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tried cow-won't claim calf

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Rowdy Ranch

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Had a 8yr. old cow calf yesterday at daylite and never had a problem before or she would NOT be here today. Had the calf ,licked it a little,acted protective if we were around,but would run it in the ground and toss the calf in the air. So got her in and if the calf tries to nurse does the head toss thing. So put cow in the chute and let calf nurse ect. Any suggestions on the cause or cure? :???: Thought she would calm down after afterbirth passing,but unless she is this a.m. she wasn't last eve.
 
I would pen her next to the calf and let the calf nurse several times and see if that does the trick - - - I have had this in the past and usually in 12 to 24 hours they are paired up.
 
I had a cow once...tried to kill her first calf, me , everyone else in a 1/2 mile radius. Sooooo thinking since it was her first calf--a good one too-- I raised it on a bottle and let her slide. Trauma of calving and all...it was a doosie!!!

The next year she was the PERFECT mamma cow..so I thought OK it was just the "new momma thing" and that's done.

Time for calf #3 rolls around and she flips out again. Really goes nutz and gets mean......so now I guess she was " 2 all beef patties between special sauce, lettuce, tomato and sesame seed bun"

Having these critters for over 25 yrs.....she's the only one that ran hot and cold like that. Who knows what lurks in the bovine brain!
 
She'll probably be better today after her hormones settle down. I agree about supervising the nursing for a couple of days. Tie her up if you can, and try some ace on her if you've got it. Makes things easier and safer for everyone involved.

If that's a heifer calf she's got, it might be a good idea to make a note not to keep it for a replacement.
 
Pen the calf and turn the cow out,but close.When her bag gets good and tight she.ll come looking for her calf.You may have to bottle feed the calf some,and maybe stantion the cow a few times.
 
We had a problem like that a few years back and we got the pair in and she still was crazy. Put her in the headgate for about 20 hours and by the time I let her go she had quieted down and let lil jr suck. I ve also heard that if you feed some sugar in the cows grain that it will help to quiet her down. Never tried it but some ppl swear by it.
 
I would do like Juan said,if you can pen her seperate but close to her calf,where she cant kill it but can see and smell him,then bring a dog close to her calf,if she dont claim and try to protect it..........load er up!!...........good luck
 
We have a heifer every year or so act like that. If they are plumb nuts I'll just grab the calf and put it on another cow that lost her calf. I won't put up with nutty cows. My hired man who has his own place and a small herd of cows had one like that a few years ago and was able to get the heifer to take her calf after a few days of babysitting her. He kept the heifer and the next year as a 3 yr old she manage to kill her calf before he could get to it. She obviouly went to the meat packer then.
 
I would do what all the other posts said pen the calf next to the cow. We have had the same thing happen before. Had a cow calve get up and started butting her calf an angus of all things and ended up breaking the calfs leg. We put her in the stanchion let the calf suck doing this for 3 days finally she took the calf. Found out later, the cows we bought from another rancher in the area their is line of angus that does that. Had about 6 cows or so do the same thing. The only other thing I can suggest if you can get in the pen with her and the calf. Get you a hedge post like a gate stick that you can fit your hands around. Every time she butts the calf whack her over the head with the post. Work on the Big M. on those brangus cross cows. But we don't do that on this ranch.If their to much of a problem we just graft the calf and sell the cow.
 
One thing I forgot to say is, we have hobble cows like this before. putting the hobbles on the back legs. We take a pair of chain hobbles with fleece on the leather straps. Cut 1 link out, weld the others together. Then its shorten up she can't move as fast and can't kick the calf. He'll learn to stay out of her way. A person could try it, for us once the calf has sucked the most of time the cow takes the calf after about 3 days. Her back legs might be a little skinned up but she'll live.
 
A friend was in a pen with a miserable 2-year-old that was trying to annihilate her calf. My friend got disgusted and pulled out the rod that was holding two Daniels panels together. He used this rod as a discipline tool, and whacked the cow twice. He was going to give her a third whack for good measure, and just as he came down with the rod, she turned her head. The wallop meant for the cow, came down instead on the head of the calf, killing it instantly. It wasn't a good day. :? :???: :wink:
 
Soapweed said:
Soapweed said:
CattleRMe said:
May i suggest a rope and a sorting stick?
Click to expand...

And then??? :???: :???:
Click to expand...

So, CattleRMe, when do we get the rest of the story? The suspense is killing me. :? :) :wink:
Click to expand...


Wonderful sarcasm at it's finest. :?

Well i prefer to have a sorting stick to help defend myself in order to get the calf away from it's attacking mother. Second off the rope is to immobilize the cow. Have you never tied up a leg?

The other alternative I would use is putting her in the head catch and letting the calf suck but still sometimes with that they can act plum crazy and kick at the calf and throw horrible fits (as I'm sure you all know). So there we are back to the rope and a leg up.

If she didn't take it she'd lose her calf and get a one way trip to town. Why keep something like that around and take the chance of a repeat next year?
 
Soapweed said:
Thank you.
Click to expand...

I don't understand why you'd be sarcastic to my post here I went back over the posts later then mine someone discussed tying up a leg, some suggested ace, and some suggested beating.

I get it if I have an opinion different then yours i should keep it.
 
Everyone else told more of a "how to" story with their solution to the problem. I guess my fickle feeble mind just conjured up the image of a Liberal showing up at the job site, and saying, "May I suggest a rope and a sorting stick". It just kind of tickled my funny bone. It is just narrow-minded redneck humor coming through, and I do apologize. :) :)
 

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