Never seen calf suck ever????

[hicky214]

I am a newbie but I have this one heifer calf that I have never ever ever seen suck. She is roughly 6 weeks old and her momma is my favorite cow by far but..... I just wanna see the calf suck. The calf is healthy and look good. I go out in the mornings and evenings to feed and visit and my dad goes middle of the day. Neither of us have seen her suck. This cow the momma always is the first to run to us when she hears the tractor or to get a little grain. She also enjoys a good scratching and rubbing. I sat out there for hours this evening just watching. Well she never sucked, the calf ate hay played etc. Momma seems to care less about the calf. At first she was protective etc but not now she is more interesting in us and what we have to feed her. Her bag looks ok she has never been a heavy bagged cow. My question is I guess this calf has to be sucking or she would be dead and not so healthy right? And is it possible that once momma sees us she just goes into food mode and its just not happening in front of us is my guess. It seems all my bull calfs are a lot more aggressive suckers than heifer calves. Thanks again

 

[M5farm]

Watch for them to be loafing around sundown. And when they get up on there own the calves will get a quick suck. Some calves snack several times a day.

 

[cowgirl8]

It has to be nursing to some degree. The way i tell if a calf is nursing enough is you will see that calf sleeping. If you only see it standing, following its mother around as she grazes, there's a problem. If you come up on the cow and calf and the calf moos, its hungry. But, by 6 weeks if there were a problem the calf would show it.

 

[snake67]

It has to be nursing to some degree. The way i tell if a calf is nursing enough is you will see that calf sleeping. If you only see it standing, following its mother around as she grazes, there's a problem. If you come up on the cow and calf and the calf moos, its hungry. But, by 6 weeks if there were a problem the calf would show it.

In fact it would be dead if it was not sucking - so it is sucking - time to relax and enjoy the evening

Bez

 

[hicky214]

Thanks guys i really appreciate it.

Matt

 

[Backbone Ranch]

The calf is nursing if she is 6 weeks old. She wouldn't be alive if she wasn't. We have one heifer who only nurses at night. I don't know why, but the only times I have seen her suck in the last 4 months are between 6 pm and 5 am.

 

[Deepsouth]

The momma is just shy.

 

[Alan]

Look at mamma's teats, a clean teat is a nursed teat. Also as others have said, if the calf wasn't nursing after 6 weeks it would be dead.

 

[hicky214]

Thanks every one

 

[Rafter S]

As everyone else has said, if the calf looks healthy I'm sure it's nursing okay. If you just have your heart set on seeing it nurse, pen it up by itself overnight. I'll bet you won't need to watch for very long when you turn it back out with it's mama.

 

[WalnutCrest]

Sometimes, you'll also see white foam around the calf's mouth ... a sure sign.