth and she took it in the woods and hasn't brought it out yet.
I know its still alive because her bag is sucked.

I bought this cow last year and this is her first calf at my place.

Anyone seen this behavior before?



Andrew

 

[nrs farm]

Years ago I had a cow with a calf where the calf "escaped" from the barnyard and hid under a bush in our backyard. It reminded me of a deer. Perhaps the calf is hiding about as much as the cow is hiding it. I have also found that calves like to bed down in the same place when they are little. For example, calves born in the barn tend to bed down in the barn, whereas calves born in the pasture tend to bed down in the pasture the first few weeks...at least on our farm.

I guess I am saying that perhaps the calf is hiding or staying in the woods about as much as the cow is keeping it there...if that makes sense.

 

[Andrew]

Thanks, yes it makes sense. I'm just a little fed up with this cow because I can't move them to a different pasture because of her. She became the dominant cow and all the others follow her.

I will wait it a bit longer to see if she brings out the calf.

Thanks again,
Andrew

 

[jt]

Thanks, yes it makes sense. I'm just a little fed up with this cow because I can't move them to a different pasture because of her. She became the dominant cow and all the others follow her.

I will wait it a bit longer to see if she brings out the calf.

Thanks again,
Andrew

lock that cow up all day and let her out once she goes to bellaring for her calf or the calf goes to bellaring. then follow her and run them both out of the woods.

jmo

jt

 

[Ryder]

I know what you mean. I know there have been some that calved before. However I cannot find their calf anywhere. I leave no stone unturned. I know the calf is nursing because the bag looks nursed. Funny thing is I can scour the place with a fine tooth comb and usually do and dont find a calf. Then after a while one day the calf just shows up out in the pasture. Its a strange phenomena I know but heck it happens.

They can hide so well that I have thought they must turn invisible.

 

[Bez>]

This is going to be one real wild calf. Hope you got a good trap or a good horse and know how to rope.

I'd lock that cow up for a full 24 hours.

Calf will come to the call. And from a darned long ways away.

If she is a beach and I bet she is - I'd make sure it was a high walled - solid wall pen as well.

Bez>

 

[warpaint]

You said it was the first calf at your place. Is it her first? If not you may have found out why the previous owner sold her. Sounds like a train wreck waitin to happen to me.

 

[East Caney]

Well, from everyone else's replies, I feel better. I'm going through my second calf crop (personally). I happened to arrive a short time after one of my cows had calved (probably as close to calving as I've ever been). Initially, the cow wouldn't come up to the fence (which I experienced last year). When she did, her calf came up stumbling and walking sideways....nevertheless, a joy to see. Anyway, I go back the next day to show my wife the new calves, and I can't find hers (two born within the week). I walked the place back and forth but couldn't find the calf...the only reason I got nervous is because there's always buzzards hangin' around. Two were up in a tree, and there were several squawkin' away on property to the west of ours. I started getting concerned thinking maybe they got to the calf (read something like that on here once). Anyway, I hope it's just hiding or bedded down somewhere. That cow almost got in my back pocket the day I bought her...and she seemed like a heck of a momma cow last year...can't see her letting anything get to her calf. And I don't know the deal, but her calf had the best disposition last year. He wouldn't eat from your hand, but you could stand right next to him, and he'd never even get up.

 

[aplusmnt]

I have close to same situation. Bought a 3 year old that was bred, back in Nov. She has been a little more flighty than all my other cows but not crazy or scary.

Well she calved a few weeks ago and she kept the baby hid for almost a week and half. I would find it and they would both take off running. I go on one side of wood/creek area they go on other side.

Finally in little over a week she brought it around. But when I rode around the mother or calf on Ranger they still would start walking away quickly.

Finally at around 3 weeks old all is calm and I can drive up to it on 4-Wheeler and it does seem a little more concerned than the other calves but it is not really spooky at all now.

Nice little heifer and I hope to keep her so I am spending a little time messing with her sitting on 4-wheeler around her hoping she calms and does not turn out to be one that needs to go to sale barn for disposition reasons.

 

[Bez>]

Well Andrew - what is happening?

Bez>

 

[Andrew]

I still haven't seen the calf.. The bag still looks sucked but its been a month.
I'm going to put the momma in a pen to see what happens.

Will let you know.


Andrew

 

[Bez>]

At risk of sounding like a prck - you should not have delayed the week since I advised this. Longer you wait the worse it will be.

That calf will likely be as wild as a deer now. Hope your fences are in good shape.

If you can rope and ride this is not an issue - if you are a small outfit that works on foot you may be in big trouble.

Lock mom up today and leave her there - that calf will come to the call. If it does not there is something else or another calf enjoying the additional milk. You will know soon enough.

If you can find a solid pen even better - make a small opening somewhere and that calf will likely find its way into the pen.

Hold them there for a couple of weeks and sell both when they settle down.

Keep us in the loop.

Outa' here

Good luck.

Bez>

 

[Beefy]

if you havent seen the calf in a month its probably safe to say there no longer is one.

 

[KenB]

if you havent seen the calf in a month its probably safe to say there no longer is one.

That is what I was thinking as well.

 

[Brute 23]

I got some cows in not long ago to stock a place and they do the same thing. It is atleast 2 weeks before the calf will be out. From what I have seen... cows that come off of big ranches tend to do that. Myne came off of 15K acres.

 

[aplusmnt]

I still haven't seen the calf.. The bag still looks sucked but its been a month.
I'm going to put the momma in a pen to see what happens.

Will let you know.


Andrew

So do you have a live calf?

 

[Andrew]

Calf never came. I even moved all the cows including the culprit to my other place about 1/4 mile away and the cow went without hesitation so I'm pretty certain there is no more calf.

This is my third calf crop ever and the first time I've lost a calf.
I have another cow that has given me two calves in the past and she also hides it with the difference that she always stays within 50 ft or so of the calf and won't move; plus I always saw the calf.

This calfless cow came from a sale barn along with 5 others. The auction guy said he could get me cows @ $300-$350 back when the drought forced many to sell out. I though it was cheap and went with it.

Needless to say this calfless cow was the last one I have from those six. The breakdown is:
4 cows got out the first night, 1 was killed by a truck
Of the 4 that got out, 2 got out again and got shipped.
Another one appeared to be stunted and never gained any weight at all. Took her back to the sale barn.
Two other were fence jumpers and got shipped.

This was the last one and she lost her calf.

I guess this should serve as a good lesson in an old Mexican saying:

"Lo barato sale caro" or "The cheap turns expensive"

I learned my lesson and will take any criticism you wish to dispense as it won't be nearly as hurtful as loosing a calf and six cows.


Thanks,
Andrew

 

[aplusmnt]

Sorry for you losses! Every time I screw up with the cows, I do learn something be it costly at times. I have lost 3 of the last 4 bred heifers I bought in past couple years. So I know your pain!

 

[TheBullLady]

We all have done things we've regretted. Everyone makes mistakes, it's learning from those mistakes that's important.

Sorry for your losses!