We have a 14 year old cow that calved. Cow doesn't have much milk. We originally thought it would be better to leave it with the cow, but now we are having second thoughts. You can see every rib and his back bone. He is still has energy. Any advice? How hard will it be to get the calf to take a bottle?
Taking a 3 week calf from the cow
- Thread starter ffamom
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M5farm
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What kind of shape is the Cow in? She she is run down you might get a little more milk production by supplementing her feed and give the calf a couple bottles a day. He shouldn't be to hard to get started on bottle.
M5farm
Well-known member
I would pull the calf give him calf starter and bottles/ or bucket train him. Ship the cow if she is in good shape. This is advice is what I would do of course.ffamom":3gjvsdgv said:
snake67
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ffamom":1ni538du said:
How many cows you running out there? Is it a problem to walk out into the herd?
14 years old? Still young - too bad she is not producing milk.
We leave any bottle feeders right in the herd and walk out to feed them there. Mind you we are not running 400 head anymore. Too old and getting crippled up - time to slow down a bit.
Your cow will only bring 50 cents or so a pound, so let her help you - supplement the calf as required and toss both at the end of the year
Up to you - less money I put into a calf the happier I am.
Less time I put into them the happier I am.
The less effort I have to pen them the happier I am.
Calf is happier too.
More you feed from the store the less you make.
So now you have two totally opposite ways to do it. LOL
It is all about the cash - more in your pocket and less in the animal - better for you.
Cheers
Bez
14 years old? Still young - too bad she is not producing milk.
We leave any bottle feeders right in the herd and walk out to feed them there. Mind you we are not running 400 head anymore. Too old and getting crippled up - time to slow down a bit.
Your cow will only bring 50 cents or so a pound, so let her help you - supplement the calf as required and toss both at the end of the year
Up to you - less money I put into a calf the happier I am.
Bez[/quote]
Bez... good advice right there. letting the cow help out, and feeding the calf too. I got the same situation with an old cow of mine. Easier to keep her and let her keep calving, than to take her to the sale and get only 3 or 400 dollars for her. She keeps producing a calf each year, so what the heck?
We leave any bottle feeders right in the herd and walk out to feed them there. Mind you we are not running 400 head anymore. Too old and getting crippled up - time to slow down a bit.
Your cow will only bring 50 cents or so a pound, so let her help you - supplement the calf as required and toss both at the end of the year
Up to you - less money I put into a calf the happier I am.
Bez[/quote]
Bez... good advice right there. letting the cow help out, and feeding the calf too. I got the same situation with an old cow of mine. Easier to keep her and let her keep calving, than to take her to the sale and get only 3 or 400 dollars for her. She keeps producing a calf each year, so what the heck?
