difficulty with first calf

[bethelfarmlady]

Hello, I'm a newbie here, tried searching for a while but just couldn't find what I needed.
This time I have a young female not quite 2yo sementole(not sure of spelling) that was bred to a medium sized hereford before I bought her.
She's been showing heavy signs of calving for a couple of days. Droop, bagged up, and just acting funny. I put her in a double stall due to the weather. She calved today at around 11am eastern.
It is now 945 pm and I have seen the calf get up very wobbly to her feet but not nurse. Not sure if mom just isn't letting her. Guess until this point I had it easy, all my babies were born easily and always took right to nursing. So mom is very protective and licking baby but just haven't seen calf nurse. The little heifer is cold and shaky, even though she appears dry. Should I attempt some sort of intervention at this point?

Thanks
Heather

 

[Suzie Q]

It is best for her to get colustrum within 6 hours.

If you have a chute it will be pretty easy to put mum in the chute, and if you have to tie a leg back so as she can't kick.

Then get the milk coming out of a teat, put it in the calf's mouth and put some milk in its mouth. 4 hands make it easier but only room for one body!!!

 

[OLD DUSTY]

If the calf is still cold, warm it up. If you have trouble getting the calf to nurse in the chute I find it is sometimes easier to milk the cow and bottle feed the calf. Good luck.

 

[bethelfarmlady]

Spent a good portion of last night getting calf on mom. She is finally nursing and up and about. Mom wasn't real receptive with touching her teats but and heavy dose of grain calmed her long enough to hold still so baby could figure it out. Mom wasn't thrilled with baby nursing but seems to be ok now. I'll keep a close eye on them both, but baby heifer seems to be bouncing back. It's been cold here in the 20's with wind so she was pretty shocked coming out

 

[bethelfarmlady]

Not sure what happened to my first response post but....

We finally got her on her mom with much coaxing last night. She is up and frisky now. Mom wasn't thrilled about us touching either of them but we seemed to persuade her with a good dose of her fav grain. So we will keep a close eye on them to be certain baby is eating enough. Thanks.

 

[Suzie Q]

Both you responses are there.

Congrats

Yes some heifers get a bit sore in the teats. Once you get them over that and the calf has nursed you can have no further problems.

That is why I said get the milk flowing before you try putting the calf on, and to tie the leg back so as you and the calf can't get kicked.

 

[bethelfarmlady]

ha sorry I didn't realize every post has to be approved by an admin...not used to that on a board.
Yeah I'm glad she took because momma wasn't gonna let me anywhere near her teats to "try" milking.
Only milking would have been what was left in me once she crushed me.
But it all seems to be working out thanks.

 

[dun]

ha sorry I didn't realize every post has to be approved by an admin...not used to that on a board.
Yeah I'm glad she took because momma wasn't gonna let me anywhere near her teats to "try" milking.
Only milking would have been what was left in me once she crushed me.
But it all seems to be working out thanks.

It;s only the first couple of posts. When the user name is red they are posted in real time, if the user name is blue it takes approval.