How Often should a day old calf nurse?

[SherriSWMO]

Last calf of the season born to a heifer. 85# Heifer calf. We think she was born yesterday morning. Watched it last night from 6pm-11:30p - no nursing, but walking around. Watching it again this morning from 8:30 to 10:41 walking with head a bit low. No nursing. We don't know if it received Colostrum. Cow's sack is huge and does not look like milk has been removed.

How often does a day old calf nurse? Suggestions?

 

[Alice]

Well, I'd make sure that baby got colostrum...even if it meant milking mama and giving it to the baby.

Letting nature take its course is one thing...letting that baby go hungry is another. Yes, I can be a bit quick to react, yet the thought of the calf dying for lack of colostrum and nutrition is more than I can stand.

Alice

 

[coolpop]

can you get them in an area together alone ??- see if the calf nurses because by now momma should be ready to let off some pressure.

If it doesn't nurse - then just like Alice said, get her milked and put it in a bottle, the calf needs the colostrum. If you have a situation where you just are unable to milk her, then buy colostrum for the calf. It's not expensive and will save you much $$ in the end.

If you are able to milk momma, make sure to clean her teets and wash your hands well.

Wish you luck. :heart:

 

[Alice]

can you get them in an area together alone ??- see if the calf nurses because by now momma should be ready to let off some pressure.

If it doesn't nurse - then just like Alice said, get her milked and put it in a bottle, the calf needs the colostrum. If you have a situation where you just are unable to milk her, then buy colostrum for the calf. It's not expensive and will save you much $$ in the end.

If you are able to milk momma, make sure to clean her teets and wash your hands well.

Wish you luck. :heart:

:nod: :nod: :nod: :nod: :nod:

Alice

 

[Anguscollegekid]

Give it a bottle or tube it if you have to. Put the cow in the chute, and get the calf set up, maybe she kicks it, maybe it just doesn't have it together. The chute usually works pretty good tho.

 

[msscamp]

Last calf of the season born to a heifer. 85# Heifer calf. We think she was born yesterday morning. Watched it last night from 6pm-11:30p - no nursing, but walking around. Watching it again this morning from 8:30 to 10:41 walking with head a bit low. No nursing. We don't know if it received Colostrum. Cow's sack is huge and does not look like milk has been removed.

How often does a day old calf nurse? Suggestions?

If the calf was indeed born yesterday morning, then I'm afraid you've missed the window of opportunity because colostrum can only be utilized in the first 24 hours following birth, and the utilization diminishes with time - 1st few hours following birth is 100% utilization, 8 hours following birth - maybe 60%, 18 hours after birth - maybe 20%, etc. The ideal thing to do would have been to put the cow in the chute, put the calf on her and help him find and latch onto a tit. If you don't have a chute, the calf should have been given powdered or frozen colostrum yesterday. To answer your question, a newborn calf nurses numerous times thoughout the day because it's belly isn't big enough to hold much at one sitting. At this point in time, the most important thing is to make sure the calf is nursing. I would get that cow in the chute and either help the calf find a tit, or milk her and bottle the calf. A calf that has not received colostrum can be ok, but you have to make sure it knows how to nurse and is nursing.

 

[JMichal]

Folks - many thanks for the valuable advise. We didn't think this little heifer was nusring, but thankfully she is nursing. She was nursing like crazy this morning, tormenting the other cows, and hopping around with her tail flying high. We missed observing her during her first 10+ hours, so we were unsure. I suppose she started out as a "closet nurser."

Thanks again. It is so cool to know there are people that care and will take the time to offer their wisdom and advise.

 

[JMichal]

SAY....I'm using my husband's computer (JMICHAL). I have my own sign in (SherriSWMO) so I can cruise the site occassionally at work.

Again, sincere thanks

 

[Bez>]

Last calf of the season born to a heifer. 85# Heifer calf. We think she was born yesterday morning. Watched it last night from 6pm-11:30p - no nursing, but walking around. Watching it again this morning from 8:30 to 10:41 walking with head a bit low. No nursing. We don't know if it received Colostrum. Cow's sack is huge and does not look like milk has been removed.

How often does a day old calf nurse? Suggestions?

Worked in the pens all morning today and thought about your post.

Here is what I saw with a 10 hour old calf - for your info.

It latched onto a tit three times over the space of about 6 hours and sucked like a mad dog.

The rest of the time it slept - even when I ran the chainsaw - except after the last good big suck. Then it stood around for a few minutes and experimanted with hopping about - and went back to sleeping on the hay.

Great life - grab a tit - get a meal and then off to bed.

Why in the heck do we ever grow up?



Bez>

 

[Alice]

Folks - many thanks for the valuable advise. We didn't think this little heifer was nusring, but thankfully she is nursing. She was nursing like crazy this morning, tormenting the other cows, and hopping around with her tail flying high. We missed observing her during her first 10+ hours, so we were unsure. I suppose she started out as a "closet nurser."

Thanks again. It is so cool to know there are people that care and will take the time to offer their wisdom and advise.

I'm smiling...I'm smiling big time. Thank you for sharing this...it is wonderful...

Alice

 

[BECCAJEAN]

before calving season gets under way each year go to your favorite vet supply or murdoch's farm store and get several packages of powder colostrum and keep it on hand for the unsure times along with a Mcgrath feeder I.E. tube. I recomend that once you have a new calf to tub it then you know that it has a full stomache and at that time you can sex it, dip the navel in iodine, & give it its first shot. Depending on the weather you might either put it in a calf hut with a heater or take it inside your house with you then place it back with its mother so they can mother up. These are all things that we do during calving season out here in wy. But we also start calving the firrst week of jan and are done before march.

 

[BECCAJEAN]

There is no set # of times per day it would be like asking how many time a day we should have something to drink. if you dont think that the calf is getting enough give it a tube ot powder colostrum & you dont have to mix the whole packet at once you can split it into 2 feedings this is enough to keep the calf going after the 1st full packet of colostrum. this is my wifes acc. I have been in the purebred Angus industry for 30 yrs.

 

[novatech]

I would not supplement the calf with anything but milk from the cow. If you do the calf will not be hungry and will not try to suck on mom. The cow will become to full and sore. When the calf tries to suck, the mother will kick it away.
If you get the cow in a chute and milk it out you can usually tell which tits have been sucked or not. Tits that have not been sucked will still have a seal in the end which you can feel when you try and milk. If any of them are open the calf probably got the colostrum. It may take a few days of milking and feeding and putting calf to tit to get things going right.
We have used a blue marker from the vet. We put it on the tit, if the calf sucks it will remove the marker.
The vet can do a protein test and see if the calf got the colostrum, but by then it is usually to late.

 

[BECCAJEAN]

I DONT SUPPOSE YOU RAISE PUREBREAD ANGUS LIKE WE DO THEN, HUH?

 

[Syd Sydney]

I DONT SUPPOSE YOU RAISE PUREBREAD ANGUS LIKE WE DO THEN, HUH?

I have just read this post for the first time and it is easy to get excited when you don't see them nurse especially when it seems like every time you go check the little was is sleaping like a log.

But I don't understand this last reaction to the previous comments this is a forum where everyone can post their opinions if you don't agree then don't follow that particular advice.I am sure intervening with every new born calf works well for you I know alot of dairy farmers that still tube the first feeding of colostrum.However some beleive that the first hour of the cow and new calfs life together will establish the bonding and there is no more complete bonding than when the calf drinks from the cow and the cow suckles the calf.
I do agree that thoughthat everyone needs extra colostrom on hand at all times so that is ther if you need it hopefully you never will.
Syd

 

[BECCAJEAN]

YEAH I'M SORRY ,ROUGH MORNING AND I HAD NO REASON TO REACT IN SUCH A MANNER.i DO AGREE,EVERYONE IS ENTITLED TO THEIR OPINION. SORRY SO SHORT.I DON'T WANT THE CALF TO GET HURT THOUGH.

 

[Syd Sydney]

Beccajean I am sure no one is offended .What do you mean you've had a rough morning?I thought things were all lilacs and daisies in the PB black angus industry ;-) Just playing with you please do not take offence.I think everyone feels the same this time of year that we are all on a short rope just enough length that we don't hang ourselves.
By the way be prepared for an internet edicate chat from Bez.
Hope your day gets better we finally started to dry up here and now its been raining on and off for two days
Syd

 

[Bez>]

Beccajean I am sure no one is offended .What do you mean you've had a rough morning?I thought things were all lilacs and daisies in the PB black angus industry ;-) Just playing with you please do not take offence.I think everyone feels the same this time of year that we are all on a short rope just enough length that we don't hang ourselves.
By the way be prepared for an internet edicate chat from Bez.
Hope your day gets better we finally started to dry up here and now its been raining on and off for two days
Syd

You mean like:

TYPING IN CAPS IS SHOUTING? Please do not do this!



Bez>

 

[VanC]

TYPING IN CAPS IS SHOUTING? Please do not do this!



Bez>

I just thought of something. Lots of people don't use caps at all. Does that mean they're whispering? ;-)

 

[SherriSWMO]

Folks,

Your wisdom is valuable - different views and all. My husband and I have been on the professional fast track for almost 30 years. Always aspired to settle on a ranch with cattle and our horseback field trial birddogs. We have had cattle now for about a year +. (You can gather it's a cow/calf....love those babies.)

What I have learned in the brick/morter business environment is all advise is great advise. That all folks interested in sharing their experience and point of view is the most valuable asset you can ever acquire.

So, I believe all comments and experience as valuable assets. And, when you cummulate everyone's advise with good old fashion experience - how can you loose.

BTW -- SHE IS DOING GREAT! HER NAME IS OZARK ROSE (Rosie for short.)

HAVE FUN and LOVE LIFE, SHERRI