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!%#*& city people !!!!!

It was a good tip. Never thought of doing that.
We aren't as careful as you, obviously, when we (HE) skins one out.
There is certainly more than one way to success!

Everyone has all these ideas of how to graft a calf, but like
you, we've had 100% success when using the hide.

One in awhile we got lucky and the cow just wanted a calf, any
calf. But that was the exception, not the norm.
 
Usually, heifers are the easiest to graft a calf to but I had one that lost her's and I had to skin her calf to get her to take a twin.
 
That is the wildness story I have ever heard. That guy would have be planted on the place head first. This where I am glad our place is miles off the road. Any time we see someone we don't know everyone in the area watches him like a hawk.
 
When a cow has a dead calf, if she hasn't smelled it yet, get it away from her as soon as possible. Then sneak in a graft calf, put a little O-No-Mo on it, and the deal usually works. If the cow has smelled the dead calf and is claiming it, then usually it becomes necessary to skin the dead calf and put the hide on the graft calf. We skin quite far down each leg, and get hide from the shoulders to the top of the tail. We have never worried about getting the tail itself. By having the long flaps of each leg, a slit can be cut in these flaps. Then it works to just put each of the live calf's legs through each of the four leg slits in the hide. No glue or twine is necessary. It is rather like putting a coat on a struggling kid. Then the cow usually takes right to her "new" offspring.
 
I cut a patch of hide 8 or 10 inches square off the dead calf's side. I slit it in the middle where it'll just slide over the live calfs head. Works for me.
 
redrobin said:
I cut a patch of hide 8 or 10 inches square off the dead calf's side. I slit it in the middle where it'll just slide over the live calfs head. Works for me.
Click to expand...

It's been my experience that skinning a calf is one place where being liberal is better than being too conservative. :? :wink: Grafting a calf is usually a one-shot opportunity. If it gets screwed up, trying for a second chance is pretty iffy. A few years ago, a helper didn't put the hide on correctly, and it fell off the calf within the first hour. The graft didn't work, but I was bound and determined to make it work. We hobbled the cow next to a hay feeder and water, and after two weeks she just loved the little dolly. In getting the hobbles off the cow, things went wrong and I dislocated my shoulder. This was a case where if the hide had just been put on properly the first time, a lot of grief and anguish would have been prevented all the way around.
 
Soapweed said:
redrobin said:
I cut a patch of hide 8 or 10 inches square off the dead calf's side. I slit it in the middle where it'll just slide over the live calfs head. Works for me.
Click to expand...

It's been my experience that skinning a calf is one place where being liberal is better than being too conservative. :? :wink: Grafting a calf is usually a one-shot opportunity. If it gets screwed up, trying for a second chance is pretty iffy. A few years ago, a helper didn't put the hide on correctly, and it fell off the calf within the first hour. The graft didn't work, but I was bound and determined to make it work. We hobbled the cow next to a hay feeder and water, and after two weeks she just loved the little dolly. In getting the hobbles off the cow, things went wrong and I dislocated my shoulder. This was a case where if the hide had just been put on properly the first time, a lot of grief and anguish would have been prevented all the way around.
Click to expand...
I'll certainly defer to you, you've had more experience. I will point out though that neither of my shoulders have been dislocated. :lol:
 
redrobin said:
Soapweed said:
redrobin said:
I cut a patch of hide 8 or 10 inches square off the dead calf's side. I slit it in the middle where it'll just slide over the live calfs head. Works for me.
Click to expand...

It's been my experience that skinning a calf is one place where being liberal is better than being too conservative. :? :wink: Grafting a calf is usually a one-shot opportunity. If it gets screwed up, trying for a second chance is pretty iffy. A few years ago, a helper didn't put the hide on correctly, and it fell off the calf within the first hour. The graft didn't work, but I was bound and determined to make it work. We hobbled the cow next to a hay feeder and water, and after two weeks she just loved the little dolly. In getting the hobbles off the cow, things went wrong and I dislocated my shoulder. This was a case where if the hide had just been put on properly the first time, a lot of grief and anguish would have been prevented all the way around.
Click to expand...
I'll certainly defer to you, you've had more experience. I will point out though that neither of my shoulders have been dislocated. :lol:
Click to expand...

You win. :-)
 
Soapweed said:
When a cow has a dead calf, if she hasn't smelled it yet, get it away from her as soon as possible. Then sneak in a graft calf, put a little O-No-Mo on it, and the deal usually works. If the cow has smelled the dead calf and is claiming it, then usually it becomes necessary to skin the dead calf and put the hide on the graft calf. We skin quite far down each leg, and get hide from the shoulders to the top of the tail. We have never worried about getting the tail itself. By having the long flaps of each leg, a slit can be cut in these flaps. Then it works to just put each of the live calf's legs through each of the four leg slits in the hide. No glue or twine is necessary. It is rather like putting a coat on a struggling kid. Then the cow usually takes right to her "new" offspring.
Click to expand...

Sounds like you use the same method we do, except I take the dead calf's tail as well, for no other reason than like you say, it's usually a one shot deal and I don't want to take any chances. I would like to get my hands on this O No Mo product you speak of, but I guess it is not available in this country. I emailed the manufacturer several months ago and never got a response.
 
O No Mo is a miracle worker for sure. We used to get it from Walco Animal Health but they told me it got discontinued because it had by products in it? When I graft a calf i like to skin the dead calf out just like i do a deer or elk. I open the skin along the belly line but leave the legs tubed down about hock and knee length. Then you can stick it on the graft like a coat with his legs in each leg hole. Two stiches of twine to tie the belly and there ya go. Can even adjust and alter the skin if it has to stay on very long. Usually though a couple belly fulls of milk and they are in love!
 
I hang the dead calf and skin it like a coyote. I leave it intack down the legs. I pull it on the calf like a T-Shirt and I use all the hide I can belly tail and all. All I tie is 2 stings around the back legs.3 days I take it off. I've used the O-NO-MO sometimes it works other's not so good.
 
I love my O No Mo. H we can still get it up here, rather surprised to hear you can't. :(

We have tried to graft calves before. Have had some success and a failure.
I have to say the best one was last spring. My heifer lost her first calf. Found another bum calf the next day. Pushed that calf into the pen with that heifer, no sharp knife around I was going to skin the dead calf. Just got the graft calf wet and poured on the O No Mo. heifer went nuts claiming that calf. Calf was too stupid to nurse the heifer though.
Took 2 days to teach the calf to nurse the heifer and to not follow me. :roll:

Hope the graft works.
 
Silver said:
Soapweed said:
When a cow has a dead calf, if she hasn't smelled it yet, get it away from her as soon as possible. Then sneak in a graft calf, put a little O-No-Mo on it, and the deal usually works. If the cow has smelled the dead calf and is claiming it, then usually it becomes necessary to skin the dead calf and put the hide on the graft calf. We skin quite far down each leg, and get hide from the shoulders to the top of the tail. We have never worried about getting the tail itself. By having the long flaps of each leg, a slit can be cut in these flaps. Then it works to just put each of the live calf's legs through each of the four leg slits in the hide. No glue or twine is necessary. It is rather like putting a coat on a struggling kid. Then the cow usually takes right to her "new" offspring.
Click to expand...

Sounds like you use the same method we do, except I take the dead calf's tail as well, for no other reason than like you say, it's usually a one shot deal and I don't want to take any chances. I would like to get my hands on this O No Mo product you speak of, but I guess it is not available in this country. I emailed the manufacturer several months ago and never got a response.
Click to expand...

Look for "Calf Claim" in Canada

I think the first time we used it we got it from UFA

Can't find any - I can have wife ship some to you

BC
 

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