Murrays projects 2021

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If the calf nursed the cow, don't give it anything until morning except maybe a pint or so of the mix at most... mixing too much in the stomach can cause problems too... In fact, mix just a little water with the 2 eggs... they will help stop up her without causing stomach upsets and add a little digestible protein...
 
Thank you both. She is quite feisty tonight now that it's cooled off. She's trying fairly often to sneak a nursing but mom is saying no at the moment. I am ok with that at the moment since she nursed earlier.
I hear you @MurraysMutts :)
Question for everyone. When you start a new "batch" of calves do you worry about her slowing production since the little calves will nurse less then picking back up with the calves consumption? Wondering how long I should let her first calf "clean up" to keep up with production before it's safe to finish weaning her if she doesn't finish weaning on her own.
 
MurraysMutts said:
@Double R Ranch many thanks!!

Twas actually @farmerjan who first told me about leaving her own born calf with her a few days if she becomes uncooperative!
She does a whole lot of this type thing as well and I find her advice very very helpful.

I'm so glad some folks are taking interest. To me, it's so enjoyable working with a good cow and her babies. It can be a touch frustrating on occasion, but most always is worth the reward!
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This is definitely something I still want to do. I think I'd like about 4 jersey nurse cows.
 
MurraysMutts said:
Your a glutton for punishment! 🤣

Its a bit of work. I'm so glad they don't all calve at the same time!
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OK, now that comment has got me worrying again. We will have 3 come in at the same time in April. But, we don't have to start putting extra calves on them at the same time, I guess.
 
farmerjan said:
I let them clean up the cow for at least 2 weeks after starting new calves.... and if the new ones are staying with the cow all the time, they will be getting more than you think... just in smaller amounts more often and that is what you want...
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That makes sense and is doable. The new calves will be staying with the cow pending any issues. So far she's only letting them nurse when she's having her grain. The heifer is improving greatly so far. She's no longer showing any dehydration and is playing as much as the other calf now. She's still trying to overeat so we are pulling her off after a minute or so until the cow is done eating. Then putting them back together.
Really appreciate all the advice.
 
Warren Allison said:
OK, now that comment has got me worrying again. We will have 3 come in at the same time in April. But, we don't have to start putting extra calves on them at the same time, I guess.
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If you can find the extra calves its not much more work to do 3 nurse cows than just 1.
 
Warren Allison said:
OK, now that comment has got me worrying again. We will have 3 come in at the same time in April. But, we don't have to start putting extra calves on them at the same time, I guess.
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🤣
I'm just ribbing a bit!
What @kenny thomas said up there ^^^^
Heck I've even thrown Bessie and Eleanor together and just let the calves have a free for all too.

But yes! Getting the graft calves in a timely manner is one of the key things as well. I like to have a calf about a week or so ahead of time. I'll bottle one long enough if it comes available when the time is time right!
A good boy scout is always prepared and all that...
 
MurraysMutts said:
🤣
I'm just ribbing a bit!
What @kenny thomas said up there ^^^^
Heck I've even thrown Bessie and Eleanor together and just let the calves have a free for all too.

But yes! Getting the graft calves in a timely manner is one of the key things as well. I like to have a calf about a week or so ahead of time. I'll bottle one long enough if it comes available when the time is time right!
A good boy scout is always prepared and all that...
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Why would you not want to put them directly on the nurse cow when you got them home? Why the 2 week wait?
 
So lets do a what if
You have three Jerseys that all calve within a few weeks of each other. You buy three calves and mix all them together and they all the calves nurse off all three of the mothers.
Could you turn this group into a herd of other cows and the calves would stay up with the routine. Would all the other calves in the herd take advantage of the situation and also nurse the Jerseys?
 
bird dog said:
So lets do a what if
You have three Jerseys that all calve within a few weeks of each other. You buy three calves and mix all them together and they all the calves nurse off all three of the mothers.
Could you turn this group into a herd of other cows and the calves would stay up with the routine. Would all the other calves in the herd take advantage of the situation and also nurse the Jerseys?
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Yes and yes. I had a nurse cow years ago turned out with 3 calves. I have seen 4 nursing and 2 waiting. But only 1 of them was hers.
 
Warren Allison said:
Why would you not want to put them directly on the nurse cow when you got them home? Why the 2 week wait?
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I usually buy a calf or two ahead of time. Availability is key. A person don't realize how hard it can be to locate a baby calf, or several for that matter, in a timely fashion. And when ya need 2 or 3 baby calves, ya need em NOW (I try to buy em from 50 to 200 bucks, you can sure go to a sale and buy em for 400 or less but that's silly)
One thing I've learned, is that it is easier to get calves on the nurse cows as soon as possible after calving while the hormones are still forcing that cow to be a mother! They just seem to accept em better.
If I already have baby calves in reserve (on a bottle) when they calve, I wait 24 to 48 hrs for the born calf to get colostrum and put em together. I also withhold a bottle 12 hrs before grafting usually. I want that calf AGGRESSIVE and HUNGRY
bird dog said:
So lets do a what if
You have three Jerseys that all calve within a few weeks of each other. You buy three calves and mix all them together and they all the calves nurse off all three of the mothers.
Could you turn this group into a herd of other cows and the calves would stay up with the routine. Would all the other calves in the herd take advantage of the situation and also nurse the Jerseys?
Click to expand...
Bessie runs with the herd. Her new set keep with her just fine. No issues at all. I just keep her penned a week or two with the new calves and the calves just know that's where to go. Thats their mama.
I HAVE had some that were on prior nurse cows that would steal from any cow when all turned out and running with the herd. I've never seen a born calf nursing anything but it's own mother tho
 
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MurraysMutts said:
I usually buy a calf or two ahead of time. Availability is key. A person don't realize how hard it can be to locate a baby calf, or several for that matter, in a timely fashion. And when ya need 2 or 3 baby calves, ya need em NOW (I try to buy em from 50 to 200 bucks, you can sure go to a sale and buy em for 400 or less but that's silly)
One thing I've learned, is that it is easier to get calves on the nurse cows as soon as possible after calving while the hormones are still forcing that cow to be a mother! They just seem to accept em better.
If I already have baby calves in reserve (on a bottle) when they calve, I wait 24 to 48 hrs for the born calf to get colostrum and put em together. I also withhold a bottle 12 hrs before grafting usually. I want that calf AGGRESSIVE and HUNGRY

Bessie runs with the herd. Her new set keep with her just fine. No issues at all. I just keep her penned a week or two with the new calves and the calves just know that's where to go. Thats their mama.
I HAVE had some that were on prior nurse cows that would steal from any cow when all turned out and running with the herd. I've never seen a born calf nursing anything but it's own mother tho
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I currently have four Jerseys in my herd mostly for emergency reasons. I have usually been successful getting a calf adapted to them but its a timing thing. The latest one was when a heifer had twins and I pulled the runt twin off. On the Jersey the twin did very well and caught up size wide with her sister. The twin mostly nurses off the Jersey but sometimes goes back to her original mother. I like fooling with them and may try to do more if and when I ever get moved to the farm. Here is a pic of the twin and the surrogate mother. 20230413_182207.jpg
 
My lil baldy re-sell heifer is coming along OK on grass. Tho not near as good as my brahma cross heifer. It'll be interesting to see which one makes more of a profit. I'll update this thread and the brahma cross thread when I sell em. No pics of the brahma cross! Shes gonna be a huge surprise when I post pics of her in the other thread. She has REALLY GROWN!
This baldy is really a pretty nice lil heifer but I only bought her to re-sell. She's a bit skittish but not terribly so.
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I'm not sure if I've posted this economy pair I bought or not. She ain't much of a cow but she is raising her heifer calf pretty decent. She is a 5 year old. Out of sequence for calving at this place but I didn't have room for her at home. No bull there. So she will be open most likely when I sell her.
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Gonna update the my girls thread. It'll have a couple pics of 2 heifers I'm keeping!
O yeah! Here's a quick pic of the holstien cross too. She is finally coming for feed with everyone else. I'm sure she come along when winter sets in and they get on the regular feeding schedule. For now they just get a bite every now and then.
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