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Heifer

M

mn

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 20, 2005
Messages
134
Location
Minnesota
I know this has been talked about, had a heifer calf today. She just will not take it. Have them pened together all day. Tried the dog, you name it. Any ideas????? Thanks
 
Just keep them penned together for as long as it takes. Haul feed and water to the heifer if you have to. If the calf lacks initiative, we usually just use an esophagul feeder to drench it with powdered colostrum the first time. The next time he is hungry enough to be a little aggressive and try to hook onto a teat. This is when you need to be on hand to make sure she holds still good enough for the calf to suck. Good luck.
 
What Soap said, plus hobbles if she kicks at it. Let the calf stay a little on the hungry side. If the calf sucks well, put the cow in the chute and let the calf suck. Keep them close together, and be patient. And graft the sucker onto the first cow that comes available. :wink:
 
You just have to be more stubborn than that heifer. Its a whole new thing for her. Just make sure a she doesn't clobber that calf with her back leg :!: She might be in a bit of pain, tight bag, etc.etc. 48 hrs will make a big difference good luck :-)
 
munsen said:
Might think i'm stupid but never heard of using a dog to get a cow to take her calf I was wondering how that was done?
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A lot of times when you take a dog near a cow with a calf the maternal fight instinct comes out in her and she'll mother right up to that calf......
 
munsen said:
Might think i'm stupid but never heard of using a dog to get a cow to take her calf I was wondering how that was done?
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The idea is that you sic the dog on them, and hope it brings the 'mothering instinct' out of the cow. Sometimes it makes the difference, as often as not it gets the calf run over.
 
Let a dog follow you out across the calving lot, and it brings out the "mothering ability" of purt' near every cow in there. And when they take a run at the dog, guess where it goes? Right between your legs. :shock: :? :???: :cry: :x :mad: :mad: :mad:
 
Ok now I get it never heard of that around here not many people have working dogs guess it is a pretty simple concept. Thanks for the explaniation.
 
we started using a product about 5 years ago, oh-no-mo (msp). This product works great. It is a powder, we mix it with milk and cover the calf's back with it. It works so good even on calves that aren't their own. We haven't had to skin a calf for years!
 
Think real hard about selling her and graft the calf onto something else that actually wants a calf, don't give the heifer a chance to do the same thing next year, and don't keep this calf as a replacement. Good opportunity to keep problems cleaned up.
 
Sometimes all these "remedies" don't work, we just take her to town, bum the calf until we have a mommie who really wants a baby, but lost hers. I have drawn a "line" with these no-mothering heifers, and we really don't have a problem anymore. I think it is partly genetic, partly what you let them get away with.
 
nd-we have used the oh-no-more for several yrs. and like you said it works fairly well,but last yr. could not get it,but it is back on the market this yr. They had to change some ingredient in it and I don't think the new stuff works as well as the old. That is a great idea to mix it with milk and then on calfs back.Thanks.
The dog thing brings out the mothering instinct -like Soap said walk thru the pen with the pet dog and oh no. I really think the dog has helped us in several case of cow calf mothering. She minds good and is not a cattle dog so she
mainly has to just show up and the cow gets protective of her calf.
 
When I first tried o-no-mo powder I spilled a little on one of the corral boards when I was putting it on the calf. The cow that was in the pen started licking the board and mooed at it :lol:

If your cows haven't been around pigs I think they will probably bring out the mothering instinct just about like a dog or cat will or at least it did one time in mine. The neighbors pigs crawled into my calving pasture and it caused quite an uproar. The cows were bellering and chasing the pigs around and every time a pig would get butted it would sqeal and that just stirred the cows up that much more. Had cows, calves and pigs going every direction bellerin and squealing. The pigs survived but sure took a lot of abuse before they found there way back out of the pasture again :-)
 
nd said:
we started using a product about 5 years ago, oh-no-mo (msp). This product works great. It is a powder, we mix it with milk and cover the calf's back with it. It works so good even on calves that aren't their own. We haven't had to skin a calf for years!
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My neighbor uses something called Moo No More probely the same stuff just his name for it he swear's by it.Me I like the rope and choke method any cow that won't claim her calf deserves a little education.
 
Hanta Yo said:
Sometimes all these "remedies" don't work, we just take her to town, bum the calf until we have a mommie who really wants a baby, but lost hers. I have drawn a "line" with these no-mothering heifers, and we really don't have a problem anymore. I think it is partly genetic, partly what you let them get away with.
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I totatlly agree with Hanta Yo. I only have eight words for heifers like this, :mad: (Welcome to Mcdonalds may I take your order?) :D

I would kick her out, if you notice her looking for a calf the next day try it again. We grafted an old cow after a bad snow storm once and it didn't take so we gave her the boot the next day. She roamed around the pasture for a day and that night she come back in the barn and was standing next to the calf that we tried grafting on her. We opened the gate and shazam instant pair. She didn't like her other option. 8)

have a good one

Lazy ace
 
My tongue was actually in my cheek, when I mentioned walking across the calving lot accompanied by a dog. It's suicidal on the part of the pedestrian (who should be on a horse, anyway :wink: ). On occasion I've been walking through the cows, not knowing the dog was following me. Here comes a nasty ol' cow after the dog, and that is when the dog seeks sanctuary between my legs. And that is just one of many reasons I don't like cowdogs, which is why we no longer have any of them around. Ah, life is now good. :-)

Another reason I don't like cowdogs is when you are on a colt, and things are going quite well. Then out of nowhere, the dog comes running up to join you. This is worse than a grouse suddenly flying up, or a tumbleweed blowing across the prairie.
 
Soapweed said:
Another reason I don't like cowdogs is when you are on a colt, and things are going quite well. Then out of nowhere, the dog comes running up to join you. This is worse than a grouse suddenly flying up, or a tumbleweed blowing across the prairie.
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Weeelll, perhaps if you were a better bronc rider................ :lol: :wink:



Nope, not me either! :lol:




As always, the proper tool in the proper spot. :wink:
 

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