Stunted heifer

[kjonesel]

I went out on a limb yesterday and purchased a stunted 13 month Fullblood Gelbvieh heifer. She was born December 16'th 2013 her dam died 7 weeks later. The calf survived running with the heard possibly nursing on the other cows when she could. We had a cold winter and a late spring so she received no breaks. I bought her with a group of 3 other yearling fullbloods and there is no comparison in size and I would estimate her weight at 325#. I put her in with a 2 month old calf that lost his mother 2 weeks ago.
My question would be what experience has anyone else with raising a heifer into a productive cow after a start like this.

 

[Red Bull Breeder]

Just get her back on track and growing. I will take her longer but she will get there.

 

[kjonesel]

She has already taken up with the fact that she can have feed free choice. Probably is thinking life's not bad.

 

[hillsdown]

Would love to see a pic?

 

[Taurus]

Just separate her from the herd when you're putting a bull on other heifers and put her on right diet. She will have to missed an entire year of breeding season. Hopefully she'll have a calf by time she is a 3 years old. I too had a stunted heifer 12 years ago and she had her first calf when she is 3 years old. Had to separate her from the herd so she had all hay and grass she wants so she could grow up some. I still have her in the herd.

 

[MO_cows]

Another vote for a pic.

We had one with the same life story as yours, except we got her at weaning age, and she turned out all right. We fed her well from when we got her until she shipped out to a friend's farm to get AI'd. She was always smaller than the rest but her calves weren't.

 

[Taurus]

Another vote for a pic.

We had one with the same life story as yours, except we got her at weaning age, and she turned out all right. We fed her well from when we got her until she shipped out to a friend's farm to get AI'd. She was always smaller than the rest but her calves weren't.

Ditto to the last statement! Just because they are runts, doesn't mean they throws tiny calves or runts.

 

[Bigfoot]

I'm always the opposite. I'd probably sell her.

 

[hillsdown]

I'm always the opposite. I'd probably sell her.

They did too that is why kjonesel was able to buy her. ;-) :lol:

 

[kjonesel]

I have it with another 8 week old calf whose mother died at 6 weeks. I will take a picture in the next few days and get it posted. I talked to the vet today and went over the events with the 8 year cow dying and we came to the conclusion that she had an aneurysm. You hate to lose them but they are like people and sometimes they just drop dead. I feel blessed that she got the calf to 6 weeks.