weaning calf ????

[Anderson farms]

I have a calf that I took off of his adopted mom 3 or 4 weeks ago. He has been in the barn with no contact with mom. Think I could turn him out with the rest of the cows and he would leave mom alone or do I need to wait longer? Thanks guys

[luvrulz]

Even if you kept him in the barn for 3 or 4 months, and she still had milk - he'd make use of the free lunch! She might not accept him since he's adopted, but you just never know.... Does she have a calf of her own too??

[Tam319]

Depends on the cow and calf. I have a Jersey cow who will let anybody suck her anytime. She raised her own calf and a foster calf. Took 6 months AND her being dry before we could let them be in same pen again. Her heifer calf was weaned for 4 weeks, went to a Jersey show and was trying to suck the other $$$ show heifers! EEEK!!! At weaning time we moved the mama cow to my grandparents farm to help sever the ties but the old gal just shimmied up to the fence and sweet talked another weaned calf that was raised on a bottle and never seen an udder to mosey on over and suck her through a hole in the fence. She is phenomenal if I wanted to use her as a nurse cow but sure gets annoying when you want to keep the milk for yourself.

[Cheribelle]

I had a steer calf bottle baby, never sucked a cow, and weaned off the bottle several months. When Molly had her baby, that little rat sneaked in and she actually fed them both. So I don't know what the answer is here, but I'm guessing she'll have to dry up before you can put them back together.