health & Nutrition Grown cow sucking cow just before cal

[tryinhard]

My son bought a couple of cows a few months back he and I liked the looks of the cows, just commercial cows and liked the bull they were bred to. One of the cows calved 3 days ago, and the other one looked like she was going to in the next day or so, she hasn't calved yet and her bags were very full, Yesterday and today I went out to check on them and the one that hasn't calved yet looked as though she may have been sucked very well, n had some goo on her tail no blood or anything but her body didn't look as if she had calved, she was n is still very big, this evening a friend of mine called me and told me that a grown cow was sucking a grown cow, I'm sure that is what happened to her bag, If I can figure out which one is sucking her tomorrow, and seperate her and maybe her calf if she has one, will this cow build up more colosturm? or what is it that I may need to do, I will figure out which one is doing it tomorrow, and seperate them, but will the mother to be be ok? any thoughts are welcome. Thanks

 

[go-pokes-osu]

Colostrum isn't something that she'll just produce more of this quickly. You'll need to find an another source for this calf or he'll likely be deficient.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

She only produces colostrom one time. Guaranteed if a cow sucked her, she emptied her bag. Get some Colostrix or similar powdered colostrom. Be sure to get it into your newborn AS SOON AS POSSIBLE after birth. Preferably, BEFORE she sucks her dam, but at least within the first 12 hours (best in 1st hour). No good after 24 hours.
Not getting colostrom does not mean your calf is going to up & die right away, but your calf's immune system will be nil. He/she will be succeptable (sp?) to anything, so health problems can be a major issue.

 

[joe]

this falls under my catagory of "just when you think you've seen it all!" First year we had cattle the Mrs kept a steer for freezer beef. Kinda a "pet". Had him in the calving pasture till we saw him letting a calf nurse. Then we put him in the pasture with the cow/calf pairs and bulls. Then he was trying to "earn his keep" by "breeding" the cows. But everytime a bull saw him on a cow, he'd get his butt kicked. Every year I seem to learn something new that in a million years you would'vve never thought......
Good luck with your cow/calf!

 

[Victoria]

Everyone on here is right, the calf will need you to feed it some colostrum when born. I'd ship out the offending cow too.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

I didn't address the "offending cow". Since she is nursing a calf, economically it would be hard to ship her, but you probably cannot isolate her for ever. Since she sucked, she will PROBABLY ALWAYS try to suck. I would suggest getting a "calf weaner" for her nose & WATCH her CLOSE (after the other cow calves). If she still is able to suck - ship her. There is no way you will be able to raise other calves properly with her around. A mature animal can suck a cow out completely in a very short time.
I've been told that a bull ring placed in her nose will stop her, hard for me to believe, but....

 

[tryinhard]

I want to thank all of you for your replies and thoughts, I have not been able to get on this computer for a few days, but I did go out n sit in the pasture for most of the day, never saw a cow nurse her or even try, but I don't know how often a grown cow would nurse either. I just did the only thing that I knew was safe I moved the cow, I have not found a calf yet, couldn't before I moved her, and have made many visits to the other pasture, I don't know whats going on, I'm wondering if the calf is dead somewhere, or inside her, she seems healthy, aleart, full of milk, and I am pretty good at guessing within a very few days, If I have been around the cow enough to know how things normally look, u know what I am talkin about. This is n has been a real head banger for me. She is big everywhere too, But I still don't know who the milk stealing moma cow is either, so I'm stuck for a while, there are more cows out there with calves and none that I have seen have seemed to try to nurse any other cows. If and when I see, find out, whatever happens I will surely post it on here. Right now I am as lost as I can be. But many thanks to each of you. and Merry Christmas n Happy New Year, to all.

 

[tryinhard]

Well I moved the one which was to have a calf, back to a pasture she used to be in, with some other cows which have stayed there through the drought. She disappeared after a couple of days, been looking for her ever since, there is much cut over undergroth there, my bro-in-law found her three days ago n said she was about to calve, well I thought that a week ago, or near that, but have looked for three days now, n not found her til this evening just before dark , she has a nice Charolais bull calf beside her sucking well looking well, and its probably 3 days old. The calf looks real good n healthy, she will not let u get close to her or the calf, so I will only hope for the best. Thanks to all and maybe she does make more colostrum, at going into labor, I really don't know but this one doesn't look like it has missed a thing. Thanks to you and thank God. Have a very happy New Year.

 

[SPRINGER FARMS MURRAY GRE]

Isolate the offender if you can until you can ship her. I have had mixed results with the "cantsuck" devices,usually they manage to lose them.It has been my experience that these animals were weaned early as calves,or had another calf "steal" their milk.I think it must be an emotional problem on their part. ;-) :cboy:

 

[jcarkie]

if the offending cow has been with the others and has not been allowed to suck that is why she doesn't try. she tried the new cow and she stood. i had a two year old last year that let two or three at a time and i put her up for a couple of weeks and it subsided. she would then kick at the others to fight them off.. i don't know if you can break them of it, i wouldn't trust them anymore they would grow wheels.

 

[Running Arrow Bill]

We don't give any of our cattle a chance to suck a female that has had or about to have a calf. Any female that is close to calving is moved to a "maternity pen" couple of weeks before expected calving date (or when she has started to bag up and vulva is looking soft at very latest). She and new calf stay in that pen for couple of weeks before they are put back with some others.

 

[tryinhard]

I have yet to figure out which cow was sucking her, someone called me and told me that they saw a grown cow sucking a grown cow, I went out n stayed most of the day, not knowing how often a grown cow may suck, I never saw one even look interested. I don't know which one to ship, but we were started building a maternity/catch pen, already have a catch pen, but it got so dry, we couldn't dig, maybe we will be back on it soon now that we have some moisture now, and try that method, I have liked the thought of that for a while, just haven't finished it. I am very proud that I did do the only thing that I thought would be certain, that was to move the cow which was about to calf, it worked. Maybe next time we will be ready, we have some a couple of months from calving. just have to get going, my son goes to school and works two jobs plus his cows, which I say {our} cows. They are his. I just try to do all that I can which is very little I use a cane or am in a wheel chair, {very limited}. I can haul and drive can dig for short periods, and use a come-a-long, n such, usually on my knees, or like. I do try though. I have a 5 year old daughter who is very interested in cows also, she has 1 cow bred to Black Angus. and has partial intrest in another, which I am buying for her. It will work out with help from you and yall, and family n friends. Thanks much. I will keep you informed. Not many people interested in talking about this sort of stuff near me, as is on this board. I will keep in touch as often as i can. Thanks once again. I greatly appreciate you all.