Twins having babies

[Awp0302]

I had twins born two years ago....both female....one red, one black. The black one was taken by mama, and the red one was rejected and bottle fed. Both are healthy two year old cows now. The black one had a calf last year, but we believe it was premature and it didn't survive. The red bottle twin just had her first calf, but had zero clue what to do with it. As soon as it dropped, she turned around and walked off toward the hay bale and never looked back. So now her calf is a bottle feed baby and doing excellent. The black twin is now expecting to have a calf within the next month. My question is this.....will my red twin ever know how to take care of her calves or will she always walk away? Trying to decide whether to leave her on the farm or sell her. Hoping this is just a first calf issue, and maybe getting her in the barn next time with her calf might help. (we tried the barn this time....but the crazy cow somehow played hodini and ended up back in the pasture with the herd over night. Thanks for any help!

 

[MurraysMutts]

Need a better pen. Preferably with a chute.
If she don't wanna be a mama, I've no use for em.
Can't tell ya what she would do next year, but she would get with the program this year or get gone! Not one more blade of grass for her.

 

[Dsth]

fortunately I don't have a lot of experience with this problem. it is not uncommon for first calf heifers to be a little slow to figure out what to do the first time. generally may not lick right away or not lick completely or numerous other things. once the calf sucks and they "bond" as I like to call it, the second calf is no problem. I have tried to keep a heifer or two that did not claim her first calf, but have yet had one claim the second. no more second chances on a heifer that does not claim her first.

 

[Redgully]

Get rid of both of them, your life will be so much easier.

 

[coachg]

With the current price for cows I'm sending my trouble to the sale barn . Might be something to consider.