Nine days in on a dumb sucker

[Bigfoot]

I've tried it all, if you've got a trick, I hope it's a good one.

 

[Nesikep]

He sounds like a special kind of stupid! Sorry I don't have any tricks that you haven't probably tried

 

[Bigfoot]

I was hoping somebody knew the majic touch. I guess not. The crazy thing will kind of suck your finger. I tried to lower his head in a bucket, while sucking. Tow sips, and he's done. Same for every nipple I've tried: calf, sheep, horse. Tried molasses, tried it all. My dad swears he kept one alive 6 weeks one time, and it started eating grain. Sale here, the next two days in a row, but I wouldn't dream of doing that to somebody.

 

[Supa Dexta]

Is he with the cow all day? Separate them for the day and then get him along side to suck, get him right in there and squirt it from the teat to his mouth. Do it a few times, may just have to squirt it on his mouth and nose at first and stick your finger in and rub the top of his mouth, don't pry its mouth open as it just wants to back off then. Squirt it in while you've got your finger in if you can, until you can swap finger for teat

If it won't catch on being hungry and squirted right in its mouth to start on its own - its too dumb to live. I've had them need help for the better part of a week, but it was because they were too weak, or their legs were too messed up, but they caught onto the sucking part after a few days if you could hold them in place. I don't have time to deal with it beyond that and they're on their own.

They seem to become lazy if they know food will show up and get poured in their mouth, rather than have to stand there and suck for it. That and they may just be losing the instinct to figure out sucking, when its provided.

I use an old lawn chair, or upside down bucket to set on while I work em, as long as the cow is quiet. You get frustrated faster trying to hold yourself and a dumb calf up, but if you can sit and work at it, it goes easier. But I did also get kicked in the teeth last week )lightly) dealing with a dumb sucker too. I was only kneeling next to her though.

 

[Bigfoot]

There separated. She is long on her way drying up. It's been a crazy year here. Good weather, and bad luck.

 

[Supa Dexta]

So you're just feeding it replacer?

 

[Bigfoot]

So you're just feeding it replacer?

Yes. Just replacer.

 

[Bigfoot]

Tomorrow makes two full weeks. I'm just giving myself a bump here. Although, I'm sure if it was ever going to start sucking, it would have by now. I do try before every feeding. Craziest thing is, it will suck your finger.

 

[branguscowgirl]

Sure doesn't sound like much hope BF.
I am assuming it is taking the bottle well now, right?

 

[M-5]

If it will suck your finger , its a texture issue. He should suck the cow . 2 weeks is long enough and should be strong enough to go a few feedings without.

 

[Bigfoot]

If it will suck your finger , its a texture issue. He should suck the cow . 2 weeks is long enough and should be strong enough to go a few feedings without.

Cow dried up. I thought about the texture issue. I've tried every nipple I can lay my hands on.

 

[tom4018]

If it will suck your finger , its a texture issue. He should suck the cow . 2 weeks is long enough and should be strong enough to go a few feedings without.

Cow dried up. I thought about the texture issue. I've tried every nipple I can lay my hands on.

Are you tube feeding?

We had one I bought one time that I tube feed for over 2 weeks, really don't remember what got him to suck but we threw everything we had at this calf.

 

[M-5]

Bucket training. Get him hungry. Get him sucking on finger put your hand in bucket and continue to lower until he sucks in some milk.

 

[Bigfoot]

Yes, I'm tube feeding. I have tried to get him suck out of a bucket the way your talking, and he wouldn't. Have to say, I haven't tried that in a few days. I have thought about a bucket with a nipple, and just let him be in the stall with it, maybe skip a feeding and then put it in. Might be if he figured it out on his own would be better.

 

[Stocker Steve]

Our record is 13 days to get one started.

What seemed to really work - - was standing the dummy calf next to a started calf, who nursed the cow.

 

[Bigfoot]

Opinions please:
This thing seems as healthy as it could possibly be. A take quit a while twice a day (don't mind a bit) to try and get it to suck before I tube it. We have been sticking some feed in its mouth. I know it's early for that, but we've been doing it. It chews, and swallows the feed. Gave it most of a coffe cup full wallow go. Barely dropped any. Pretty sure it drinks water (hard to tell). I had convinced my self , it either couldn't swallow, or throat was sore from tubing is why it wasn't sucking. . What in the world would you do? It's too healthy to put down.

 

[M-5]

take away the water for a day. only offer milk in a bucket. and feed. at nearly 2 weeks old its got to be drinking water. limit its options its strong enough to make some decisions if its wants to survive. Its hard to do. Your not being cruel but you got to figure out if it drinking on its own. If that's 2 drastic for you put water in a bucket and mark the level with a sharpie. If its drinking you can tell. I had one doing same thing until I got it strong enough and took away everything. I even started kicking the mama out except for twice a day. the little basturd never sucked a bottle but figured out how to suck his mama and drink water out of the bucket.

 

[randiliana]

Let him go hungry for 12-24 hours

 

[kucala5]

We've had a dumb sucker or two but never more than 3 days. Our challenge this year was a heifer that we had to put in the shoot twice a day for 17 days (in snow and ice with hubs on crutches) to get her to take her boy. Diligence paid off, she loves her him now and hoping for the best in '16. :cboy:

 

[angus9259]

Let him go hungry for 12-24 hours

This is the trick. A hungry calf is much more apt to participate. I suggest feeding once a day - if hot tube with water or electrolyte at the 12 hr mark.