Wasn't there a big thread a while back on grafting? Can't seem to locate it with a search. Wondering what process people use. Love the idea from Donna on another thread of just letting the calf find a willing cow but wondering if every calf is that user friendly? Once a calf gets to 3 or 4 months, is it better to just put it on feed than grafting?
grafting thread
- Thread starter angus9259
- Start date
randiliana
Well-known member
Well, the idea of letting a calf find a willing cow is a nice one, but more often than not the cows are not that willing. It can happen, but I don't think it is that common, and really, I don't want a bunch of cows that will let any calf suck them.
The process we go through to graft a calf (usually a newborn - 1 or 2 months) is to put the cow in a headgate and let the calf suck. Unless it is a newborn, there will be some resistance in the calf to sucking the new mom, and it is easier to get the calf going when the cow isn't trying to run away. Tie the cow's near leg back (so no-one gets kicked) and let the calf suck her out. Then separate them until the next feeding time. We do this for 1-2 days. By this time, the calf has the new cow's milk through its system and mom is usually more tolerant of the new calf. Then, depending on the cow, we will almost always hobble her back legs together so she cannot kick the calf or really run away from it. Leave them in the corral for 2 days to a week (again depends on the cow) and mom should have taken to the new calf. We have had times where mom was more agreeable than the calf.
If you have a cow lose a calf at birth, the best thing you can do if you plan to graft is to remove the dead calf as quickly as possible. If you can help it do not let her mother it at all. Usually these cows will take a new calf with no problems whatsoever. It is a good idea to hogtie the calf for the first little while, and to drape some membranes or the afterbirth over the calf, especially when dealing with an older cow.
Once a calf is 2 1/2 to 3 months old I think it is just as easy to simply put the calf on feed. Often calves this old will nearly starve before they will adopt a new cow. And I find it is just not worth the effort when you have to fight with both the cow and the calf.
The process we go through to graft a calf (usually a newborn - 1 or 2 months) is to put the cow in a headgate and let the calf suck. Unless it is a newborn, there will be some resistance in the calf to sucking the new mom, and it is easier to get the calf going when the cow isn't trying to run away. Tie the cow's near leg back (so no-one gets kicked) and let the calf suck her out. Then separate them until the next feeding time. We do this for 1-2 days. By this time, the calf has the new cow's milk through its system and mom is usually more tolerant of the new calf. Then, depending on the cow, we will almost always hobble her back legs together so she cannot kick the calf or really run away from it. Leave them in the corral for 2 days to a week (again depends on the cow) and mom should have taken to the new calf. We have had times where mom was more agreeable than the calf.
If you have a cow lose a calf at birth, the best thing you can do if you plan to graft is to remove the dead calf as quickly as possible. If you can help it do not let her mother it at all. Usually these cows will take a new calf with no problems whatsoever. It is a good idea to hogtie the calf for the first little while, and to drape some membranes or the afterbirth over the calf, especially when dealing with an older cow.
Once a calf is 2 1/2 to 3 months old I think it is just as easy to simply put the calf on feed. Often calves this old will nearly starve before they will adopt a new cow. And I find it is just not worth the effort when you have to fight with both the cow and the calf.
We did graft a calf on a cow that had twins doa, but that was a new sale born calf, not an older calf. We rubbed membranes from the dead calves on the adopted calf, locked them up together and then when the calf was bawling trying to nursse, we stood there and wacked her/scolded her everytime she kicked the calf. She finally took the calf.
That same cow had twins 2 years later, and she would not let them nurse..We put her in the chute, locked her up with them and she never accepted either one. Because of circumstances, we quit trying and I bottle fed the calve. The twist to the story is that is the first cow I culled/sold.
I shouldn't have made it sound like the cows were so easy...the cows did resist. The first cow I sold, her calf was 4 months and in the feed bowl, so I wasn't worried...she just kept trying and sneaking until finally Lucy gave in and accepted her. As far as Lucy letting the 3rd calf nurse, I can only say that she has let that particular cow's other bull calves sneak milk from her before (a few years ago).
The second cow, whose calf was just 7.5 weeks was not eating food. I bought milk replacer and tried to coax her with the milk, squirted her with the bottle, left a bucket out, she would have nothing to do with it. She tried to steal milk from almost every cow...and she took alot of rough knocks. I thought for sure she would get weak and then I would get the replacer in her. My husband told me not to worry the herd would take care of her. Before I knew she was getting milk because of flies on the face and that milk look they get on the face. I had 2 other cows who had calves similar in age, I figured she was sneaking. A few weeks ago the same cow letting her nurse was kicking her butt and good. Apparently the cow gave in.
For me this year it was good and I think helps the calves gain better. donna
That same cow had twins 2 years later, and she would not let them nurse..We put her in the chute, locked her up with them and she never accepted either one. Because of circumstances, we quit trying and I bottle fed the calve. The twist to the story is that is the first cow I culled/sold.
I shouldn't have made it sound like the cows were so easy...the cows did resist. The first cow I sold, her calf was 4 months and in the feed bowl, so I wasn't worried...she just kept trying and sneaking until finally Lucy gave in and accepted her. As far as Lucy letting the 3rd calf nurse, I can only say that she has let that particular cow's other bull calves sneak milk from her before (a few years ago).
The second cow, whose calf was just 7.5 weeks was not eating food. I bought milk replacer and tried to coax her with the milk, squirted her with the bottle, left a bucket out, she would have nothing to do with it. She tried to steal milk from almost every cow...and she took alot of rough knocks. I thought for sure she would get weak and then I would get the replacer in her. My husband told me not to worry the herd would take care of her. Before I knew she was getting milk because of flies on the face and that milk look they get on the face. I had 2 other cows who had calves similar in age, I figured she was sneaking. A few weeks ago the same cow letting her nurse was kicking her butt and good. Apparently the cow gave in.
For me this year it was good and I think helps the calves gain better. donna
angus9259":14h36pqn said:
Regardless of the age of the calf, grating is always an iffy proposition. Whether or not the cow will accept the new calf basically comes down to the cow, and her willingness to accept the new calf. I do not believe I would even bother with trying to graft a 3-4 month old calf onto another cow - I would just do my best to make up for the lack of mother's milk by the use of feed.
