malnourished 2 week old calf

[RobShiner]

Hi,
I have an older tiger stripe cow that typically calves every 12-13 months. Due to special issues, I left a calf on her for ~9 months, but after weaning the 9 month old calf, she calved 3 weeks later. The new bull calf is very drawn, but energetic. I have the calf in a pen with the momma cow, tried to bottle feed a few times but couldn't get him to suck very well. Now I almost can't handle him due to his fighting me (2 wks old today), and he walks around the pen ok, but he looks pretty poor. It looks like he was sucking only 1 teat, but possibly a larger one yesterday (hard for me to tell) - her bag is pretty low, which may be part of the problem.
Any advice? I don't know if I should fight him to get him to bottle feed, or not stress him and leave him be, or to cull him to auction along with the momma. I'm concerned the momma cow's body still thinks it's the older calf I sold, and isn't producing much milk.
Thanks for everyone's help.

 

[dun]

About all you could do is take the calf off and bottle feed it or if possibl set up a creep feeder for that one calf. 3 weeks isn;t an adequate dry period for her to dry off, generate cholostorum and get things lined up for feeding a new calf. Calf may alwasy have some minor health issues because of the lack of the quality and/or quality cholostrum. The cow isn;t going to come into more milk so it's a losing proposition expecting her to raise a good calf this time. If she continues to try to feed it there is also a possibility it could have longer term affects on her subsequent calf.

 

[RobShiner]

Yes, that's what I was afraid of. I've got a creepfeeder set up, how old will the calf need to be before it starts eating creep feed?

 

[dun]

Yes, that's what I was afraid of. I've got a creepfeeder set up, how old will the calf need to be before it starts eating creep feed?

It will probably start nibbling at it at any time. Might want to dump some good quaulity hay with the creep ration. That may get it intersted a little sooner.

 

[Chris H]

Make sure it can reach fresh water at all times, too. You'll be surprised how much water a young calf drinks, unless you're used to penning them up.

 

[RobShiner]

thanks - i got him to drink 3 qts of milk tonight (my back is killing me from getting him started), and i'll get the creep feed set up tomorrow. He is drinking from a water trough, but I set out a bucket of water also. I think he's eating some grass, because he had a mouthful when I was rounding him up - probably not ready to digest it, but hopefully a good sign for the creep feed.
thanks again,
Rob

 

[Limomike]

I would also feed that momma cow some creep or grains to make sure she is getting plenty of nurishment to at least give the teats she does have going, the chance to produce.