Small Calf

[Anonymous]

I have a calf that is 7 months old and is still small. She was a twin and the mother did not claim her. The owners did not do a good job of taking care of her. They fed her once a day and that was it. She is smaller than my 4-5 month old calves. Should I keep feeding her milk from the bottle? I feel like she isn't growing anymore. What should I do?

 

[dun]

She may be so stunted that she won't catch up or she may make up most of the growth by the time she is a couple of years old. She doesn;t need milk. What she needs is high quality hay and 16% (minimum) calf grain. Worming probably would be a good idea also.

dun

I have a calf that is 7 months old and is still small. She was a twin and the mother did not claim her. The owners did not do a good job of taking care of her. They fed her once a day and that was it. She is smaller than my 4-5 month old calves. Should I keep feeding her milk from the bottle? I feel like she isn't growing anymore. What should I do?

 

[Ellie May]

I agree with Dun. She needs nutrients. She might be stunted we had a bull that way. Sometimes they grow out of it sometimes they don't.
Ellie May

 

[SPRINGER FARMS MURRAY GRE]

Probably would be better off culling the calf and having it grow wheels.

 

[D.R. Cattle]

I usually sell critters like that to local kids or hobby farms. They take a liking to midgets and make pets out of them.

 

[Ellie May]

Harsh, but yeah i'd sell her although it is a heifer?? I dunno.
Ellie May

 

[Anonymous]

What does culling the calf and growing wheels mean?

 

[WORANCH]

Both means to send them down the road.............

 

[Anonymous]

So are you telling me to kill it?

 

[WORANCH]

sell it or eat it .......

 

[dun]

My original response was based on the possible attachment for the calf and the lack of need to really turn a profit.
If you aren't attached to her, I have to concur that you need to eat her or ship her.

dun

 

[katmanjeff]

Dr. Fridgidaire

 

[Linda]

I have a calf that is 7 months old and is still small. She was a twin and the mother did not claim her. The owners did not do a good job of taking care of her. They fed her once a day and that was it. She is smaller than my 4-5 month old calves. Should I keep feeding her milk from the bottle? I feel like she isn't growing anymore. What should I do?

Was she a twin to a bull calf or a heifer calf? If she's a twin to a bull calf, she if probably infertile. That might help you make the decision as to whether to keep or sell her.

 

[Ellie May]

I'd sell it although if she is not sterile she might be good to breed but most twin heifers are sterile.
Ellie May

 

[dun]

Only if born twin to a bull. Twin heifers are fertile, just as in a single birth. A sterile heifer born twin to a bull is a freemartin.

dun

I'd sell it although if she is not sterile she might be good to breed but most twin heifers are sterile.
Ellie May