Odd dilema

[Medic24]

Last update, found the calf in the barn dead this morning. Mom was upset for about 5 mins when i was dragging her out, then went back to eating. No big deal for her, No big deal for me. B*tch is growing wheels next sale

I cut the calf apart a bit just to see how much fat it had.....almost none.

To the last hour it would hardly touch grain ...ate the heck out of hay...but not good enuff I suppose. and mom must have been giving less milk then it seemed.

In retrospect I should have went with my gut feeling and put it in a hutch and force fed it. Another lesson.

 

[1848]

Sounds like the calf may have had some intestinal problem all along. Perhaps the grain made it worse. Could be the reason it was not gaining in the first place. If mom rebred on time I would give her a shot at another calf. Sounds like she was doing her job "for the most part". Some cows just aren't going to be great mothers, but if they get the calf on the ground, stay in production, and get it to weaning, that can be good enough.

 

[Crowderfarms]

Just my 2 cents worth, mix some Calf Manna in the momma cows feed, it won't hurt at all to give the calf some too. We had a similiar problem, few years back,and the Calf Manna seemed to increse milk production,Our problem was with a first calf heifer.Also, feed some good quality hay. Good luck!

 

[Farmhand]

Sorry about your calf. I know no one else agreed with me about starting with milk replacer but we have also learned this lesson the hard way. Calves do not eat grain as soon as they are born. The vet has said to treat this kind of situation as a newborn. His belly is not up to grain yet. Use the milk replacer to get his belly going. Hand feed All Stock - SMALL amounts and GRADUALLY increase. Keep hay in front of cow and calf - he will imitate momma and start eating that sooner then you think. Leave calf with momma - as his belly improves he will try to nurse momma which in turn will increase her milk production. If conditions were as bad as you say I would give momma another chance. Some good ole TLC makes major difference. May find she is a great cow if given the right feed and care. If happens second time - ship her.

 

[Medic24]

One bright spot out of the situation is, that I will use it as coyote bait, along with the one that they did get..............starting to hurt my pocket book.