milk and calf ?

[3G-A-farm]

Hello. I don't post here much, but I do read the boards almost every day. It may have been brought up before, if so please direct me there. Am looking for some help from the many knowledgeable individuals who frequent here.

Here goes, I have a BA cow with a calf born 24 Jan of 2007. The past couple of days it seems as if the calf is nursing minimally on her mother. The cow has a right back quarter that is FULL of milk. I have milked her out twice in the past 3 days. Noticed today when I got home from work that that portion of her bag is BIG again, and it was milked out last night around midnight when I got home from work.

Thanks in advance for the help. She is a good 5 year old cow that has previously raised 2 very good calves, and this one appears to be very good also.

Bill

 

[dun]

How big is the calf, have you taken a temp or seen it behave differently then you would expect a healthy calf to behave? If the calf is smallish for the amount of milk there may just be too much milk for it to use. If it has a temp or is acting different it is probably not feeling right.
When the calf nurses, does it act like it's getting enough milk?
I know, you're never supposed to answer a question with a question, so shoot me.

dun

 

[mdmdogs3]

the first thought I had was - if the calf is nursing - who is it nursing? Maybe has decided that another cow is mama

 

[3G-A-farm]

Dun, The calf is 10 weeks old, and is in very good shape. I watched it graze tonight in the pasture for about 45 minutes. I haven't seen it nursing any cow. it wanders around with the other 3 calves in its age group eating our new grass pasture. The momma cow wanders around bawling... they are now confined to a 10 acre area. From my observations the calf is normal. I spent about 3 hours out there this afternoon, and am off tomorrow so will be in the pasture most of the day. I have not seen it nurse any other cow. And I have been in the pasture numerous times through the evenings since I have one heifer left to calve.


mdmdogs3, we are constantly watching the suspect calf, as we also have the feeling it is nursing another cow. I have one gebvieh x angus that is a very good momma cow, and we are watching her also. They are now in 10 acres behind our house. I will watch tomorrow and report back.

Am concerned about her having a bag problem, as her right back quarter is BIG, and I milked it out last night around midnight. I may have the first calf to ever wean itself?!?!

Will report back tomorrow..thanks..Bill