Need help

[tnwalkingred]

All,

I had a calf born two days ago but found it dead this evening. I've been raising a twin on a bottle so I've gotten both of them in the trailer hoping the cow will accept the twin. Any tips on how to help this process along? They have been in the trailer together for about 15 minutes and so far nothing. The calf has tried to suck various parts of the cow but hasn't found her tits yet. The cow doesn't seem to love the calf but doesn't seem too Agressive towards it either. I have a chute I can put the cow in if I need to catch her and let the cow nurse. Any help is appreciated as this is my first go round with grafting a calf onto a cow. Thanks.

Kyle

 

[branguscowgirl]

Yes, I would put her in the chute and help it nurse. The nursing will stimulate the mothering hormones.
There are various scent things that you can try. You can even skin her dead calf and tie the hide to the new calf.

 

[tnwalkingred]

The calf is going to the state Vet first thing in the morning to get an autopsy performed on her and I'm not crazy about skinning a dead calf. I would rather continue to bottle feed the calf I believe! Lol.

I think I'll give them a few hours together and if it doesn't improve I will put the cow in the chute in the morning. If I put the cow in the chute should I pen them up together and then just catch the cow twice a day to let the calf nurse?

Kyle

 

[kenny thomas]

I normally pen them together but separate the calf behind a gate. That way the cow can touch the calf and get use to it but not kick it.

 

[tnwalkingred]

Kenny,

I could put the cow in the sweep and the calf in the working pen after she nurses if need be. That way they can touch but she can't kick.

Kyle

 

[kenny thomas]

That would be ok. I just do that in case the cow wants to kick the calf if it tries to suck when you are not there. Aftera couple days I turn them together. I also use a product called O-NO-MO. Seems to work real well. Since I started that I have never had one not take the calf.

 

[tnwalkingred]

Kenny,

I watched the cow kick at and head butt the calf a few times tonight so I went ahead and gave the calf her bottle and separated them with a cut gate in the trailer. I'll do the chute process starting tomorrow morning and then pen them next to each other where they can smell and touch noses but not hurt each other. I called the co op and they don't sell the o no mo. Looks like I will have to order it online.

Kyle

 

[branguscowgirl]

Kyle there have been several "home made" type scents mentioned here to use. I just don't remember what they are. Maybe someone else knows.
I don't blame you for not wanting to skin a dead calf. I couldn't do it either, but I have friends that do it all the time. I does work.
However, if the calf had a disease I wouldn't think that they would.
Good luck, I hope it works out for you!

 

[dun]

I've tried the various sprays and powders to no avail. What has worked the ebst for me us just sprinkling some grain on the calf while it's laying around. Dump some next to it in a pile big enough to catch the cows attention then she'll find the rest of it on the calf and lick it.

 

[Koffi Babone]

This is probably a wild idea and I don't know if it will work...

Is there any relatively fresh afterbirth left from the cow? If so, you can try rubbing it on the calf and see if that helps.

Keep us posted and good luck.

 

[bmoore87]

Things that I've found

1. Skin calf (works best)
2. Rub after birth on and put on calf
3. Spray Cologne on calf and cows nose
4. Recently tried milking cow and rubbing on calf and that worked pretty good to

 

[cowgirl8]

I usually graft several calves a year to cows who lost a calf. The only thing i've found, if the cow says its not hers, is hobbles. SInce your calf is 'bottle calf status' it will go after anything that 'wont' kick it. Put the cow in a chute, put on hobbles, put calf up to her and let it nurse her down. Put them in a small pen and feed the cow a couple times a day out of a bucket. If the calf doesnt go after her himself while she's distracted with her head in the bucket, feed him a partial bottle to get him excited and then point him in the direction of the udder...they will usually go after it with gusto once you tease it with a bottle. Since the calf has been on a bottle, if that cow cant kick and is distracted by feed in a bucket, he will work that udder over. If you allow the cow to abuse the calf, its really hard to get it brave enough to continue to try or, he will get hurt..

 

[branguscowgirl]

My girlfriend even rubs some of the cows urine on the calf. I guess it is all about getting the cows scent on the graft calf.
I think that you all have come up with some really good advice.

 

[cowgirl8]

Things that I've found

1. Skin calf (works best)
2. Rub after birth on and put on calf
3. Spray Cologne on calf and cows nose
4. Recently tried milking cow and rubbing on calf and that worked pretty good to

Over the years i've been told 10xs this many quick cures to get the cow to take a calf. It may work on a cow who is tame, but on a ranch cow it doesnt work. The latest one a cowboy told me that if i dusted the calves head with powdered milk the cow would take it...lol....Not sure how tame your cow is, if she is maybe these would work. But if your cow is a herd cow, never been haltered, never brushed and we have a bunch thats never seen a feed bucket or feed. I've worked with the most difficult girls who i thought they wouldnt take, eventually do if hobbled. I did have one who just totally refused and either she was going to die or the calf was going to die. She went to the sale because she wanted me to die..
I had one this year that we thought we had them matched up. But, the heifer we grafted the calf to had been without a calf for 2 weeks. She hadnt totally dried up so we gave it a shot because the heifer was very gentle. In the corral she did fine as long as she had her head in a feed bucket, but after we put them in the pasture she refused to let it nurse. I think it was all a matter of waiting too long. So, i'm stuck with a bottle calf named Squirt, although no longer on a bottle.

 

[bmoore87]

I use those things on herd cows all the time yes for some of them you do have to run them up to the corral. Hobbling does work but I usually try the others first since hobbling can take longer before the cow stops fighting the calf.

 

[tnwalkingred]

All,

Just thought I would give you an update. I did the chute method for 3 days and the cow has accepted the calf! They are doing well and I've been saved a bag of milk replaced. Now to decide when to introduce them back into the herd?

Kyle

 

[branguscowgirl]

:clap: wonderful news!!
Don't put them back into the herd unless she is now fretting over where the calf is if you are in the pen and such. You don't want her to walk off and leave it. The calf also has to be clear that is momma.

 

[Andyva]

Skinning a dead calf is not for the squeamish but it is better than skinning a live one. As far as what to put on a calf to get the cow to take it, the skin is number one. My next choice would be the afterbirth. My third choice would be to rub some of the cows colostrum on the calf. You have to pen them up for best results. Anything to get her licking the calf, head and rump mainly. If her milk ever gets a chance to run all the way through, and she licks it off the back end, you have it made. If you run into a bad one, it will not matter what you do, she will dry herself off, and try to kill the calf every chance she gets. Those need to be culled. Some of them it won't matter what you do, they will take the calf. Those are good ones to keep heifers out of. Just make sure they aren't calf stealers, those generally need to take a ride, too.