Having trouble finding the teet

[ClinchValley86]

Had a calf come two nights ago. Hadn't nursed by morning so I got momma in chute and calf nursed 3 quarters when I'd place the teet in her mouth. Drank for 5 to 7 minutes I'd estimate.

Similar since. Maybe less intake. Having to chute momma a place calf on teet. She's not drinking a great lot. Maybe 60 pound calf.

She's going for the neck and belly or side of the udder, which is pretty good size. Teets are not huge, bit aren't tiny either. She came at least 9 days early.

Calf is skinny and just wanting to lay down. She has pooped and peed.

Any tricks? I gave her an oral vitamin deal last night when she nursed momma briefly. She has no interest in drinking from a bottle.

Hate to tube her... but she's skinny.

How often do day or 3 old calves nurse and about how much?

 

[MurraysMutts]

I've had to chute the cow 2 times a day for about a week before. Dumb calf. He just couldn't figure it out for a few days.

Didn't have that problem with the next calf.

If the calf nurses vigorously for about 7 or 10 minutes I'm happy. Of coarse I'd like to see a bit longer than that. I can usually get 2 smokes in per nursing. So about 15 minutes or so before the calf usually gets full

 

[coachg]

Some calves are just dumb ! I wouldn't get overly alarmed, she will eventually learn where the groceries are . I might let her go a little while and watch her . If she doesn't find it she is worth the effort to put mom back in the chute .

 

[TCRanch]

Try the Madigan Squeeze. She may just be a dummy calf. I can post a link or video but there are literally tons of them if you Google.

Plan B: Nursemate ASAP, Vitamin B Complex. Keep trying! Maybe get her started on a bottle with a goat nipple and go from there.

 

[redcowsrule33]

Sometimes it just takes awhile for the light to come on. If she's looking and nursing with help, she'll put two and two together eventually.

 

[bird dog]

This is from one of Murray's threads

I just got through working with a dummy calf that was born in a monsoon. Didn't really notice it wasn't eating until day three. He was hollow like that one.
He had a sucking instinct, just couldn't figure out where to suck even after getting the cow in the chute and pushing the calf to the udder. He would suck when forced too but would not approach the cow to suck when they were loose in the pen together. The cow was standoffish. Confused becasue the calf wasn't acting right. To make matters worse he was sore in the front like he had been stepped on. He could barely push up with his front legs to stand. Moved real slow. I called him Biden. Luckily his Brangus mom was patient with me and him even though she was tired of being pushed into the chute twice a day for the first three or four days. After about 5 days I let the cow out but she would come back to the pens morning and evening like she was waiting for me to get he calf up and shoved underneath her.
It took almost two weeks before the light bulb came on. The calf started walking to the mom to nurse and the cow would lick it to clean it. It was like a two week old new born.

He is still smaller and slower growing than he should be but stays up with the herd and seems healthy.

This was my go with one. Should have tried that Madigan Squeeze. The calf is still a little slow but otherwise doing all right and gaining weight. He is one of those that always looks a little bit sick, but some of these new borns do that when its 103 like today. It may be a dummy calf but more likely I'm a dummy manager for having a cow that calves in mid-summer. Be patient.

 

[MurraysMutts]

This is from one of Murray's threads


This was my go with one. Should have tried that Madigan Squeeze. The calf is still a little slow but otherwise doing all right and gaining weight. He is one of those that always looks a little bit sick, but some of these new borns do that when its 103 like today. It may be a dummy calf but more likely I'm a dummy manager for having a cow that calves in mid-summer. Be patient.

The heat may very well be a problem huh?

I've had a couple calves in summer time. They just lay out in the blazing sun like it's no big deal. Drove me absolutely bonkers.

No more summer calves here!

 

[bird dog]

The heat may very well be a problem huh?

If its a good strong calf, the heat doesn't seem to be a bother. Get one a little weak though and it seems to really drag them down. On mine, after they left the barn and the calf was nursing I moved the calf by hand when the cows rotated to another field. I would load it in the side x side and find a big shady area to drop it off in. That went on for another two weeks. The calf is running about a month behind where it should be.

 

[ClinchValley86]

Try the Madigan Squeeze. She may just be a dummy calf. I can post a link or video but there are literally tons of them if you Google.

Plan B: Nursemate ASAP, Vitamin B Complex. Keep trying! Maybe get her started on a bottle with a goat nipple and go from there.

She refuses to drink from a bottle. Would have to tube her and hate to do that while she's willing to nurse momma.

Last night she showed a little improvement. Totally emptied the two fronts. Then she was done.

I'll look into the couple things you suggested. Thanks a bunch.

 

[ClinchValley86]

The heat may very well be a problem huh?

I've had a couple calves in summer time. They just lay out in the blazing sun like it's no big deal. Drove me absolutely bonkers.

No more summer calves here!

I'm a gluten for punishment. This time of year is ideal for me because they're ready to help eat the spring flush. I suppose I should push it back a bit though.

This is the first Franchise calf out of Simme's bull I got. Would really like her to make it.

Last night she was showing strong desire to nurse. So that's good. Lol

 

[kenny thomas]

I would never ever tube a calf that will suck.

 

[MurraysMutts]

I agree @kenny thomas

No sense in confusing the dumb sucker even more. It sounds like the calf is doing well tho. If it nursed 2 quarters down, I'd say it's doing swell!!

 

[ClinchValley86]

Pretty sure she drained the two fronts this morning. Also got her to latch onto both rears. She drank from one of the rears for a couple minutes. I relieved some pressure from the 4th.

She's definitely getting stronger. Actually saw her stick tongue out trying to get onto a ripple. So she's trying and seeming to improve over thr last few feedings.

Hopefully by first of the week they'll be with the herd, of not sooner.

That rear-end look like normal calf shite to yall? Momma clean that up reckon? Doesn't have the runs, nor bloody.

 

[ClinchValley86]

I would never ever tube a calf that will suck.

Of the few I've tubed, only one made it. So it's a last ditch effort deal for me. They gotta be knocking on deaths door, right?

 

[mwj]

Did you give selenium?

 

[ClinchValley86]

On another note. . I gotta show off a calf from my homeraised chocolate bull. Dam is the hateful red.

 

[ClinchValley86]

Did you give selenium?

I have not. I did give a dose of "Duramate"? A paste in a tube. Not sure what alls in it... might be a waste of money.

Where do I get selenium and what does it do? Be nice to have some on hand I'd say.

 

[kenny thomas]

Of the few I've tubed, only one made it. So it's a last ditch effort deal for me. They gotta be knocking on deaths door, right?

If its sucking there is no reason to tube it. Give it time. A baby calf may suck a pint to a quart several times a day. It won't suck the cow dry for a long time.

 

[kenny thomas]

Pretty sure she drained the two fronts this morning. Also got her to latch onto both rears. She drank from one of the rears for a couple minutes. I relieved some pressure from the 4th.

She's definitely getting stronger. Actually saw her stick tongue out trying to get onto a ripple. So she's trying and seeming to improve over thr last few feedings.

Hopefully by first of the week they'll be with the herd, of not sooner.

That rear-end look like normal calf shite to yall? Momma clean that up reckon? Doesn't have the runs, nor bloody.

Yes thats normal shyt for a baby calf.
If your concerned about the cow, use some teet canulas (sp) and drain her sack. Make it easier on her and the calf.

 

[ClinchValley86]

If its sucking there is no reason to tube it. Give it time. A baby calf may suck a pint to a quart several times a day. It won't suck the cow dry for a long time.

Thanks. Momma is making so much milk that it is squirting out the rears when she walks. So she's got some built in pressure relief valves in action.