What to do with this calf?

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Springfieldsimm

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So to start off with I am a new guys on this forum but I have been reading posts for a few years just never felt the need to post.
We are a small family seedstock producer raising registered simmental.
Due to a very unfortunate situation I lost one of my best cows today to pneumonia. The problem I have is I now have a 5 wk old heifer calf i need to feed.
My question is do let it in the pasture with the other cows (around 20 w/calves) and hope she learns to steal or do I separate her and try to get her started on feed. She has good genetics and potential to be worth quite a bit so I don't want to stun her growth.
If I do start her on feed how soon can that be done?
Do I need to keep her on milk a while?
I have not tried to put in the barn yet. I was watching her tonight to see if she acts hungry but she wasn't acting like she was missing her mom yet.
 
5 weeks for me is way too young to wean off milk. Especially if your wanting her to do well and grow the best. They just don't seem to grow as efficiently on feed alone.

And a bottle fed calf doesn't grow as well either.

Got a friend with a nurse cow?
Got a friend that wants to sell you a nurse cow?

For a potential keeper/valuable calf, I would think that's the best option!

@kenny thomas beat me to it!

And yes! Thanks for hanging out and welcome!
 
Another thing I would consider would be, is if you have a particularly gentle mama that has extra milk.
Pen em all up and watch em. U MAY be able to teach the calf to steal.
 
I forgot to mention I had a very unfortunate year and I lost 2 cows earlier this year. One to prolapse and the other to hardware. I was bottle feeding both of those calf's for about 2 wks until I got tired of it and bought a Jersey cows that took both of them very easily. But I'm not sure if she can support 3 calves.
 
Springfieldsimm said:
I forgot to mention I had a very unfortunate year and I lost 2 cows earlier this year. One to prolapse and the other to hardware. I was bottle feeding both of those calf's for about 2 wks until I got tired of it and bought a Jersey cows that took both of them very easily. But I'm not sure if she can support 3 calves.
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If not maybe she can supplement the last one enough to help. Or go find another Jersey if it's a valuable calf. Years ago I seen several registered cows that the owners took the calf off of and put it on a jersey cow.
 
Springfieldsimm said:
I forgot to mention I had a very unfortunate year and I lost 2 cows earlier this year. One to prolapse and the other to hardware. I was bottle feeding both of those calf's for about 2 wks until I got tired of it and bought a Jersey cows that took both of them very easily. But I'm not sure if she can support 3 calves.
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Lots of variables there.
I had a part jersey raise 3 last year. This year she only has 2. I have another jersey that's raising 4!
The cow will probly need fed daily. And it may or may not work.
But if she will let it nurse, that'll teach her to suck a different cow anyway

Personally, if that jersey has at least 3 good quarters, is in decent condition and the other 2 calves aren't hulking monsters that are 5 months old, (similar age) I'd already have em all penned together and feeding mama daily. She needs it anyway.

That's those variables I was taking about.
 
Last edited:
Here, Murray knows what he speaks of.

Brandy

I did it! Shes a bit thin. Weighs 860. Calved in February. 5 yr old. Price was definitely right. And I've got 3 babies for her already! Of course Lil 'Nuf was first to the buffet. She knows what to do! (Being on Bessie for a bit) very aggressive nurser! Made a PIG of herself Then along came...
www.cattletoday.com www.cattletoday.com

I will tell you that if you feed that Jersey she will milk more than enough for 3 to get them well on their way...you're probably only really looking at 90 days from now before they're sucking more out of habit than need
 
Springfieldsimm said:
If I do start her on feed how soon can that be done?
Do I need to keep her on milk a while?
I have not tried to put in the barn yet.
Click to expand...
Can start on sweet calf starter on day 3 and can teach them to drink milk replacer from a pail at that time too. Many dairies wean at 7 weeks (42 days) but they have to be eating calf feed well before weaning. You've got a barn, if you can pen her and have the time, I'd buy a bag of milk replacer mix according to directions and keep her on milk replacer until the bag is gone.
 
Several years ago I lost a cow to botulism and her calf was only 5 weeks old. I put the calf straight onto a grain mix and he grew very well and developed into one of my best bull calves that year. He was pretty smart and went for the grain without hesitation so no lag period while he got the taste of it, I'm sure that helped. He never saw any milk replacer and I am sure he was not stealing milk as I had him out the back with another cow and her calf that was down in condition and I kept a close eye on them.

Ken
 
I've been able to wean off the bottle onto feed as early as 4-5 weeks. As Murray said, not the best for the calf, going 7-8 is much better. Those calves had textured starter in front of them from practically day one. Your calf needs to go on that Jersey IMHO.

The Rural King medicated starter is what I've had the best luck with. It's got lots of molasses and they take to it quick.
 
welcome to the CT forum. I lost a cow last year because of a mastitis problem. her calf was 2 weeks old at the time. I tried to bottle feed but calf was not interested or hungry enough to drink. found out calf was robbing off a first calf heifer that was also a daughter of the same cow. calf learned soon to start robbing off other cows (herd of 25 cows/calves.) at weaning time, calf was same size or even bigger than others in the group. I would just keep an eye on the calf and see if it starts bawling for mom or looks like it is loosing weight. I kept that calf as a replacement and is short bred now and hopefully she will replace her mom as one of my favorite cows. Good luck.
 
Thanks for all your advise.
So after your guy's advise my plan was to put her in the barn with the nurse cow and calves and try to get her started. But she hardly ever goes in the barn so I tried chasing her in this morning but that was hopeless. So my plan now is to watch her closely to make sure she isn't starving and if she comes to the barn catch her.
 
nice looking calf and cow. hope all works out well for you and that nice looking little gal. sorry to hear that you lost the cow.
 
That calf is definitely worth taking whatever steps necessary to make sure she is well cared for.
 
If four calves are too much for that cow I would consider selling one of the steers. That way you can keep the heifer calf on the cow.
 
So an update on the calf. Dad helped me tonight and after trying to get her in the barn I ended up jumping off the atv and tackling her. Then tied her up and drove her to the barn. She seemed really weak and tired so I am hoping she doesn't have pneumonia as well. I gave her LA 200 to help hopefully.
Tried to give her bottle but she didn't want to take it so I tubed her then penned her with my nurse cow and calve so hopefully she decides she can have her meals there.
 
Springfieldsimm said:
So an update on the calf. Dad helped me tonight and after trying to get her in the barn I ended up jumping off the atv and tackling her. Then tied her up and drove her to the barn. She seemed really weak and tired so I am hoping she doesn't have pneumonia as well. I gave her LA 200 to help hopefully.
Tried to give her bottle but she didn't want to take it so I tubed her then penned her with my nurse cow and calve so hopefully she decides she can have her meals there.
Click to expand...
Least she's caught! The la200 won't do much for pneumonia if she has it. I've had best results with resflor gold.

Tubing her may have been a bit extreme. Would she just not suck? Poor thing was probly scared to death! 😆

Hope to hear good news tomorrow!!!
 

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