So, one of my late calvers came up missing last Saturday and I searched morning, noon & night. But this would be her 3rd calf, she knows the drill. Sure enough, found her Sunday morning with the herd and a TINY heifer. My first thought was twins, and the other didn't make it. My 2nd thought was this calf has not nursed; sunken in and already nibbling on grass. Made a bottle of colostrum supplement (didn't have replacer) and she sucked it down. Quick trip to Tractor Supply for replacer and milk replacer. Got her latched on a couple times but she wasn't having it plus, Fizzy's teats were totally engorged. Looked for a twin & couldn't find one or any evidence of one. We developed a routine where Fizzy and little Seltzer would be waiting for me with a bottle a couple times a day, then go through the routine of getting Seltzer latched on. Generally a fail. Needed to get her in the chute! Three teats looked fine and there was milk but one was questionable.
Fast forward to Thursday morning. Checking cattle and found a calf with no tag. Wait, what? So, she did have twins. And this poor bull calf was sunken in and looking pretty droopy. Got him to the barn and hit him with electrolytes, Nursemate ASAP, Optimizer gel, replacer. Temp was 104.3 so gave him Resflor Gold, Vitamin B Complex and Pro Bios. Huge difference within a few hours and was cautiously optimistic. And now I had 2 bottle calves. Named him Tonic and he continued to improve.
Woohoo, Friday I was finally able to get Fizzy in the chute in the central pasture! Thought about bringing her down to the barn in an attempt to reunite her with Tonic but I couldn't find Seltzer and Mr TC reminded me what happened the last two times I tried that: Satan literally tried to kill her rejected twin by throwing her against the wall of the barn and Peanut would mother up but kick the ever lovin' snot out of her rejected twin if he tried to nurse. He had a point. Treated 1 bad teat for mastitis and stripped the others, all good, let her out. Went back out later that evening to give Seltzer her bottle and see if she'd finally stay latched on but was sidetracked by a cow raising holy hell on the north ridge. Who lost their calf and why was it way up there? Drove over and noooooooooo. It was Fizzy. Looking for her "rejected" calf about 20 yards from where I ganked him.
Now what do I do? I had in IN THE CORRAL and let her out. Catching her again would be slim-to-none and the herd had already started moving south, further & further away from the central corral & one at the barn. Contemplated my plan of action most of the night & yesterday. Condensed version: even though Mr TC is still in the wheelchair & not supposed to be driving, he can get in the Polaris and drive using his left foot. Sometimes you do what you gotta do. Drove out to the herd and I snatched up Seltzer, jumped in the back of the Polaris with her in my lap. Would Fizzy follow .75 mile? You betcha, like a hound dog! And a happy family reunion, right before the storms hit last night. Seltzer STILL won't stay latched on, but Tonic will after I initially start him with a bottle. Fizzy isn't particularly happy about being in prison but too bad. They're staying until both calves are nursing and I'm satisfied she can/will raise both.
I HATE twins!!!!
Fast forward to Thursday morning. Checking cattle and found a calf with no tag. Wait, what? So, she did have twins. And this poor bull calf was sunken in and looking pretty droopy. Got him to the barn and hit him with electrolytes, Nursemate ASAP, Optimizer gel, replacer. Temp was 104.3 so gave him Resflor Gold, Vitamin B Complex and Pro Bios. Huge difference within a few hours and was cautiously optimistic. And now I had 2 bottle calves. Named him Tonic and he continued to improve.
Woohoo, Friday I was finally able to get Fizzy in the chute in the central pasture! Thought about bringing her down to the barn in an attempt to reunite her with Tonic but I couldn't find Seltzer and Mr TC reminded me what happened the last two times I tried that: Satan literally tried to kill her rejected twin by throwing her against the wall of the barn and Peanut would mother up but kick the ever lovin' snot out of her rejected twin if he tried to nurse. He had a point. Treated 1 bad teat for mastitis and stripped the others, all good, let her out. Went back out later that evening to give Seltzer her bottle and see if she'd finally stay latched on but was sidetracked by a cow raising holy hell on the north ridge. Who lost their calf and why was it way up there? Drove over and noooooooooo. It was Fizzy. Looking for her "rejected" calf about 20 yards from where I ganked him.
Now what do I do? I had in IN THE CORRAL and let her out. Catching her again would be slim-to-none and the herd had already started moving south, further & further away from the central corral & one at the barn. Contemplated my plan of action most of the night & yesterday. Condensed version: even though Mr TC is still in the wheelchair & not supposed to be driving, he can get in the Polaris and drive using his left foot. Sometimes you do what you gotta do. Drove out to the herd and I snatched up Seltzer, jumped in the back of the Polaris with her in my lap. Would Fizzy follow .75 mile? You betcha, like a hound dog! And a happy family reunion, right before the storms hit last night. Seltzer STILL won't stay latched on, but Tonic will after I initially start him with a bottle. Fizzy isn't particularly happy about being in prison but too bad. They're staying until both calves are nursing and I'm satisfied she can/will raise both.
I HATE twins!!!!
