Hpacres440p
Well-known member
Sorry that's the outcome. We have an older girl that will leave in a few weeks too-taking her straight to the processor and donating half/selling half ground beef. Trying for lower stress ending
Help with newborn who won't nurse
- Thread starter Barnyard Chaos
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OP
OP
Barnyard Chaos
Member
Oh GREAT. The story gets better. We just rescued a newborn calf from the neighbor's pasture, momma not able to nurse (19 years old, udders on the ground). So now we have TWO bottle calves. Put her in with Blackie and baby, gave her colostrum, then stood back and watched --- as Blackie adopted it (she's still not giving milk). Navel cord was still wet and bloody, so I believe she's only a few hours old. Didn't I say I didn't want a bottle calf? LOL
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wbvs58
Well-known member
You are certainly over represented with mastitis. With beef cattle where I am it is very rare so looking for some common cause is a good move. I hope fencing it off solves your problem, maybe not looking so hard for it might help as well.
Ken
Ken
farmerjan
Well-known member
I think you might be right about the pond... all sorts of bacteria can grow in stagnant pond water. Sorry that it has happened... electric fence immediately until you can get a better solution. Moving the other animals was a wise decision.
I also would not have treated her but just sent her off as soon as the problem was discovered. Hard, but not hot, quarters and no milk does not make sense to try to treat. Cull cow prices are too high to mess around with waiting 45 days for something that absolutely will not work; especially since she had a problem last year and you bottle fed her calf... I get the "favorite" part, but you stated that they were not kept for pets...
I also would not have treated her but just sent her off as soon as the problem was discovered. Hard, but not hot, quarters and no milk does not make sense to try to treat. Cull cow prices are too high to mess around with waiting 45 days for something that absolutely will not work; especially since she had a problem last year and you bottle fed her calf... I get the "favorite" part, but you stated that they were not kept for pets...
sunnyblueskies
Well-known member
What made you rescue the newborn calf in the neighbours pasture? Is the mother dead?
OP
OP
Barnyard Chaos
Member
Well.... The neighbor has 80 acres, mostly scrub and forest. He has 14 cows & calves at the moment (has had up to 30). He has not managed them at all - just lets them run wild, no hay in winter, no shelter nor barn, comes by once every couple of weeks to 'check' on them. Luckily, there is a year-round spring on the property so water is never a problem. Then once a year, an acquaintance of his comes with a trailer and they round up whatever they can catch for auction. Pays his land taxes. The neighbor has lost many calves to coyotes and starvation in the past, and two bulls to injuries. His herd was seriously inbred.
My husband befriended him when we bought our place and has worked an arrangement to help. My husband has done extensive brush-hogging, built a corral and loading 'alley', repaired fencing, feeds them hay in winter and minerals all year, and helps (no, really, manages) during calving, roundups, castration, and shots. Took a couple of years, but convinced him to replace the bull and to separate him March-June every year. The two of them pool their equipment in summer and fall, and cut hay from a few other willing neighbors to stockpile enough for all of his cattle and ours. He is generally 'paid' for his efforts with one or two calves every year.
Last two years, this particular cow lost her calves. We never found them, assume they died or were predated. She is a 19-yr-old simmental/charolais/hereford cross - maybe some holstein - whose udders literally drag the ground when she's full, and has three/four ruptured teats. We believe she cannot nurse effectively. Neighbor refuses to cull her. My husband was cutting brush yesterday, when he spotted her and a newborn calf. Called the neighbor to come check, and decision made to 'steal' the calf from her to bottle-feed. He has no time nor inclination to manage it, and so..... here we are.
OP
OP
Barnyard Chaos
Member
More story, for those interested:
Last year my husband rescued another calf, this one abandoned completely (same neighbor, different mother cow). It was lying prone on the ground and could not stand. And then started our hard lesson in what a "dummy calf" (weak calf syndrome, acidosis) is all about. I got colostrum into him, but believe he was already 12+ hours old. I spent the next 31 days trying to save him, two trips to the vet, 4X-a-day feedings attempted when he would take them, electrolytes, bolsters, antibiotic shots, you name it. Hand-feeding starter, bathing, physical therapy to make him walk, rubdowns, and just holding him in my lap to watch him sleep. We tried tube-feeding, but even the vet and his assistant could not get the tube into place. So one swallow at a time, I fed him from the bottle. An hour or two each attempt. It was exhausting. He died in his sleep.
OP
OP
Barnyard Chaos
Member
Update, for those interested: All is going well. Bottle calves are 5-1/2 weeks old and growing fast. Momma Blackie is in the pasture with the rest of the herd and healing up and drying up nicely. She will go to auction probably this weekend. We separated the calves from momma weeks ago so that we could get her dried up, and get the babies on starter feed. I gave them each 3 bottles a day to start, and have cut back to 2/day with starter feed available at all times. They're just starting to take it on their own. The heifer, Missy, is the sweetest, cuddliest little thing ever. Bull calf Junior is a little more challenging, and is learning some lessons on respecting my space. He butts HARD! Today I got halters on both of them to start some training. I hope to make Missy a milker for us. Junior will go to slaughter eventually, but why not train both to halter anyway. Any tips you care to offer?
MurraysMutts
Well-known member
Sounds like ya just about got it covered!
Try not to get too attached!
Try not to get too attached!
Thank you for the update! I've found the easiest way to get a halter on a calf is to stick the bottle nipple through the nose piece on the halter and while they're drinking, just finish putting the halter on them!
OP
OP
Barnyard Chaos
Member
I did exactly that! Thank you. It's a bit more challenging with two at the same time! It only took once, though. After that, I've found they're not afraid of the halter, but more interested in getting that bottle. So they tolerate me putting it on, first. I thought I'd want them comfortable with me taking the halter on and off, whenever I need to - instead of just leaving it on. So that's what I've been doing. On in the morning before the bottle, and off in the evening after the bottle. I'm just a bit nervous about leaving halters with a dangling rope (3 feet) ON all night, when they could get tangled around each other or a post or something, when I can't supervise.
