Found a calf - no mama - cold, windy what to do...

[Billybob Cornfed]

I was out watering cows - our range is open and about four different herds roam and eat together.

I found about a 1 day old calf in some sage brush. I left it be - but hurried homw to get the atv - searched until dark for a moma within two miles of the calf = nothing!

Put her on the atv and carried her home (a coupla miles)

We live way way out and have no nipples or anything - I am gonna put her in the horse trailer for warmth till morning - it is not really really cold - 30 degrees - and I can go to town in the morning -

will the calf starve overnight?

it is not our calf - I only have 30 mommas but know it is not ours - but could not leave it to the coyotes -

Thanks in advance for any advice -

Just learning - first year on the Navajo Reservation with about 2000 acres of grazing for free - learning daily!

 

[SRBeef]

maybe you should have left it there? cows have a way of stashing their young then coming back. You meant well I'm sure but sometimes you have to trust nature. jmho. have to bottle feed it now? more experienced people can maybe answer that better. good luck.

 

[Billybob Cornfed]

maybe you should have left it there? cows have a way of stashing their young then coming back. You meant well I'm sure but sometimes you have to trust nature. jmho. have to bottle feed it now? more experienced people can maybe answer that better. good luck.

Well with coyotes and buzzards comin on in - I figured it would be dead in an hour - buzzards is why I looked...

 

[Katpau]

That calf won't starve, but it could die of hypothermia if it doesn't have anything in it's stomache. The calf needs milk to provide energy to keep warm. I would bring it in somewhere warmer or get a heat lamp over it. Could you call some of the others who have cattle out on the range to see if any have some milk replacer handy. You really need to get some colustrom in that calf as fast as possible if it hasn't nursed its mother. It may already be too late. I had a calf a year ago who didn't nurse because it's mothers nipples were too big. I didn't realize what was going on until calf was 3 days old. Calf was almost dead and I had to tube it for 3 days. Vet gave me two shots of something called Polyserum to give that calf and he came back from the brink of death. It was for calves who did not recieve colustrom.

 

[Caustic Burno]

maybe you should have left it there? cows have a way of stashing their young then coming back. You meant well I'm sure but sometimes you have to trust nature. jmho. have to bottle feed it now? more experienced people can maybe answer that better. good luck.

The thing that struck me most it's not even his cow, I would be PO'd.
Well said a case of good intention meddling which usually little good comes from.
That cow knew where her calf was until it got stolen. I have had cows that would hide a calf out for a week before they would bring it in.

 

[Billybob Cornfed]

maybe you should have left it there? cows have a way of stashing their young then coming back. You meant well I'm sure but sometimes you have to trust nature. jmho. have to bottle feed it now? more experienced people can maybe answer that better. good luck.

The thing that struck me most it's not even his cow, I would be PO'd.
Well said a case of good intention meddling which usually little good comes from.
That cow knew where her calf was until it got stolen. I have had cows that would hide a calf out for a week before they would bring it in.

Interesting - I again assert the calf woulda died within an hour - all my neighbors are Navajo and I am not - they check their cows when they need money to gamble - if the momma stashed her cow out here then went away for a week she woulda returned to to a eaten calf. So, what you are saying is - a dead calf is natures way of culling the herd? interesting - I did not think of that - I don't know where you ranch - but the Navajo Rez is brutal.

 

[backhoeboogie]

maybe you should have left it there? cows have a way of stashing their young then coming back. You meant well I'm sure but sometimes you have to trust nature. jmho. have to bottle feed it now? more experienced people can maybe answer that better. good luck.

The thing that struck me most it's not even his cow, I would be PO'd.
Well said a case of good intention meddling which usually little good comes from.
That cow knew where her calf was until it got stolen. I have had cows that would hide a calf out for a week before they would bring it in.

Interesting - I again assert the calf woulda died within an hour - all my neighbors are Navajo and I am not - they check their cows when they need money to gamble - if the momma stashed her cow out here then went away for a week she woulda returned to to a eaten calf. So, what you are saying is - a dead calf is natures way of culling the herd? interesting - I did not think of that - I don't know where you ranch - but the Navajo Rez is brutal.

If a cow stashing out her calf results in a dead calf, why are cows not extinct?

 

[grannysoo]

Our cows normally stash the calf for about a week or so before bringing it into the herd.

 

[Billybob Cornfed]

Interesting - ours stay by their momma's side come hell or high water - ours spread out over 2000 acres most of the time in groups of four -

 

[Billybob Cornfed]

maybe you should have left it there? cows have a way of stashing their young then coming back. You meant well I'm sure but sometimes you have to trust nature. jmho. have to bottle feed it now? more experienced people can maybe answer that better. good luck.

The thing that struck me most it's not even his cow, I would be PO'd.
Well said a case of good intention meddling which usually little good comes from.
That cow knew where her calf was until it got stolen. I have had cows that would hide a calf out for a week before they would bring it in.

I re-read your post little Joe -

I did not steal a calf - ain't stolen till ya sell it -

if you were standing in my front yard I would kick the **** outa ya for saying that -

People like you make forums a pain - territorial and don't even say where ya live...probably NY!

 

[dun]

I did not steal a calf - ain't stolen till ya sell it -

The cow probably feel like it was stolen. Wasn;t were she put it.

 

[Billybob Cornfed]

Well, all good because the little calf is up and kickin this morning -

Headed out to feed -

For those of you that are positive - thanks -

that is all - :drink:

 

[CattleHand]

You should of left it there. When you found it could it raise its head or get up with some prodding? Any chance you can go out there and see if a cow is bawling. Ive never been on those government acres where anyone can pasture but I agree with caustic. You could get yourself in more trouble than good.

 

[backhoeboogie]

The cows were moved from one pasture to another in October. One cow had a 4 day old calf. It took 4 hours to find that calf.

 

[HerefordSire]

If you did the right thing or not....you are now responsible for the calf. If the calf is worth $100 and your time is worth $20 per hour, you have 5 hours to diddle before you start losing money, unless you want to work for free, which is fine because it is your time. I think you did the right thing, but I am inexperienced also. In your case, since the calf is not yours, you started losing money from the get go.

 

[CattleHand]

If you did the right thing or not....you are now responsible for the calf. If the calf is worth $100 and your time is worth $20 per hour, you have 5 hours to diddle before you start losing money, unless you want to work for free, which is fine because it is your time. I think you did the right thing, but I am inexperienced also. In your case, since the calf is not yours, you started losing money from the get go.

Haha you cant just start taking calves that arent yours and especially to make a profit. It would of been better to let it die than to do that. Its one thing to drive by a neighbors place and get a cow back in thats been out or give him a call if something is going wrong. You shouldnt however load a cow thats gotten out or picked up a dieing calf and considered it yours since it wouldve been dead. better to let it die than get your neighbors against you. This guys situation is a bit different but I would still call the neighbors, get their calf back to them or at least get word out you have it if someone is missin a calf.

 

[Billybob Cornfed]

You should of left it there. When you found it could it raise its head or get up with some prodding? Any chance you can go out there and see if a cow is bawling. Ive never been on those government acres where anyone can pasture but I agree with caustic. You could get yourself in more trouble than good.

No, it could not stand or lift its' head -

Buzzards were about thirty feet away -

No cows in about two miles radius -

Went back to the spot and no cows crying -

I think what happened is 30 degrees and 45 mph winds for the last four days - she was abandoned.

or her momma is dead -

No - I won't get in any trouble - this is Navajo Rez - no laws, no cops, no nothin! That is why I live here - I know the two others that run cattle here and they are in Phoenix and never check their cows - but thanks for thinking of me - I can tell you live in the real world...thanks be to God that I don't.

Thanks

 

[HerefordSire]

If you did the right thing or not....you are now responsible for the calf. If the calf is worth $100 and your time is worth $20 per hour, you have 5 hours to diddle before you start losing money, unless you want to work for free, which is fine because it is your time. I think you did the right thing, but I am inexperienced also. In your case, since the calf is not yours, you started losing money from the get go.

Haha you cant just start taking calves that arent yours and especially to make a profit. It would of been better to let it die than to do that. Its one thing to drive by a neighbors place and get a cow back in thats been out or give him a call if something is going wrong. You shouldnt however load a cow thats gotten out or picked up a dieing calf and considered it yours since it wouldve been dead. better to let it die than get your neighbors against you. This guys situation is a bit different but I would still call the neighbors, get their calf back to them or at least get word out you have it if someone is missin a calf.

Legally speaking, his intent was non-deviant. He was saving a life. He may be negligent, but he has a clear conscience and is earnestly being honest. It is worth the risk in my view. He should be able to sleep good at night.

 

[Billybob Cornfed]

If you did the right thing or not....you are now responsible for the calf. If the calf is worth $100 and your time is worth $20 per hour, you have 5 hours to diddle before you start losing money, unless you want to work for free, which is fine because it is your time. I think you did the right thing, but I am inexperienced also. In your case, since the calf is not yours, you started losing money from the get go.

Haha you cant just start taking calves that arent yours and especially to make a profit. It would of been better to let it die than to do that. Its one thing to drive by a neighbors place and get a cow back in thats been out or give him a call if something is going wrong. You shouldnt however load a cow thats gotten out or picked up a dieing calf and considered it yours since it wouldve been dead. better to let it die than get your neighbors against you. This guys situation is a bit different but I would still call the neighbors, get their calf back to them or at least get word out you have it if someone is missin a calf.

And I did just that -

Went to the Trading Post and Chapter House and told the secretary and cashier...word of mouth...you guys are a bit hung up on stealing calves - It is two hours to town...few neighbors...and I rarely see em. But I strongly disagree on just leaving it to die...guess you probably have a few abortions under your belt too...any living thing is a gift from God...to be cherished. That is my bottom line

 

[Billybob Cornfed]

[/quote]
Legally speaking, his intent was non-deviant. He was saving a life. He may be negligent, but he has a clear conscience and is earnestly being honest. It is worth the risk in my view. He should be able to sleep good at night.[/quote]

Thanks - I would want you as a neighbor!