Think she will make milk?

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I cant believe I've done this.
Bessie came up this evening and I fed like normal. Got lil Rover from the calf pen and carried him to the big pen. Straight to mama!
Nursed and got his fill. Let mama out. Went and made a tag. Tagged lil Rover. BM-3
So she has BM-2, BM-1 and now BM-3.
Anyway.... hes gained some energy and I chased him round a bit and tagged him. Next thing I know, Bessie is back from plum across the pasture. She wants to know what the heck I'm doing to HER calf.

Now I'm new to this but shes already sniffed and licked on him. I'm kinda bewildered actually. She just seems like shes the best momma in the world.

I thought do you really want me to let him out with you??
Well do you?
Her eyes just kept telling me yes, I've got this, let him out!

Told myself no way, it's too soon. Are u crazy? Shes only known this calf for 2 nursings. What the heck is wrong with you?
This is a trainwreck looking for a place to happen. Your gonna have to catch that lil fart in a day or two. Don't do it!

I opened the gate anyway.....
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Some are just the best nurse cows and will take most anything..... Had an old guernsey that would have 4-5 following her all around.... they seemed to nurse in shifts.... she would mother - lick - talk to any and all babies you gave her.
My jer/hol that has taken a bull calf off the heifer that prolapsed and then died.... just had 3 taken off her and sold. I was going to give her a break.... and then this calf situation happened, and so I stuck it in a pen with her, some grain, and it went on her and in 2 days she is talking to it and has claimed it.... and she had no calves on her for over 36 hours.... sold the 3 on early Fri morning, she got this calf on Sat eve.... I am ready to put her in a small pasture for a day or 2 to make sure he stays with her, then she will go up to the bigger pasture with him. She is a sweet heart. A cow like yours and mine are worth their weight in gold.
 
Thanks for the reassurance @farmerjan !

They are on a pretty small patch right now. Figure I'll keep a close eye on em.

She keeps this up, and I'll sell anything that screws up! Lol
No more 3 weeks to graft a calf to an ungrateful nag of a cow for me!

Hehe, only have a few second calvers that are running a bit late. Dont expect any trouble, just late...
 
One of my 10 year old cows will lick any calf that asks for it.. No.. that's not hers... guy in the foreground was next in line.. no, not hers either. She adopted her orphan brother a few years ago with little trouble and raised 2 calves quite nicely.. Keeping the nuts on her bull calf this year, see how that works1616740350607.png
 
That went over like a lead balloon.
Got mama up for feed this evening, and carried poor lost lil Thing #3 across the pasture to the pen.
Mama will let anyone nurse, but Thing #3 didnt have a clue to stay with mama.

Shes penned with him. Thing #1 and Thing #2 are bedded down outside the pen.

I figure when I feed her in the morning, they will run in the pen for mama while shes preoccupied with feed.

I'll leave em all penned a few day this time.
😁
 
If he had eaten, he might not have wanted to come to the pen and she felt okay leaving him if she has claimed him... but it does depend on the size of the pen/lot. She might have been willing to claim him, but he probably doesn't realize who momma is yet. Think of how long you kept her penned with the other 2.
 
If he had eaten, he might not have wanted to come to the pen and she felt okay leaving him if she has claimed him... but it does depend on the size of the pen/lot. She might have been willing to claim him, but he probably doesn't realize who momma is yet. Think of how long you kept her penned with the other 2.
Yeah. I knew it was too good to be true!
He just hasn't bonded with mama yet.

I got em all caught now tho!
They were ready to eat. I gave mama a scoop of feed to keep her from getting out and calves came right in!
Here we go....
Thing 1, Thing 2, and Thing 3!
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You hit a homerun on her that's for sure.... and she got a wonderful home too!!!! Congrats.
Hey thanks!!
I'm pretty happy with the lil gal for sure. Not quite sure if shes gonna have enough milk for 3 tho. I understand Thing 3 is tugging on her pretty hard after being without milk for a bit, but we will see how her bag looks over the next few days I guess.
I guess as long as they seem healthy and energetic huh?

She ain't leaked a drop since putting that 3rd calf on her! 😆
 
I'll let e1 know how they do come sale time.
I dont know if I wanna try a 2nd set on her or not this time. I want some condition on her going into winter. And i think after previous owner, she deserves some down time. .
 
I'll let e1 know how they do come sale time.
I dont know if I wanna try a 2nd set on her or not this time. I want some condition on her going into winter. And i think after previous owner, she deserves some down time. .
Agree.... I am going to give my nurse cow some down time after she raises this single bull calf from the prolapsed heifer that died; after weaning off and selling the other 3 she already raised. She is being so good about it... I palpated her and think she is short bred... could be up to 3 months... I did not feel a big calf in her as the bull was in there for awhile after the spring group calved, then out and then back in the first of the year. I hope she is only short bred. Regardless, if she is open, the pasture she will be going back to, the bull will be going back in in late June, so she will have a chance to get bred then if she is not now. She has been a sweetheart and deserves a rest.... the calf will come off in early fall... but she will be getting fed a little bit better since we have moved some out of that pasture and there will be more grazing this year... and I will be feeding her a little grain along for a few months and the calves in there now are coming in for some creep grain so hopefully this little one will start coming in too once he gets it all figured out.
 

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