marksmu
Well-known member
We lost our first cow yesterday...she got her head caught in a land plane and we were not able to free her before she died....she was nursing a 3 week old heifer calf. The calf is about 150lbs or so now. We caught the calf and I trailed her back to the house....I dont live on the ranch, and cant be there to feed her daily...I have a small catch at my office where I am currently feeding out 2 steers...I brought the calf here, and I tried to give her milk replacer....no dice. She wont touch the stuff, and will not stay calm enough for me to try to just let her give it a try. I tried feeding her in the trailer as well without me being in there with her...she would sniff the bottle, but would not drink...I drizzled some on her nose and all over the nipple, but she wont drink. I tackled her and held her down and shoved the nipple in her mouth, but that panicked her too much to drink...She is now out of the trailer again in the small round pen with the two steers.
She has free choice hay, and I am currently feeding a dry mix to the steers that consists of corn/alfalfa pellets and oats...I am contemplating going to get a 20' chainlink dog run that I can hold her in so that I can try to feed her again....
Anyone have any suggestions on how to handle this? I have a round pen, 2 extra panels, 2 trailers with dividers...and access to anything I need to buy.
Can she be weaned now, should I split her off from the other two during feeding time so she doesnt eat any grain? Should I try to tube her to get more milk in her? I am at a loss for things to do at this point...its the first time anything has gone majorly south on us...
Any suggestions are MORE than appreciated at this point...
She is drinking water, and she nibbled some hay and some alfalfa pellets this morning, but I am afraid that the grain is going to scour her quick.
She has free choice hay, and I am currently feeding a dry mix to the steers that consists of corn/alfalfa pellets and oats...I am contemplating going to get a 20' chainlink dog run that I can hold her in so that I can try to feed her again....
Anyone have any suggestions on how to handle this? I have a round pen, 2 extra panels, 2 trailers with dividers...and access to anything I need to buy.
Can she be weaned now, should I split her off from the other two during feeding time so she doesnt eat any grain? Should I try to tube her to get more milk in her? I am at a loss for things to do at this point...its the first time anything has gone majorly south on us...
Any suggestions are MORE than appreciated at this point...
She is drinking water, and she nibbled some hay and some alfalfa pellets this morning, but I am afraid that the grain is going to scour her quick.