new calf

[crossbredcalves]

Had a calf born Friday morning. Black bull calf. He is out a black, Longhorn cross heifer and a red Saler bull. He weighed about 50 pounds. (No exact weight, I just know he wasn't that heavy when I picked him up.) She was a younger heifer, but she seems to be doing a good job.

I should only have 3 more calves out of the Saler bull. He was the one that my vet was letting me use, but I gave him back and bought a registered Black Angus bull.

Bull Calf Born 12/2/11 Saler X Longhorn Cross

 

[Gale Seddon]

Not quite sure how to say this without offending you (apologies if I do) but I hope you'll supplement that heifer because she appears to need it. I realize she's young, you may have drought conditions, and more, but she herself is still growing, she has produced a calf, and now she has to feed it. I think she's going to need some help.

 

[Anonymous]

Not busting your chops either but that girl and her calf are going to be in a world of hurt in 2-3 months if mom doesnt put some weight on. And at this stage thats hard to do.

 

[crossbredcalves]

I agree completely. I keep good hay out for them and have been for a while due to lack of grass. I keep range meal out for them. She was wormed this fall (October). Part of the problem is that she is a rangy, longhorn heifer. I have had her on good grass with creep feed and she has not gotten fat.

 

[Anonymous]

Youre gonna have to put more feed to her. Almost a finish ration just to stay ahead of her needs. And then early wean the calf Probably too

 

[Gale Seddon]

I'm not familiar with range meal. I bet you could ask for recommendations on the Health & Nutrition or Feedyard boards and get some answers from the experts.

I feed our nursing mothers 16% dairy pellets, along with 12% textured mixed stock feed (1# coffee can of each). I keep an eye on them and adjust (usually down, depending on time of year) until calves are weaned at about 6 months. If your heifer were in my pasture, I'd probably start her on that in the AM and again in the PM and bump it up gradually, with good quality free choice hay and loose minerals and plenty of water, of course. I'd bring her in for breakfast and dinner, with her calf, so other cows don't push her away from it. That might not be enough grain, I'm not sure, but my cows are small.

 

[Anonymous]

One coffee can holds about 4 lbs depending. So your small framers are getting 8 lbs a day give or take. The girl in the pic needs enough to be caught back up, grow, and lactate.
i dont know how many lbs a day but TB or 3way or HD can give the op a better idea than i can

 

[Gale Seddon]

Hook, I'm gonna have to weigh what's in the can. I know it's not 4#.

 

[HomePlaceAngus]

I agree with all the above. In the past I have had a couple cows that calved in poor condition and it is very, very hard to get them caught back up with a calf on them. You have to push the grain too them and it needs to be at least 16% protein. I would work her up quickly to about 3% of her body weight. Divide it and feed twice daily. That seems to work better in these cases. Yes, I would also consider weaning the calf early, though every time I have weaned early the calf ended up not doing too well. Wheather I would wean early would depend on if she is improving or not. Good Luck !!!!!

 

[Gale Seddon]

Hook, I'm gonna have to weigh what's in the can. I know it's not 4#.

The 1# coffee can filled to the top with the 12% grain is slightly less than 1#.
The same coffee can filled to the top with the 16% dairy pellets is 1.25#.

So our nursing mothers get approx. 2.25# of grain a day and that is adjusted, up or down (usually down) as long as the calf is with them.

Crossbredcalves, hope this is helpful to you and that you can get your pretty heifer on the road to where she needs to be.

 

[crossbredcalves]

I appreciate it guys. I like this heifer, and I do want her to be able to do her best.

 

[Anonymous]

Normal size large can holds 4.2 lbs whole corn and 2.8 lbs of a ground feed according to what i just weighed out

 

[Crazy Farmgirl]

Congrats on the calf. I had a similar situation with one of my heifers this year, she gave everything to the calf and post calving was thin, looked very close to yours. I ended up seperating her and the calf from the herd to a small pasture with a shelter. I started mom on 18% calf starter grain and worked her up to 3% of her bw split in two feedings a day and provided free choice 2nd cutting hay. The calf started nibbling the grain at about 2 weeks old (I believe this helped both of them!). I pushed grain and hay to them agressively but our winters here are brutal and I knew she'd never survive the cold in her condition. Not sure what your winters are like or if you have room to seperate them but if you can it may be worth it, you can monitor their intake and condition much closer and they won't have to contend with the herd. Good luck.

 

[KNERSIE]

I doubt that first calver will ever be a moneymaker.

 

[dun]

I doubt that first calver will ever be a moneymaker.

I have a hard time with the logic of supplementing a heifer if everyone else is performing on the same forage. Seems like she'll always be a bit weaker then the ones that just do their job without a fuss.

 

[Crazy Farmgirl]

I doubt that first calver will ever be a moneymaker.

I have a hard time with the logic of supplementing a heifer if everyone else is performing on the same forage. Seems like she'll always be a bit weaker then the ones that just do their job without a fuss.

I think that depends on the circumstances. In my case the heifer was bred very young (7 months) by my escapee bull. I gave her the benefit of the doubt and rehabed her. She is now rebred and still nursing the first and doing fine so we will see what happens this time. If she ends up thin again then she will more than likely go on down the road.

 

[angie1]

I think that depends on the circumstances. In my case the heifer was bred very young (7 months) by my escapee bull. I gave her the benefit of the doubt and rehabed her. She is now rebred and still nursing the first and doing fine so we will see what happens this time. If she ends up thin again then she will more than likely go on down the road.

It also depends on the health of the animal prior to breeding and throughout pregnancy. Not only is this heifer compromised because she was bred young (strike 1), she is compromised because at a pivotal point in her growth, she was malnourished, calf or no calf (strike 2), and now she is supporting a calf in her current condition (strike 3) regardless of how she got there. Many, if not most, heifers grow to potential with no grain at all ~ she has had grain and still struggles. I appreciate crossbredcalves intentions, but this heifer will not reach her full potential even given the best of circumstances. It is too little too late. She maybe will be a good momma and a good enough cow, but not a money maker. She has already had too much money put into her for how she has performed.

 

[HomePlaceAngus]

I agree dun, for those of us that are in a position where we can cull the ones that don't make the grade. With this one, I'm not sure they are in a position to ship her right now. I would have to baby her along and do the best with what I have to work with.

 

[Gale Seddon]

Thank you, HomePlaceAngus, I agree!

You know, I have Dexter calves born here that weigh more than 50#. I hope the OP takes the best care of that heifer that he can, so that she can take the best care of her calf that she can. It's possible that neither will amount to anything in the long run, but until that calf is weaned, I think they deserve a chance. That's just me!

 

[Isomade]

Y'all need to keep in mind that this cow is half LH. I have never owned one but there are a few around me and I have friends that cross them. As a first calf heifer they almost always look poor, even when their others are fat.