I've done some searchs and could not find this item so I thought I would share. Two weeks ago I had a cow have a calf that was rather born dead or died shortly after.I saw the cow eating the afterbirth so I knew which one it was. Today I returned from work and that same cow had a calf standing next to her drinking. It was 17 days from first to second. Anyone else ever seen this.
twins
- Thread starter sambo
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vs_cattle
Well-known member
Never had it happend to me yet, are you sure it wasent another calf stealing some milk
randiliana
Well-known member
I have heard stories about this, but they are pretty rare, and I really don't know if I believe them or not. But, just cause you saw a cow eating the afterbirth, doesn't necessarily mean that it was the cow that calved. Sometimes other cows will eat afterbirth. Or it could have been another cow's calf stealing from this cow.
The longest time between calves that I know from actual experience is 5 days. Happened at the dairy a month or so ago. Cow calved and had a little tiny midgit calf that lived. % days later while the cows were on the patio waiting to go in the parlor, darned if she didn;t lay down and have a full size calf.
I asked the vet about the long interval between calves and his repsonse was that he's heard of it but never seen it and doesn;t know how reliable the sources were that made the claim.
I asked the vet about the long interval between calves and his repsonse was that he's heard of it but never seen it and doesn;t know how reliable the sources were that made the claim.
We had a set of twins born about 3 days apart last year. (Saw cow have both of them.) She looked after them both although it was about 1 week after the 2nd was born that she would let the two calves be together.
Definitely was a head scratcher.
Definitely was a head scratcher.
funky 4-Her
Well-known member
Maybe she had them at the same time and just kept this one hidden till now.
mnmtranching
Well-known member
funky 4-Her":3h8eshpm said:
There it is
I think your right on "funky" I had it happen last year and again this year :shock: Both times saw only one calf nursing at a time, then about after 2 weeks. Suddenly :shock: both calves are with the cow.
funky 4-Her
Well-known member
mnmtranching":y7o31jcs said:funky 4-Her":y7o31jcs said:
There it is
both calves are with the cow.
Were you trying to be sarcastic or did it just come of sounding like that unintentionally?
Putangitangi
Well-known member
Yes, an acquaintance with Angus cattle had one last year, one calf, quite small, then the second as far as I recall, almost three weeks later. She's reliable enough for me to believe it.
sambo":lncyuqwk said:
Question: This calf that was born 17 days later was there afterbirth with it also??? 17 days seems like a long time between the birth of twins but I guess its possible after reading some of the posts here. I had a cow have twins 2 yrs. in a row, the first set came at the same time- she raised them both. I felt really good, two calves from one cow The next yr. the first born twin had already been nursing for two days when the second was born and guess what, the darn cow accepted the second born and wouldn't let the first born nurse. To make a long story short, wound up losing both calves and selling the cow.
cjpherford3
Well-known member
i had sold a heifer calf to a friend and i didnt know that at 8 months old the herd bull bred her so when he took her home. when she was about 5 or 6 months along she aborted a calf it was dead, so the heifer came to our pasture and i preged her and sure enough she had a full term calf, she calved a full term heifer calf that was tiny but fiesty and she lived. that is true even my vet said it could happen but not a lot.cj
mnmtranching
Well-known member
funky 4-Her":37pcxzkl said:mnmtranching":37pcxzkl said:funky 4-Her":37pcxzkl said:
There it is
both calves are with the cow.
Were you trying to be sarcastic or did it just come of sounding like that unintentionally?
No! No sarcasm here. I have late calves born out on pasture every year. Proven cows and I don't worry about them. They calve in wooded areas and I don't bother hunting calves. Normally cows show up with their new calf 2-3 days after birth.
At least three times I've been surprised when there's obviously
twins.
Twins are a common occurrence in my herd about 3-4 %.
Jeanne - Simme Valley
Well-known member
Sambo, I would hope you could tell the difference between a newborn & one that is 17 days old!
Yes, they can have a 2nd calf a number of days later. Yes, it could be another cows calf, yes it could be her twin calf born same day as the first, and yes, a cow can/will eat on another afterbirth.
So, was this calf newborn or older???
Yes, they can have a 2nd calf a number of days later. Yes, it could be another cows calf, yes it could be her twin calf born same day as the first, and yes, a cow can/will eat on another afterbirth.
So, was this calf newborn or older???
sambo":3v83xzep said:
I've seen too many cows join in on eating afterbirth to take it as a difinitive sign of calving. Was her rear end bloody? Did she have afterbirth trailing? Had she been nursed? Was there an appreciable loss of weight, such as happens with calving? Was she restless/looking for/bawling for her calf? Those are the things I would be looking for in relation to calving.
