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Unusual heifer behavior

Big Swede

Well-known member
I started calving heifers a week ago tomorrow and I ran into something I have never seen. Went out to find 2 heifers that had calved claiming one calf and the other calf being claimed by a heifer that hadn't calved. Not that unusual for a heifer that is on the verge of calving herself so I got the two paired up and put the heavy heifer in a pen by herself figuring she would calve in a few hours. Two days later I felt sorry for her so I let her out and she went out and claimed a different calf. Same trip back to the pen. Two days later I felt sorry for her again and let her out again. Same story again. Well this morning she finally had her own calf and guess what. She walked off and left it. Just kidding! Everything is fine but I've never seen a cow act like this for a week before she calved. If that process would have continued I was going to name her "octomom." Wonder if she will be like that her entire life. If I knew for sure it would be a short life. What a hassle.
 

Big Muddy rancher

Well-known member
A couple years ago we had 2 hfrs claim one calf and the other calf died. We were never sure who the mother was so we left the calf on both. That fall those 2 hfrs would travel like a team of oxen, almost leaning on each other. Really tough to move with the dogs as they would get a head at each end and just spin around fighting the dogs. :roll:
 

per

Well-known member
That is a little odd. :? I'd be willing to bet she will continue wanting to circumvent the event every year. Of course the only way to find out is to wait and see. At least you know she is going to be motherly. :wink:
 

Big Swede

Well-known member
The first calf she claimed ended up with a broken back leg. He's hopping and getting around fine but I'm sure that super claimer was the cause of that problem.
 

Soapweed

Well-known member
Sounds like she at least has good mothering instincts, and on the bright side, no babies were abused by her shananigans. :wink:

I've got a "project" going at the moment. We have a nice shiny six-year-old cow about ready to calve. Her downfall is that she was sucking other cows right after they calved, so she got the cholostrum instead of their calves. This is also why she is so nice and shiny. :roll: Anyway, after we figured the deal out, she is in a separate corral with horses and hay, but away from the other cows. A few days ago another cow had a dead calf. Now I have the two cows together so the one cow will keep the other cow sucked out until the first cow has her calf. Then that calf will be put on the cow that had the dead calf, and the culprit sucking cow will find her way to a local salebarn. It's a complicated project but hopefully the outcome will make it all worthwhile in the end. :wink:
 

Big Muddy rancher

Well-known member
Soapweed said:
Sounds like she at least has good mothering instincts, and on the bright side, no babies were abused by her shananigans. :wink:

I've got a "project" going at the moment. We have a nice shiny six-year-old cow about ready to calve. Her downfall is that she was sucking other cows right after they calved, so she got the cholostrum instead of their calves. This is also why she is so nice and shiny. :roll: Anyway, after we figured the deal out, she is in a separate corral with horses and hay, but away from the other cows. A few days ago another cow had a dead calf. Now I have the two cows together so the one cow will keep the other cow sucked out until the first cow has her calf. Then that calf will be put on the cow that had the dead calf, and the culprit sucking cow will find her way to a local salebarn. It's a complicated project but hopefully the outcome will make it all worthwhile in the end. :wink:

Who's on first? :wink: :D :D
 

katrina

Well-known member
Yup.... We had a cow that would clain another cow's calf and leave hers.. The first year was fine because the calf she claimed was from an old cow wih a bad bag.... Fine and dandy we graphed the calf.. Last year we had 4 sets of twins so the cow had to take her own calf and it was a battle. She never really did take her calf... The calf would find her.. And she never left the sell pen..
Yesterday we had a 5 year old cow laying by herself in the morning. And when son and I fed, she was a stomping a foot and switchin her tail....
Hubby blew in from farming so we got her in and checked her... Backwards with the feet down....
 

katrina

Well-known member
Okay... Was the oldest son's cow... He raised her as a bottle calf...
Was really easy to push forward and I just pulled the legs out.. I always try and keep my hand over the hoof part.. I worry about tearing something. And then a simple backwards pull.. Mom and calf are fine!!!! The calf is really cute... Hereford marked with some splatters of red on the face... You've heard the saying.. Shot at and missed.... Sh** at and hit..... That's all I could think of when I got a good look at him... I know... :oops: :oops: I'm tired... :oops: :oops: :oops:
 

Justin

Well-known member
i had a heifer that claimed, and i mean WANTED, every calf born for about 10 days prior to her calving. when she did have her own, all was good. she was a bit of a pain in the ass for those 10 days though :wink:
 

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