haymaker
Active member
Had twins born this morning, one girl and one boy calf, bull calf is being rejected. Does anyone know of something to put on the calf to get the mama cow to take it?
JRP
JRP
Cow won't take twin calf
- Thread starter haymaker
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haymaker":1kfvjpob said:
Likely no choice but to bottle feed.
Might try the old separation trick - put the reject on for a bit - and so on - she may come around but do not be disappointed if she does not take it. Do a search here and you will find a pile of information.
Lots of folks will say tie it up and so on - but do you really have the time?
Cows do this for a reason I figure.
This is one of the many reasons I detest twins.
Quick edit side note - If you have the time and the resouces - put her in a squeeze and let them both suck - one from each side for a bit. Leave her tied up and let her stand for a day. Put a couple of panels around so the calves can walk in front of her. If this is a heifer she may very well just be inexperienced.
If this is a cow - then she is being a beach - or she knows something you do not - and may not take the calf.
Do not know you, but I am known to give these calves to my kids or the neighbours kids - not interested in problem girls - but the kids in my area have started out on cows with some of my babies.
Bez!
randiliana
Well-known member
haymaker":mc59f2iu said:
Unless this cow has a ton of milk, you are probably better just to bottle feed the calf. You could sell it to someone looking for a replacement calf, or someone who wants to bottlefeed. OR you could just hold on to it until you need it. We bottlefeed them until we lose a calf and then put the calf on that mama.
warpaint
Well-known member
As the heifer calf is most likely a free martin, I would tend to bottle feed her and leave the bull calf on mama, if she'll take him.
Caustic Burno
Well-known member
warpaint":1y0griso said:
Good advice, hate twins pain in the butt.
Jeanne - Simme Valley
Well-known member
Twins :heart: ow, aren't they cute!
NOT - I HATE TWINS
You can realllllly work at getting the cow to accept the 2nd calf, but the advise of putting it on a bottle & waiting to see if you have a cow lose a calf is the best advice. IF you do have a dead calf, put the new calf on the cow RIGHT AWAY, don't diddle daddle. Hopefully, you gave the 2nd twin his colostrum (good before 12 hours - best 1st hour).
NOT - I HATE TWINS
You can realllllly work at getting the cow to accept the 2nd calf, but the advise of putting it on a bottle & waiting to see if you have a cow lose a calf is the best advice. IF you do have a dead calf, put the new calf on the cow RIGHT AWAY, don't diddle daddle. Hopefully, you gave the 2nd twin his colostrum (good before 12 hours - best 1st hour).
randiliana
Well-known member
Jeanne - Simme Valley":2ha73mgw said:Twins :heart: ow, aren't they cute!
NOT - I HATE TWINS
You can realllllly work at getting the cow to accept the 2nd calf, but the advise of putting it on a bottle & waiting to see if you have a cow lose a calf is the best advice. IF you do have a dead calf, put the new calf on the cow RIGHT AWAY, don't diddle daddle. Hopefully, you gave the 2nd twin his colostrum (good before 12 hours - best 1st hour).
If you do lose a calf at birth, remove the dead calf immediately, don't let her even sniff it!! That will make it much easier for you to transplant the extra. And yes I know it isn't always possible to be right there all the time. Anyways, good luck, and I hope you have to bottlefeed it all summer ;-) cause that'll mean you didn't lose one!!
