How do you decide if you pull one off the cow? This cow is a 3rd calver and had twins right before dark. Does the cow usually go off and leave one? This is the first twins we have had and trying to decide if we should bottle one of them. What is the longest a person should wait before giving one a bottle of colostrum?
Twins?
- Thread starter tom4018
- Start date
Jogeephus
Well-known member
I normally have at least one set of twins a year and I don't do anything. My momma cows normally take care of them pretty well. I would suspect if they are all cleaned up by the ma then odds are she has fed them as well. Of course nothing is concrete so I'd just watch how she treats them. If she is tending to both, leave them alone. JMO
No, don't wait till morning to see if she is going to accept it or not. I think that that will compromise the calf too much to be that long without. I would watch to see that both nurse, but I have been accused of being to clucky. Some will tell you give both colostrum then leave them. That way you don;t have to worry about if they get it from mom and you can check back in the morning. I think that that is also a good idea, but I would not let it go over night on hope.tom4018":1t9kdab5 said:
My heifer took very good care of both of hers, but it is not uncommon to have cows abandon one.
tom4018":2hwwgd8t said:
If in doubt, I would put Mom in the chute and help both calves nurse. The sooner they receive the colostrum, the better they can utilize it - plus, it will help you guage her willingness to accept both calves. After 24 hours, the calf will be able to utilize very little - if any - of the antibodies in the colostrum. There is also the factor of the longer a calf goes without nursing, the weaker he becomes and the less physically able he is to nurse. If you haven't seen both calves nurse within an hour or two, put her in the chute and help them.
If you can keep the cow in a restricted area with both calves for a few days so she can keep them together, things should be fine. After only a few days, those calves really learn to stay close to each other and you don't have to worry too much. Some cows seem a little confused at first by twins while others don't blink an eye at having two babies.
1982vett
Well-known member
Since this is her third calf, refer back to her last two calves to get an idea if she will be able to produce enough milk for two calves. The last set I had, the cow was very alert as to taking care of both but I knew she would not be able to milk enough for two. So after a couple of days a neighbor took one and put it on his milk cow. As far as the cow going off and leaving one, that is a possibility, but don't mistake them being seperated as abandonment. I had one cow that would take "stash" hers in seperate places. Take care of one and then go to the other and do the same. Just keep a good eye out for what is happening.tom4018":2e969mfo said:
One usually turns out and one will be kind of a runt. Our cattle stash ther calves also, cna be up to two weeks before you see the calf.
So far so good with the twins. Sure is worrysome trying to make sure you see them both nursing. Both calves are solid black and at a distance could not see a tag number or even tagging just one if that ear was next to the cow could not see it. So I tied a orange surveyors ribbon around one of them's neck so we could tell from a distance. She did seem to hide them pretty far apart, got them in small pasture and they would be at opposite ends. Hopefully she knows what she is doing and I am being a worry wart. Even losing one calf hurts a small herd in the income department.
MrBilly
Well-known member
We do nothing. Have one cow that has had two sets of twins. The most recent pair are now growing well and are bred heifers and are inseparable in the field - fun to watch them together.
Billy
Billy
Boldcat
Well-known member
You might want to put differant colored tags in them .
If I,m wondering if a calf in this situation is sucking I put a finger in it's mouth . A warm mouth is a good sign , a cold mouth and you better get some milk into him .
Also if the calf stretches when it gets up that's a good sign it's been sucking.
I used to raise bison, and in 14 years I only had one cow that took both her twins .
If I,m wondering if a calf in this situation is sucking I put a finger in it's mouth . A warm mouth is a good sign , a cold mouth and you better get some milk into him .
Also if the calf stretches when it gets up that's a good sign it's been sucking.
I used to raise bison, and in 14 years I only had one cow that took both her twins .
