Heifer lost her calf

[ABrauny]

I had a heifer lose her calf and instead of just shipping her my dad and I thought about maybe buying a bull calf and seeing if the heifer would adopt a calf. Has it worked for any of you that have tried this kind of thing? Might there be other complications that arise because of a heifer losing her calf? For example might she not know how to deal with calf the next go 'round?

 

[I luv herfrds]

We had lost a couple first heifers calves. Had one that took to the graft calf like crazy and took her following calves great.
Had another one that took her graft calf great but the following she took a dislike to her own calf and broke his neck and we had to put him down.

So you see you never know without trying.

 

[randiliana]

We usually get another calf if a heifer or cow loses hers. Course it does depend on the cow too. Just did 2 a couple days ago, a heifer and a 3 year old. Worked like a charm this time, both wanted a calf, and took the new ones within 24 hours. We have had some take as long as 10 days or so, and the odd one that would never accept a new calf. But if it is a good heifer, that lost the calf through an accident or illness (such as scours) I think it is worth the time and effort. Takes a lot of money to get them to this point, and a crapshoot if you go to buy a replacement....

 

[robert]

we will try and graft a spare twin onto a cow that loses her calf but otherwise it's hi-ho-hi-ho it's off to the sale barn she goes. In this market it's crazy to carry passengers, if she's not nursing a calf and could use a few pounds of payweight she'll pick up fast.

 

[I luv herfrds]

What was weird with that one that did not like her own calf she tried to claim other calves. But since she pretty much killed her calf she hit the road.

We took the bum calf and wet their backs with water and sprinkled Orphan No More; O-NO-MO; then put the cow in the head catch and got the calf up to nursing on her. After a bit of time we turned the cow loose and just watched to see what they would do.
Also rubbed the dead calfs afterbirth on the graft calf and that helped a bit too.

But there is always that odd one that will not accept a graft calf.

 

[SSGenetics]

I tried it several years ago. Worked out great. Bred back and raised a heck of a bummed calf.

The next year she lost her calf again.... couple days later she got her head cut off....

Ship her azz! Shes worth a pretty penny right now. :2cents:

 

[randiliana]

Yeah, they are worth a pretty penny right now, but the replacement is too. To me it totally depends on why the calf died and how good the cow is.

 

[BettyLandercasper]

a sure bet is to skin the dead calf and put the skin on the replacement. Keep the dead calf's tail on the skin, put the live calf's tail thru the anus of the dead to hold it in place --- Just a few days and you can take it off.

 

[ABrauny]

The birth was a little long, it was born in a few inches of melting snow, I noticed the day before the calf died that she would walk over by her mother to nurse and just would not suck on the teat. We got the heifer and her calf penned up, locked the heifer in a head gate and tried to get the calf to suck on the teat, but she just would not suck. The calf sucked like mad if you put your finger into her mouth, but wouldn't suck on the teat.

 

[Lucky_P]

If I have an orphan to stick on one that lost a calf, or a 1-titted cow that needs to go to town, and I can shift her calf to the unoccupied mama, I'll try it, but no way in Hades I'm going to a dairy or the local salebarn to buy a calf - and whatever disease it may bring along with it. Not worth the risk.
And with pound cow prices as they are now, I won't hesitate to send one on to the sale, even if 'it wasn't her fault' that the calf died.

 

[Scroote]

To Brauny,

Have you ever heard of a feeding tube? You tube the little bugger till it starts wanting to suck. Calving in snow and mud is no fun for anyone, wait til real spring in your place next go around. I know you bought these already bred I think.

With all humbleness, scrootious maximus

 

[ABrauny]

To Scroote,
I have heard of a feeding tube. In hindsight I would have tried the feeding tube. I should add though that I'm still puzzled why the calf would suck so hard on my finger but not her mom's udder.

 

[user1]

If it is a good cow and I want to save her and if it wasn't her fault I will try and graft a calf on them. i kinda do like luv herefords said. I can't remember the last time that a cow wouldn't take the graft.
Persistence pays off. I've had some from one day to more than a week.
The thing I never do is leave the graft with the momma until I am sure she claims the calf as her own. Most times a little grain while the doctored calf eats is all it needs to get them in the tolerance mode which is before the claiming mode

 

[Scroote]

To Scroote,
I have heard of a feeding tube. In hindsight I would have tried the feeding tube. I should add though that I'm still puzzled why the calf would suck so hard on my finger but not her mom's udder.

Good cowboy, use it next time before it starves to death.


Scrooge, on my twelfth cold one..........