Need advice

[Saltydawg]

Ok cow dropped a little bull calf yesterday at about 4pm(right in the middle of a briar patch of course)....everything went fine...nice looking little calf.
I didn't actually see him nurse shortly after birth but he was poking around so didn't worry about it.....calf knows where to get food.

Well not this calf lol.

Went down this morning...mommas teats still dirty...calf bauling cause its hungry.
Calf is licking, biting, chewing, sucking on every part of the momma EXCEPT the teats.
So i get down there with momma and the calf and finally get him to suck on the front two quarters using a bottle of milk replacer as a lure.
He's biting so momma dont want him down there too long....and apparently he didnt learn cause he's still not finding the right spot.

How do I teach this calf where to suck? I don't want momma to dry off...the calf needs the colostrum...and i really don't want to bottle feed this thing everyday.

I'm gonna try some syrup or milk replacer powder on momma's teats to see if that works but any other advice is welcome.

 

[KMacGinley]

Pen them up and if you can work with the calf getting him on, usually they catch on fast, but you've got a week before you have to worry about her drying up much. I know it is frustrating but be patient. The cows teats are not too big are they? :?:

 

[Saltydawg]

K think I got it whooped.

Penned them up...tied momma to a post....wrestled calf down and pryed his mouth open lol.

He started sucking....momma was a little sore and kicked him off a couple times but after about 30 minutes he'd stay on and she'd let him.

Hopefully I don't have to do it this way too many more times lol.

 

[cowgirl580]

congrats! we've had to tie up one before, but we ended up tying her up in the horse trailer. a little rough as she wasn't the friendliest thing in the world, but it all worked out. i think we ended up doing it for a couple days though. you may not have that prob. hope not.

 

[KMacGinley]

Congrats: I am glad you got him on, I hate working with calves to get em going on the cow, but sometimes you gotta do it.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Good job - feels good to get one saved - which he would have died if you hadn't intervened.

 

[Susie David]

Congrats...always nice to finally get them to work right. We had to pen a pair up together in a barn stall, good mama but the calf was like yours, took a day but all is well. DMc

 

[got_cows?]

Good job! :lol:
We usually run the cow in the chute, take off the bottom portion and stuff the calf on. If the calf doesn't have a clue the hubby squirts some milk in the calf's mouth, get him sucking on his finger and then puts his finger up by her teat. If they don't have the "big, dumb calf syndrome" it doesn't usually take too long. Now, the ones that want to lay there and die, we tube with colostrum and try again the next day.

 

[scoot129]

Sounds like you did a great job. We only have 24 head of beef, so when I know that they are getting close to giving birth they are put in the barn . We have three calving pens which works great. I keep them in there for about 3 to 5 days, Then we tag them band if we have to and send them on there merry way.