Emergency weaning. Help needed.

[farmerjan]

A gallon twice a day is supplying all the liquid requirements and it will make them lethargic....plus it will cut down on the amount of feed it will eat. Most beef cows will produce 1-2 gal a day and it will taper off to what the calf drinks... you are at the upper limit. You might want to cut it back a bit so the calf will start to eat more solids and get the rumen to start developing and working, while still getting the nutrition it need from the bottle....

 

[puzzled in oregon]

My concern now is that he isn't touching his water and he sleeps almost all day.

When he wants his milk he springs to life but pretty lethargic besides that.

He lost his Mom, he has been stressed and hungry. He can use some rest.
He life is starting over. I think he is a nice looking calf, of course I do like the
Murray Grey

 

[Classyusa]

I have cut the calf down to 2/3 of a gallon twice a day. His mom was half jersey so she made a lot of milk. He is drinking it down quick and running around looking for more when it's gone. But the cut back in milk has got him eating a little bit of starter.

Probably the wrong forum but he is a month old now. Is it too soon to give him covexin8? Or should I wait until he is eating more starter so he is at full steength?

 

[Classyusa]

Also, I appreciate everyone's input. I started cow farming about 4 years ago with no prior knowledge/ experience or anyone close to me that had any. This forum has always been a big help. It is nice to learn things other than the hard way of trial and error.

 

[Buck Randall]

I have cut the calf down to 2/3 of a gallon twice a day. His mom was half jersey so she made a lot of milk. He is drinking it down quick and running around looking for more when it's gone. But the cut back in milk has got him eating a little bit of starter.

Probably the wrong forum but he is a month old now. Is it too soon to give him covexin8? Or should I wait until he is eating more starter so he is at full steength?

I don't generally recommend vaccinating with products like Covexin prior to four months of age. It will be easier on him if you wait until after he is weaned and thriving, and he'll have a better immune response to the vaccine as well.

 

[TexasJerseyMilker]

What happened with the cow (the mother cow) may I ask. Is what you have a bull calf? Are you using milk replacer or milk from other cows? Soy based milk replacers are crap, milk based are best.

 

[Rancher]

Is he eating any forage (hay) or green grass?

 

[Classyusa]

Is he eating any forage (hay) or green grass?

I cut him off from hay and grass because he wouldn't take milk. Now he can't get full on close to a gallon twice a day. Hasn't been eating much starter though.

So today I brought him a handful of green grass to tear up and mix with the starter so he would eat the starter.

As soon as he saw the grass he started jumping and bucking around like he was in a rodeo. That was the first life I've seen out of him in the week I've had him stalled up.

I am pretty sure he wasn't getting much milk from his mom and learned to live on grass. When I shot his mom he cried for about 10 minutes then walked up the hill and started eating grass.

 

[Classyusa]

What happened with the cow (the mother cow) may I ask. Is what you have a bull calf? Are you using milk replacer or milk from other cows? Soy based milk replacers are crap, milk based are best.

Leg injury. She could barely walk for over a month would lay next to the hay feeder drink the water in the mud puddles close by. She just started getting weaker and weaker. She had a big turn around for about a week and was walking a lot better then one day I heard the calf crying and went out there. The mom couldn't stand up. As soon as she put weight on the leg she would fall back onto the ground.

I gave her a day to see if she would make improvement but she was worse the next day.

 

[puzzled in oregon]

As soon as he saw the grass he started jumping and bucking around like he was in a rodeo. That was the first life I've seen out of him in the week I've had him stalled up.

 

[farmerjan]

I think you are right, he had learned to eat something to fill that empty "hole" in his belly. Putting some grass or even some hay in with the grain.starter to encourage him to eat wouldn't hurt. And if it perks him up then it is good. Plus, he isn't used to being penned and on top of that all by himself.... so he is also a bit lonely I am sure... Got any weaned calves you could put one in with him to give him some bovine company and incentive to eat with at the feeder???

 

[Rancher]

I think you are right, he had learned to eat something to fill that empty "hole" in his belly. Putting some grass or even some hay in with the grain.starter to encourage him to eat wouldn't hurt. And if it perks him up then it is good. Plus, he isn't used to being penned and on top of that all by himself.... so he is also a bit lonely I am sure... Got any weaned calves you could put one in with him to give him some bovine company and incentive to eat with at the feeder???

Good idea on companion, even a lamb or wether goat would do. get that calf some company and slowly increase the roughage.

 

[Double R Ranch]

I cut him off from hay and grass because he wouldn't take milk. Now he can't get full on close to a gallon twice a day. Hasn't been eating much starter though.

So today I brought him a handful of green grass to tear up and mix with the starter so he would eat the starter.

As soon as he saw the grass he started jumping and bucking around like he was in a rodeo. That was the first life I've seen out of him in the week I've had him stalled up.

I am pretty sure he wasn't getting much milk from his mom and learned to live on grass. When I shot his mom he cried for about 10 minutes then walked up the hill and started eating grass.

Bottle calves shouldn't get "full" off the bottle. They should be wanting more when they are done nursing. When older they will go to the other feed sources after their milk.
Sounds like you got him on his way though. Well done. That's pretty cute about the grass rodeo.
Keep us updated on how it's going. Sorry for the loss of your cow.