helping a calf nurse question - 10 below here

[3 M L & C]

Then sell this cow before she has another calf and get one with genetics with maternal qualities like nice udder and small teats...
Good old range cow maternal genetics can save a person a lot of work...

Never have agreed with Oldtimer on many things but I do at this one!

CA

LOL, we have a School teacher friend that called regarding a cow prolapsing after calving. Vet couldn't come right out. I was 3 hours away and couldn't help. I assured him it wasn't life or death and she'd be fine until the vet got there.

Next day, The wife told him to be certain to sell that cow. He said, "Yeah, luckily it was a heifer calf she had!"

Here's your sign ;-}

I had attended a class once the dr putting it on said that just because a cow has a prolapse it's not any more inclined to have one next year (assuming she gets bred) than one of the other cows in the herd. Also that this wasn't something passed on genetically. Does anyone know of any studies of this one way or the other?

 

[Anonymous]

If I was in need of some maternal genetics I would be sitting in Columbus Montana today at the Cole Creek sale... Besides having the normal bull offering they have a more than usual offering of heifers (35)... These are some genetics that will definitely make some range cows...

 

[bearvalley]

Then sell this cow before she has another calf and get one with genetics with maternal qualities like nice udder and small teats...
Good old range cow maternal genetics can save a person a lot of work...

It's nice to find some common ground that we plumb agree on, Oldtimer. :wink: The problem with "helping" a calf get started on a cow like this is that by fall she will be forgotten about, and will still be in the herd the next spring. Then it will be the same thing to deal with once again.

Our method for "slow" calves like this is to drench them fairly soon after birth with powdered colostrum, then give them plenty of time to figure out how to suck their momma. They usually do, but if the cow needs to be captured and messed with, it's a short term deal. The cow will be picked to be sold, and the calf will be first on a list to be grafted onto another suitable cow if and when the occasion arises. Be culling harshly in this manner for many years, it's really not much of a problem anymore.

One problem with completely milking out a cow when her calf is not big enough or hungry enough to keep her completely sucked out, is that she will need to be milked out twice a day until the calf can hold all the milk. If she is milked once, her bag will spoil if this isn't continued. If a calf is only able to suck a couple teats for a few days, and the other two haven't been messed with and exposed to air, when the calf gets hungrier and more aggressive all will be well with the other two quarters.

I've always offered to pay my wife 10 cents an hour more if she'll carry a pocket knife at all times. She says she ain't gonna worry about a dime an hour job, total. Anyway, if you whack her tail off clear back to where the bone starts---it's an 'adios' reminder around here.

A docked tail is a good way to mark a cull cow but up here in the land of wolves and bears a lot of good ones would get an early truck ride by mistake.

 

[Soapweed]

It's nice to find some common ground that we plumb agree on, Oldtimer. :wink: The problem with "helping" a calf get started on a cow like this is that by fall she will be forgotten about, and will still be in the herd the next spring. Then it will be the same thing to deal with once again.

Our method for "slow" calves like this is to drench them fairly soon after birth with powdered colostrum, then give them plenty of time to figure out how to suck their momma. They usually do, but if the cow needs to be captured and messed with, it's a short term deal. The cow will be picked to be sold, and the calf will be first on a list to be grafted onto another suitable cow if and when the occasion arises. Be culling harshly in this manner for many years, it's really not much of a problem anymore.

One problem with completely milking out a cow when her calf is not big enough or hungry enough to keep her completely sucked out, is that she will need to be milked out twice a day until the calf can hold all the milk. If she is milked once, her bag will spoil if this isn't continued. If a calf is only able to suck a couple teats for a few days, and the other two haven't been messed with and exposed to air, when the calf gets hungrier and more aggressive all will be well with the other two quarters.

I've always offered to pay my wife 10 cents an hour more if she'll carry a pocket knife at all times. She says she ain't gonna worry about a dime an hour job, total. Anyway, if you whack her tail off clear back to where the bone starts---it's an 'adios' reminder around here.

A docked tail is a good way to mark a cull cow but up here in the land of wolves and bears a lot of good ones would get an early truck ride by mistake.

Years ago, my cousin was a young man and needed a few bred cows. His dad sent him to a bred cow sale with the ranch pickup and trailer. My cousin purchased several cows, safe with calf, and as they came off the trailer, the first thing my uncle noticed was that each new cow had her tail docked. He could only shake his head in dismay. :roll:

 

[starvin'dog]

minus 28 and windy here this morning. Gonna be hard to dock a tail or slit an ear of anything born here today.

 

[Hay Feeder]

Bring the calf in the house and get it going
If the cow did not have him up and sucking he may of been to e by now
The cow needs to be up maybe her tests were frozen and it hurt her atv10 below.

 

[aspen]

I had attended a class once the dr putting it on said that just because a cow has a prolapse it's not any more inclined to have one next year (assuming she gets bred) than one of the other cows in the herd. Also that this wasn't something passed on genetically. Does anyone know of any studies of this one way or the other?

A vaginal prolapse, can be pre or post partum, is hereditary. Ask any Hereford owner... A uterine prolapse - the whole thing right after calving - can happen just because it happens. It isn't supposed to be hereditary and and if they breed back, they should be fine the next year. I have heard of a couple exceptions to it, but generally this holds true.

 

[PPRM]

Never have agreed with Oldtimer on many things but I do at this one!

CA

LOL, we have a School teacher friend that called regarding a cow prolapsing after calving. Vet couldn't come right out. I was 3 hours away and couldn't help. I assured him it wasn't life or death and she'd be fine until the vet got there.

Next day, The wife told him to be certain to sell that cow. He said, "Yeah, luckily it was a heifer calf she had!"

Here's your sign ;-}

I had attended a class once the dr putting it on said that just because a cow has a prolapse it's not any more inclined to have one next year (assuming she gets bred) than one of the other cows in the herd. Also that this wasn't something passed on genetically. Does anyone know of any studies of this one way or the other?

I'm going by personal experience and what my vet told me about 20 or so years ago. I was putting some cows together. I noticed the ones that had a slight precalving prolapse going on would be worse the next year. Vet said it was a ligament that gets weaker over time.

I noticed heifers out of "Prolapsy Cows" seemed to be more prone. I culled those cattle and haven't had a prolapse problem for about 5 years now.

It could be coincidence I guess. I just like not worrying about it or dealing with it anymore

 

[Silver]

Yup, those are vaginal prolapses. Good to get rid of.

 

[scout]

It's nice to find some common ground that we plumb agree on, Oldtimer. :wink: The problem with "helping" a calf get started on a cow like this is that by fall she will be forgotten about, and will still be in the herd the next spring. Then it will be the same thing to deal with once again.

Our method for "slow" calves like this is to drench them fairly soon after birth with powdered colostrum, then give them plenty of time to figure out how to suck their momma. They usually do, but if the cow needs to be captured and messed with, it's a short term deal. The cow will be picked to be sold, and the calf will be first on a list to be grafted onto another suitable cow if and when the occasion arises. Be culling harshly in this manner for many years, it's really not much of a problem anymore.

One problem with completely milking out a cow when her calf is not big enough or hungry enough to keep her completely sucked out, is that she will need to be milked out twice a day until the calf can hold all the milk. If she is milked once, her bag will spoil if this isn't continued. If a calf is only able to suck a couple teats for a few days, and the other two haven't been messed with and exposed to air, when the calf gets hungrier and more aggressive all will be well with the other two quarters.

I've always offered to pay my wife 10 cents an hour more if she'll carry a pocket knife at all times. She says she ain't gonna worry about a dime an hour job, total. Anyway, if you whack her tail off clear back to where the bone starts---it's an 'adios' reminder around here.

A docked tail is a good way to mark a cull cow but up here in the land of wolves and bears a lot of good ones would get an early truck ride by mistake.

we don t have bears and wolves but we have fescue that takes care of a lot of switchs