heifers nursing heifers

[Anonymous]

can someone tell me how long they will try this? this is not desirable i know.. and am considering getting rid of the one doing it?

also, for any who allow a little, will this make her bag, later as a cow, be less than it should be?

the one who allowed it alot has matitis and a bad infection has set up. she may not make it.

your comments appreciated.

thanks

gene

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[Anonymous]

We had one yearling heifer that sucked the other cows. We got rid of her. Now, as a three year old she is still doing it.

dunmovin farms

> can someone tell me how long they
> will try this? this is not
> desirable i know.. and am
> considering getting rid of the one
> doing it?

> also, for any who allow a little,
> will this make her bag, later as a
> cow, be less than it should be?

> the one who allowed it alot has
> matitis and a bad infection has
> set up. she may not make it.

> your comments appreciated.

> thanks

> gene

 

[Anonymous]

The first problem is mastitis, as you have learned. Any time a heifer gets mastitis, there is a chance that she will never produce as much milk as she might have. Not saying that all lose production permantently. You can get a "weaner", a metal disc that you place on her nose and does not allow her to suck - but can eat just fine. I would leave it on at least 60 days or longer. Than test her out. But I'm with Dun - ship her. Jeanne <A HREF="http://www.SimmeValley.com" TARGET="_blank">http://www.SimmeValley.com</A>
> We had one yearling heifer that
> sucked the other cows. We got rid
> of her. Now, as a three year old
> she is still doing it.

> dunmovin farms

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[Anonymous]

yes,, a very disappointing turn of events here... about 2 months ago i had one of 6 heifers on occasion, try to nurse one of the others..so i separated the two and havent noticed it since.. but that doesnt mean she wasnt doing it with others.

last week one of my registered black limosin heifers came down with mastitis and died from the infection.

to add insult to injury, the one doing the nursing is one of the best 1/2 breed calves i have and i was expecting her to be an excellent momma cow, as her mother was..

kind of dishearting, having lost one, and now needing to cull one, and after feeding them, giving them the best of care, and being light bred, all of a sudden i am down from 6 to only 4 of them left. they are the pride of the farm, but i will just have to get over it and move on.

thanks for your comments

gene

> The first problem is mastitis, as
> you have learned. Any time a
> heifer gets mastitis, there is a
> chance that she will never produce
> as much milk as she might have.
> Not saying that all lose
> production permantently. You can
> get a "weaner", a metal
> disc that you place on her nose
> and does not allow her to suck -
> but can eat just fine. I would
> leave it on at least 60 days or
> longer. Than test her out. But I'm
> with Dun - ship her. Jeanne
> <A HREF="http://www.SimmeValley.com" TARGET="_blank">http://www.SimmeValley.com</A>

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[Anonymous]

> We had one yearling heifer that
> sucked the other cows. We got rid
> of her. Now, as a three year old
> she is still doing it.

> dunmovin farms

I had a similar, although more severe, problem! I started off by buying 20 bred heifers. Soon after the first calves hit the ground I bought a 2 year old virgin bull at a special bull auction from a supposedly big time bull raiser. I go to my place once during the week and once on the weekend and I thought everything was going well. However, a few months later I saw the bull sucking on one of the heifers, while her poor little calf just stood there looking feeble. A few weeks later the calf was dead and I'm convinced it starved. I caught the bull sucking on a few other heifers in the following weeks. I was so furious that I just about put a warning shot between his eyes with my 7 mag., but I came to my senses and sold his lousy ass instead. But all 20 heifers calved successfully so I guess things could have been a lot worse for my first year in the business!

 

[Anonymous]

warning shot eh? LOL i have been there too... so aggravated you could knock em out for a minute or 2..or 3 then you calm down and get back to work.

gene

> I had a similar, although more
> severe, problem! I started off by
> buying 20 bred heifers. Soon after
> the first calves hit the ground I
> bought a 2 year old virgin bull at
> a special bull auction from a
> supposedly big time bull raiser. I
> go to my place once during the
> week and once on the weekend and I
> thought everything was going well.
> However, a few months later I saw
> the bull sucking on one of the
> heifers, while her poor little
> calf just stood there looking
> feeble. A few weeks later the calf
> was dead and I'm convinced it
> starved. I caught the bull sucking
> on a few other heifers in the
> following weeks. I was so furious
> that I just about put a warning
> shot between his eyes with my 7
> mag., but I came to my senses and
> sold his lousy ass instead. But
> all 20 heifers calved successfully
> so I guess things could have been
> a lot worse for my first year in
> the business!

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[Anonymous]

Gene, We're all really sorry to hear this. Remember, you may be able to salvage the sucking heifer with a "weaner". If not allowed to suck anything for a long period of time, she may lose the instinct. At this point, I would at least try it and maybe salvage a good heifer. A weaner can be puchased thru your local supplier or a farm supply catalog. Jeanne <A HREF="http://www.SimmeValley.com" TARGET="_blank">http://www.SimmeValley.com</A>
> yes,, a very disappointing turn of
> events here... about 2 months ago
> i had one of 6 heifers on
> occasion, try to nurse one of the
> others..so i separated the two and
> havent noticed it since.. but that
> doesnt mean she wasnt doing it
> with others.

> last week one of my registered
> black limosin heifers came down
> with mastitis and died from the
> infection.

> to add insult to injury, the one
> doing the nursing is one of the
> best 1/2 breed calves i have and i
> was expecting her to be an
> excellent momma cow, as her mother
> was..

> kind of dishearting, having lost
> one, and now needing to cull one,
> and after feeding them, giving
> them the best of care, and being
> light bred, all of a sudden i am
> down from 6 to only 4 of them
> left. they are the pride of the
> farm, but i will just have to get
> over it and move on.

> thanks for your comments

> gene

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[Anonymous]

thanks jeanne.. i was ready to ship her the other day.. but in all fairness to her, i havent seen her do it in some time now.. and the mastitis infection could have been from the suckling received way back, and just now getting infected.. i dont know. so first thing this morning i ordered a weaning device from jeffers. she is going to get a 2nd chance for now, but i will try to watch her more closely in the future. one more strike and she's out of here.

thanks again

gene

> Gene, We're all really sorry to
> hear this. Remember, you may be
> able to salvage the sucking heifer
> with a "weaner". If not
> allowed to suck anything for a
> long period of time, she may lose
> the instinct. At this point, I
> would at least try it and maybe
> salvage a good heifer. A weaner
> can be puchased thru your local
> supplier or a farm supply catalog.
> Jeanne <A HREF="http://www.SimmeValley.com" TARGET="_blank">http://www.SimmeValley.com</A>

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