farmwriter
Well-known member
Okay, I know we have several twin threads going already, but I'm looking for some specific advice. Here's the background:
I had a heifer deliver male/female twins last Monday, Jan 10. The male is small, but the female is tiny. I literally would put her birthweight at about 25 pounds - definitely the smallest living breathing calf I've ever seen. So we took her to the barn and started her on the bottle. She was so small, I split her colostrum in 3 doses throughout the first 24 hours and she took to the bottle no trouble, so I gradually got her up to 3 and a half pints milk replacer twice daily.
Saturday we penned up the cow and the male calf and re-introduced them to the little girl. To my utter astonishment, the cow took to her immediately and has been mothering both calves and letting me take each calf a bottle morning and evening.
So here's my question - how much should I be feeding the cow and the calves? Obviously I'm concerned about her producing enough milk for them both, and I want to keep her in as good condition as I can in hopes I can get her bred back. Right now I'm giving each calf 3 pints, twice a day. Currently at my disposal for the cow are 13% sweet feed, whole cotton seed, and calf manna (which by the way ain't cheap!) in whatever mix will do cow and calves the most good. *Edit - She also has in front of her at all times all the coastal hay she'll eat.* I'm welcome to any suggestions ya"ll have as twins are a whole new ball game for me. Thanks in advance for any tips you can offer.
I had a heifer deliver male/female twins last Monday, Jan 10. The male is small, but the female is tiny. I literally would put her birthweight at about 25 pounds - definitely the smallest living breathing calf I've ever seen. So we took her to the barn and started her on the bottle. She was so small, I split her colostrum in 3 doses throughout the first 24 hours and she took to the bottle no trouble, so I gradually got her up to 3 and a half pints milk replacer twice daily.
Saturday we penned up the cow and the male calf and re-introduced them to the little girl. To my utter astonishment, the cow took to her immediately and has been mothering both calves and letting me take each calf a bottle morning and evening.
So here's my question - how much should I be feeding the cow and the calves? Obviously I'm concerned about her producing enough milk for them both, and I want to keep her in as good condition as I can in hopes I can get her bred back. Right now I'm giving each calf 3 pints, twice a day. Currently at my disposal for the cow are 13% sweet feed, whole cotton seed, and calf manna (which by the way ain't cheap!) in whatever mix will do cow and calves the most good. *Edit - She also has in front of her at all times all the coastal hay she'll eat.* I'm welcome to any suggestions ya"ll have as twins are a whole new ball game for me. Thanks in advance for any tips you can offer.