First Time Cow Won't Take To Calf

[NCfarmer]

I know I've read about this before on the board here but I have what seems to be a really stubborn first timer. First a little background: She gave birth to her first calf, a heifer, which was fairly large and had some trouble but was able to calve by herself. Afterward, she was exhausted to the point she couldn't get up for a while, along with the calf which was around 10:00 hrs. When she first tried getting up, she was somewhat paralyzed and couldn't stand up steadily for about an hour. The calf never did nurse off her at this point.

Finally, later on that afternoon, the calf started trying to nurse and she kept moving away. To make this long story short, I couldn't get her in the barn with the calf until around 06:00 hrs the next morning. She still wouldn't nurse the calf, and I had already tried the night before and again that morning feeding the calf with a bottle, to no avail. Finally, I put the cow in the head gate and tied her tail up. I milked her a bit, then got the exhausted calf close enough to squirt some milk on her muzzle. She finally got close enough with my pulling and milking with the other hand for her to start nursing. Due to my head gate set up (no squeeze chute) I had to have her enter the head gate box from the rear. So, she is nursing from behind the cow between her back legs. She didn't drain the bag at all, but got enough to make her woozy. This was around 0800 hrs.

Later the same day, I saw that the cow's bag was full again, but there was no sign of any nursing and the calf was still just laying around, so I again did the force feeding. This time the calf nursed until momma's bag was drained.

Hoping that this was just what the doc ordered, I put them and myself to bed hoping for the best the next morning. However, again the next morning, the cow still showed no sign or interest in the calf. I again repeated the forced feeding and again the calf nursed her dry. Again in the afternoon there was still no signs of self nursing. I tried urging the calf onto the cow, but the cow keeps moving away and raising her hind leg when the calf does get close enough to start nursing.

Any ideas?

Am I forced to keep up these forced feedings....or am I doing something wrong?

Do I dare not tying up the cows tail?

 

[preston39]

NCfarmer

Sounds like you are doing everything right...just keep it up. The little guy need to nurse 2-3 times a day...or as often as you can. Mom should accept him shortly. Give her some of her favorite feed while this is going on...helps to keep everyone calm....give her a little ..sweet feed....she can't resist and it is a treat she will look forward to the next trip in.

 

[NCfarmer]

Thanks for the reply Preston

Just something else I noticed this morning when performing the feeding, she was a little unsteady in her hind quarters (the cow that is). I wonder
if this is some soreness or post delivery stress that has to clear up before
she will think about taking the calf.

I still had to force nurse twice today (all I had time for).

Still no attachement from cow to calf...and not much the other way either once they leave the headgate.

 

[Bama]

I have two stalls next to one another in the barn that has a special gate betweem them. This gate has a upper and lower section. I open the lower section and put momma in one and the calf in the other. The calf can get to mamma under the top part of the gate but momma is confined to her one stall.This works better if no other cows are in the barn and its just the two of them. She seems to bond quicker. You still have to watch and make sure the calf nurses. If not its back to the chute. You may be able to put the cow up somewhere and rig up something that the calf can get to her or get out of the way if it needs to.

 

[preston39]

I think mom's actions are post delivery stress should clear in a few days.

 

[4-H fanatic]

It sounds like they just need some forced bonding time

 

[NCfarmer]

We'll thanks for all the replies.

As of this evening, and another forced feeding, she still hasn't bonded
or allowed the calf to nurse on its own.

There was one change though, as I was running her through the chute
to the head gate (and yes its almost a run since now the calf chases her)
as we got to the Scales/Head gate she stopped since I had the head gate
closed and on manual operation. When she stopped, the calf was so close
she started to nurse from behind. The cow didn't kick or move so I waited
to see how long this would last. Mind yall, that I was standing on the rails
of the chute so she could see easily see me up above the her (the cow).
The calf nurse for maybe 5 minutes before momma started moving around enough to bother the calf. Not wanting to scare the calf from this
so far successful feeding position, I went ahead and put momma in the
head gate and tied her tail up.

So, I don't know if this was just dumb luck, or a sign things will change,
but it was something different. After the calf was done, and I released
momma out the head gate, there was still no maternal licking or
bonding going on. In fact they both just sort of wandered around until
I shooed them back into the holding corral I'm keeping them together in.

This morning and again this evening I did put some feed under her head
in the head gate. She ate it really well this morning and a little bit this
evening. So, maybe that's helping too....don't know.

I'm hoping this is post trauma and will clear up.....time will tell.

 

[4-H fanatic]

Ya time ..... silly stuff always takes too long...any ways keep us posted on their "bondin" if it ever does occour

 

[jerry27150]

just don't give up!

 

[NCfarmer]

Nope, can't afford to give up.

However, if she does ever bond with this calf, should I put wheels under
her after the calf is weaned or is it possible that this was just a
"First-time" occurrence? (obviously, if she doesn't bond she's history)

Of course it all depends on what she's bred too, but if I keep a bull on her
that throws a small calf, I'm hoping that this may be avoided in the future
(if I keep her that is).

 

[Beefy]

usually once you teach them that getting all that pressure out of there feels good something will click. and when it starts passing through the calf they normally bond. There are those that will say you shouldnt have to teach her to be a mom and they are right. in this case its just one of those things where you will have to weigh all the circumstances and make your own decision. like you said she was exhausted and probably just grateful to be alive when she got through and didnt bond right off like she probably would have with an easily delivered calf. sensitive-bagged heifers to me are not necessarily cull candidates. if they kick the living daylights out of the calf that really ticks me off though. usually they figure out that when they kick the calf they get smacked the heck out of with a big stick. what i'm getting at is that if i invest 2 years in a heifer shes by God gonna raise a live calf and thats all there is to it. some heifers REALLY come around and make excellent moms. if she is a total bitty or nutcase shes gone. usually if they have any mothering instinct at all (licking) they will or can be trained to come around. its the ones that have the calf and just stand there or immediately leave that are the ones that you cant really do anything with. and the psychos of course.

 

[Muratic]

First time cow won't nurse calf

They arn't supposed to. :roll: :shock:
Calf supposed to nurse the cow :roll:

 

[4-H fanatic]

lol good one but ya the cow is supposed to nurse the calf.

 

[preston39]

Nope, can't afford to give up.

However, if she does ever bond with this calf, should I put wheels under
her after the calf is weaned or is it possible that this was just a
"First-time" occurrence? (obviously, if she doesn't bond she's history)

Of course it all depends on what she's bred too, but if I keep a bull on her
that throws a small calf, I'm hoping that this may be avoided in the future
(if I keep her that is).

==========
NCfarmer,

To early to tell. See how it turns out...got plenty of time for long term decisions. Anything at this point would be pre-mature if everything turns out good. After everything is under control I would analyze the complete history for a decision.

 

[tg]

Had a 1st time cow act the same way, never would except her calf, had to bottle feed. Decided to give her one more chance, she has had 3 more since and turned out to be a good cow.

 

[NCfarmer]

Thanks yall for the advice and grammar tips (lol).

Just to update everyone, NO, she still hasn't taken to the calf.

The calf is now 1 week and 1 day old

I still have to put her in to the head gate chute at every feeding
before she will stand for the calf to nurse from behind between
the legs. When I push the calf in the stall toward her side, she
either moves away or kicks up at the calf.

There is one improvement, if any at all. She now will stand in the
chute without having to put her head in the headgate. I put a bucket
of feed at the front by the headgate and she eats while the calf
feeds. However, I've noticed that she picks her feet up a lot,
all four of them (separately of course). She seems to be trying
to rid them of flies, when there aren't any. Just to be safe, I doused
her good with fly spray this morning. And then at this afternoon's
feeding, she was at it again, picking up the feet. To be safe, I hosed
down the chute platform in order to clean off some of the droppings
that had been collecting during all of these feedings.

Bottom line: Still having to force her to nurse the calf a week after the
calf was born.

 

[dun]

Thanks yall for the advice and grammar tips (lol).

Just to update everyone, NO, she still hasn't taken to the calf.

The calf is now 1 week and 1 day old

I still have to put her in to the head gate chute at every feeding
before she will stand for the calf to nurse from behind between
the legs. When I push the calf in the stall toward her side, she
either moves away or kicks up at the calf.

There is one improvement, if any at all. She now will stand in the
chute without having to put her head in the headgate. I put a bucket
of feed at the front by the headgate and she eats while the calf
feeds. However, I've noticed that she picks her feet up a lot,
all four of them (separately of course). She seems to be trying
to rid them of flies, when there aren't any. Just to be safe, I doused
her good with fly spray this morning. And then at this afternoon's
feeding, she was at it again, picking up the feet. To be safe, I hosed
down the chute platform in order to clean off some of the droppings
that had been collecting during all of these feedings.

Bottom line: Still having to force her to nurse the calf a week after the
calf was born.

Had the same problem with an experienced cow. Sold the calf as a bottle calf and the cow brought 57 cwt in the killer pen.
Shoot her or ship her

dun

 

[jerry27150]

had one that was two weeks & still hadn't taken one. don't know how much longershe would have taken. she would stand as long as i was there with club. had a heifer freshen with dead calf so put him on her. just rubbed dead calf over him & she took him right now. sold that cow. usually three days to a week to take one but some are different. are you keeping them penned to gether all the while

 

[preston39]

NCfarmer,

Have you checker her udder for soreness...problems? Since she stands w/out head gate...some progress. It's unusual but it happens. What do you know of her history? I would maybe try seperating them by keeping the calf up for a few days to see her reactions and how she acts when you bring her in for nursing. I wouldn't give up on her just yet.

 

[bigbull338]

i dont think her bag would be sore still in a weeks time i think she is just bent on not taking the calf the best thing todo is cull her an sale the calf b/c itll get old putting her in the chute so calf can suck scott