Rejected Twin Bottle Calf

[andernathan]

Evening,
I had two twin heifers born about 3 weeks ago and the mother rejected one. She was able to sneak her colostrum the first couple days but mom got pretty aggressive and I've been bottle feeding since.
I've bottle fed calves who were orphans several times but I am curious if I can put this calf back in the pasture with the herd before she's weaned. I let other cows/calves in with her when I can but she's not getting her excersize. If I put her back out, am I just asking for trouble trying to get her to come feed?
Just 30 head on about 35 acres.

Thank y'all for all the good info on this forum.
Nathan

 

[Ky hills]

Evening,
I had two twin heifers born about 3 weeks ago and the mother rejected one. She was able to sneak her colostrum the first couple days but mom got pretty aggressive and I've been bottle feeding since.
I've bottle fed calves who were orphans several times but I am curious if I can put this calf back in the pasture with the herd before she's weaned. I let other cows/calves in with her when I can but she's not getting her excersize. If I put her back out, am I just asking for trouble trying to get her to come feed?
Just 30 head on about 35 acres.

Thank y'all for all the good info on this forum.
Nathan

If it were me, I wouldn't put her out with the cows and calves, because the calf will need feed and the cows would make it extremely difficult if not impossible to supplemental feed the calf. Maybe if you have a creep feeder, that cows can't get in, it may work if the calf figures out to go in and eat.
We usually end up with a bottle calf and have been keeping them up until we wean some of similar size and age so that the calf can fend for itself.

 

[andernathan]

Thank you. I've got her going on starter but hadn't considered that. I figured the bottle would work but, you're right, eating feed doesn't happen in one sitting like a bottle. She needs access to it throughout the day. May just try to make some more "play time" with some other calves or get the creep feeder out
Appreciate it.

 

[Nesikep]

Do you still have more cows to calf out?
If you do, have the new momma with her calf and this orphan, she might get lucky... well.. she might have to learn what teats are and that might take a chute.. all depends on the temperament of your cows

 

[True Grit Farms]

Take it to the sale 2 1/2 weeks ago. Bottle feeding one calf is the most time consuming and loosing propositions in the cattle business.

 

[TCRanch]

Grit is right. And yet my rejected bottle twin just raised the largest steer of our Spring calf crop; this is her 4th. I kept her at the barn with another orphan until they were weaned, mainly because her mama tried to kill her. Subsequent orphans (not twins) have been allowed to join the herd after they learned I'm their primary source of food & I would feed them separately. Some have been aggressive enough to rob off other cows. Lack of socialization is a big drawback of keeping her separated. What are your plans for her? If you have no intention of retaining her I'd suggest selling her now.

 

[T & B farms]

Take it to the sale 2 1/2 weeks ago. Bottle feeding one calf is the most time consuming and loosing propositions in the cattle business.

I agree with this. I list them on Craigslist for 350$ and sell them every time. Seems I never have twins when I need a spare calf. Had my 7th set of the year yesterday.

 

[andernathan]

Isn't there a concern about having 2 calves on one cow though if I were to graft her onto a new mom?
I understand about taking the calf to sale but I drop her bottle in a holder and watch while I drink my morning coffee. I am retired and only have 35 head so, for me, I get pleasure out of watching her grow, have calves, her calves have calves etc. I see my girls from the front porch every morning.

 

[TCRanch]

Isn't there a concern about having 2 calves on one cow though if I were to graft her onto a new mom?
I understand about taking the calf to sale but I drop her bottle in a holder and watch while I drink my morning coffee. I am retired and only have 35 head so, for me, I get pleasure out of watching her grow, have calves, her calves have calves etc. I see my girls from the front porch every morning.

I wouldn't graft to a first calf heifer but otherwise no, as long as she's a good producer & receptive to the calf. But I also wouldn't spend a lot of time & energy trying to graft if you're okay with giving her a bottle, getting her started on feed (you can sprinkle dry replacer on the feed to get her interested). If you end up retaining her, she'll always be your bottle baby! :heart:

 

[andernathan]

Thank you, TCRanch. I have a veteran with a big ol' bag who just had a calf yesterday. May see what I can do. I hadn't tried dry replacer on the feed but I'm just about to. Appreciate it!

 

[True Grit Farms]

Isn't there a concern about having 2 calves on one cow though if I were to graft her onto a new mom?
I understand about taking the calf to sale but I drop her bottle in a holder and watch while I drink my morning coffee. I am retired and only have 35 head so, for me, I get pleasure out of watching her grow, have calves, her calves have calves etc. I see my girls from the front porch every morning.

I enjoy bottle feeding a calf and how it comes running when it sees you. We always put ours with the herd ASAP. They learn to steal milk from their buddies mom in short order.

 

[TCRanch]

Isn't there a concern about having 2 calves on one cow though if I were to graft her onto a new mom?
I understand about taking the calf to sale but I drop her bottle in a holder and watch while I drink my morning coffee. I am retired and only have 35 head so, for me, I get pleasure out of watching her grow, have calves, her calves have calves etc. I see my girls from the front porch every morning.

I enjoy bottle feeding a calf and how it comes running when it sees you. We always put ours with the herd ASAP. They learn to steal milk from their buddies mom in short order.

No matter how old they get, they always come running when they see you! This was 4 years ago but she still occasionally gets a "treat".

 

[andernathan]

LOL. Thanks all!
I love the picture of the cow nursing and being nursed on

 

[TCRanch]

LOL. Thanks all!
I love the picture of the cow nursing and being nursed on

In one end and out another! That's actually my aforementioned rejected twin/bottle calf. Prolapsed in the middle of the night as a first calf heifer but my vet's a rock star, here in record time, and she bred back immediately, raises enormous calves. Would it kill her to give me a heifer?!?