Jeanne - Simme Valley
Well-known member
SuzieQ might be a little harsh, but RichardL you are not getting the point. No one is upset that you are feeding the calf. We/they are just trying to help you do it a better, less expensive, more permanent solution. Sure the vet said you are doing it right - you are feeding the calf - that's right. But there is a better way to handle the problem, and that is putting the calf on the dam.
There have been many on these boards that have tried to get a heifer to take her calf unsuccessfully, but most of the time it is as simple as working with them one time.
If you didn't have a head lock or any way to confine the cow, that would be different and we would advise you to invest in some type of facility. But, you told us you had a headlock. If you could get her in it 3 days later, why not do it the first day? We're not there & we can't "see" why you would spend the time to mix up a bottle, feed the calf, push the calf towards mom - (all takes time), but is unwilling to simply put the cow in the chute, put a rope around her flank (not at all dangerous - use a cane to grab the rope under her bellie), sinch it up tight - now cow cannot kick, can't really move around very much because she does not have good control of picking up her hind legs - get the calf sucking a bottle, then your finger, leading it to the teat, get teat in mouth - the end.
Now you have a cow that is drying up, costing you money (a year's worth of $$$) and a calf that is going to get costly to feed.
I commend you on making sure the calf was fed, but you came on here for advice and ignored the true best thing to do.
BTW - a calf only needs colostrum the first 24 hours and does not need electrolites at all unless it has started scouring.
There have been many on these boards that have tried to get a heifer to take her calf unsuccessfully, but most of the time it is as simple as working with them one time.
If you didn't have a head lock or any way to confine the cow, that would be different and we would advise you to invest in some type of facility. But, you told us you had a headlock. If you could get her in it 3 days later, why not do it the first day? We're not there & we can't "see" why you would spend the time to mix up a bottle, feed the calf, push the calf towards mom - (all takes time), but is unwilling to simply put the cow in the chute, put a rope around her flank (not at all dangerous - use a cane to grab the rope under her bellie), sinch it up tight - now cow cannot kick, can't really move around very much because she does not have good control of picking up her hind legs - get the calf sucking a bottle, then your finger, leading it to the teat, get teat in mouth - the end.
Now you have a cow that is drying up, costing you money (a year's worth of $$$) and a calf that is going to get costly to feed.
I commend you on making sure the calf was fed, but you came on here for advice and ignored the true best thing to do.
BTW - a calf only needs colostrum the first 24 hours and does not need electrolites at all unless it has started scouring.
