Heifer Mothering Ability?

[Stocker Steve]

I had one hiefer last year that would leave her (unassisted) calf when we made a paddock shift. She got a truck ride to the locker plant. I have another one like that this year. Just sold her (hard pull) calf and she is also going to the locker plant in July. I don't mind eating a heiferette once in a while but taking care of unloved calves gets to be a lot of work.

Is this just the luck of the draw with hiefers, or should I be penning ect.. for a while, to get them to mother up?

 

[Frankie]

I had a hiefer last year that would leave here calf when we made a paddock be nice. She got a truck ride. I have another one like that this year. Just sold her calf, and she is going to the locker plant in July

Is this just the luck of the draw with hiefers or should I be penning ect.. for a while to get them to mother up?

I don't think you should have to pen them up. Most calves are born on the open range and nobody is there to make sure she mothers up. Are those two heifers related? It has always seemed to me that higher milking cows were better mothers. They spend more time with the calf, nursing and licking him. Perhaps that helps create a bond?

 

[Aaron]

I can't imagine these are your hereford heifers causing problems? :cowboy:

If I am right, I have a similar story for you, involving a good Hereford friend and his crack at calving Char heifers. :lol:

 

[Beef Man]

I have wondred if maybe we havent took some of natures mothering ability away from some cattle by being over protective and just being inthe way to much. As a kid growing up here nobody ever got up at night,we didnt shed calf,we didnt calve in cold weather,we wen t throughthe cows on our way to school and on the way home and seemed like we got along allright. Guess we sold a few fat dry's in july and we needed the money a long about then.Those that had big calves must have eliminated themselves along with any other problemsI'vebeen through the winter calving,calving like lambing sheep,going without sleep,etc. Really makes me wonder if we are'nt causeing more problems than we really need.My Dad,Grandad, Father-in law, all pretty successfull ranchers in their time beleived that a cow lived to work for us and sometimes it seems tat we work for the cattle. Just a thought from a old man!

 

[novatech]

Not much different than people. Kids having babies don't know how to take care of them. Heifers have to grow mently as well. Second calves from the same heifers will usually be taken care if better.

 

[Stocker Steve]

Do you see more mothering problems after a tough delivery?

 

[Stocker Steve]

If I am right, I have a similar story for you, involving a good Hereford friend and his crack at calving Char heifers. :lol:

I don't have much experience with continental heifers but I have had more problems calving continental cows. Some hid in the trees for weeks, others were not really that interested, and one was a stalker. They weighed up well. :banana:

 

[Aaron]

Do you see more mothering problems after a tough delivery?

In the Herefords, tough deliveries usually result in a cow with very maternal instincts and may even take you on if your in a pen with her and the calf. :cowboy:

 

[cfpinz]

Do you see more mothering problems after a tough delivery?

Higher incidence, yes. The more variables, the higher chance of a less than ideal result. Basically, the natural order of things has been disturbed. With each additional stressor, things get less predictable.

 

[dun]

5-6 years ago we had a bought in heafer that was AIed to a young unproven bull that was ver yhigh for calving ease at the time they used him. (He is now in the bottom 1% of the breed) We pulled a 116 pound calf from her and when we truned her loose she hauled tail for the farthest point she could find. We tubed the calf with colostrum and left hr laying in a dry corner for the night. The next morning she was gone and was with her mother. The only other non-maternal we've had inrecent memory was a second calver. Her first calf she doted on and raised just fine. Her second calf she tried to kill at every opportunity. Momma went for a ride and the vet bought the calf for his daughter. She's now raising either her 3rd or forth calf and her daughter is raising her second.

 

[Stocker Steve]

We pulled a 116 pound calf from her and when we truned her loose she hauled tail for the farthest point she could find.

You were lucky. Mine did not stop at the first fence... :roll:
She did come back to sniff the calf but not much more.
I caught her twice to let the calf nurse but she got wise to me after the first time.

 

[townfarmer]

We tubed the calf with colostrum

Sorry Dun do you mind explaining what that involved? Was it colostrum from the calf's dam? Tubed with what?

Andrew

 

[dun]

We tubed the calf with colostrum

Sorry Dun do you mind explaining what that involved? Was it colostrum from the calf's dam? Tubed with what?

Andrew

Esophageal tbe and thawed frozen colosturm from a dairy. We always keep a gallon of frozen stuff from them on hand. Just to prevent the nah sayers, it's the only dairy that I trust to get colostrum from, it's been a closed herd for years with an excellent herd health program. We've been using their colcostrum for 10 years with never a problem.

 

[townfarmer]

Esophageal tbe and thawed frozen colosturm from a dairy. We always keep a gallon of frozen stuff from them on hand. Just to prevent the nah sayers, it's the only dairy that I trust to get colostrum from, it's been a closed herd for years with an excellent herd health program. We've been using their colcostrum for 10 years with never a problem.

Is it a specific esophageal tube or just a piece of tubing? Also when you place the tube how do you know you're not in the lungs? Sorry for the bombardment with questions.

Andrew

 

[dun]

http://www.bovinevetonline.com/news_edi ... ed_id=5413
http://www.americanlivestock.com/pc-143 ... eeder.aspx

 

[townfarmer]

Thanks for the links Dun !!
Andrew

 

[robert]

IMO offered free and worth what you paid for it, you did the right thing, don't make excuses for them, if they can't do their job (and having a calf and owning it IS their job!) cull 'em out, down the road the fewer problems you tolerate the fewer you will have.

 

[dun]

I wonder how many times a heifer/cow is thought to have abandoned her calf when all she has done is stached it where she feels it's safe. Then someone comes along to "help" and causes problems that woudln;t have happened if they hadn;t "helped".

 

[Santas and Duhram Reds]

I think we all have been guilty of this before. But sometimes help is needed and you hate to take that chance.