nocturnal calves?

[Kelly]

I have the strangest calves. I bought these 2 Angus/Holstein calves from a dairy farmer. They were raised in a dark barn with very little lighting for the first week or two of their lives. They are now about 12 weeks old. They were bottle babies and seem to have gotten skittish since they were weaned. I have them set up in a shelter with a couple of doors ( which lets in some sun facing south) They will not come out at all during the day - I have to make them go out and they just run back in! I do see them come out when the sun is setting in the evening. I have tried to move their hay out so they will go out and eat grass but they stay in and just eat their grain instead. I think they are out quite a bit at night but I don't know for sure. Is this healthy? Should I just take down a side I have made with canvas to get them more used to the daylight? I have had lots of calves but not like these two hermits! I really would like to put them with the rest of my herd but I know they would be bullied and it is too far away from the grain they need. Has anybody had nocturnal calves before? Any great ideas? I would think they would be healthier outside in the sunshine and eating grass.

 

[A. delaGarza]

put them a pair of sunglasses :lol: :lol: :lol:

just joking, you need to get those calves used to the sunlight, your idea of the canvas is good

 

[dun]

We once had a calf that was born during a month of solid rain, no sun at all. When the sun came out he would hide under a tree until it set. His mother would call him and try to get him out in the open. It took about a month for him to come out. It was other calves wandering around in the sun before he got over his fear og that big round red thing in the sky. If you can get another calf or two that has been raised normally, after they've grouped up they will adjust.

dun

I have the strangest calves. I bought these 2 Angus/Holstein calves from a dairy farmer. They were raised in a dark barn with very little lighting for the first week or two of their lives. They are now about 12 weeks old. They were bottle babies and seem to have gotten skittish since they were weaned. I have them set up in a shelter with a couple of doors ( which lets in some sun facing south) They will not come out at all during the day - I have to make them go out and they just run back in! I do see them come out when the sun is setting in the evening. I have tried to move their hay out so they will go out and eat grass but they stay in and just eat their grain instead. I think they are out quite a bit at night but I don't know for sure. Is this healthy? Should I just take down a side I have made with canvas to get them more used to the daylight? I have had lots of calves but not like these two hermits! I really would like to put them with the rest of my herd but I know they would be bullied and it is too far away from the grain they need. Has anybody had nocturnal calves before? Any great ideas? I would think they would be healthier outside in the sunshine and eating grass.

 

[Tman]

This reminds me of a string a while back where there was concern over the dairy cows being chained in a barn. Sounds like if they are conditioned to it they prefer it. :shock: