how to make a nurse cow

[harplade]

I have a dairy cow who has a 3 month old calf. Someone gave me a 2 month old bull that is bottle fed.

I'm wondering if I can wean the first calf and put the younger calf on the mom and any ideas how to do this?

Mom is fairly tame.

My thoughts-a stall with feed and put the little calf in with her? She'd be distracted by the feed?

I'm open to suggestions and would like to increase her usefulness on my farm.

Thanks from the bottom of the heart of a cattle newbie~~~

[linn]

Are the cow and calf running out together. If so, just pen the calf and let the mom in night and morning. The new calf can nurse on the other side of her calf. That way she won't kick it. You can wean a calf at three months, but they do better if they stay on the mother longer.

[copperhead46]

I'd do like Linn says, turn the cow in with both calves and give her some feed, to keep her occupied, and she'll let the stranger nurse while she's eating. You may have to help at first, but she'll accept him pretty quick. Some of them will take them to the pasture after a week or two, because then the new baby smells like her. She can raise two of them with no trouble.
P.J.

[agmantoo]

Put the nurse cow in a stanchion. Have some desirable feed for the cow to munch. Have something to block the nurse cow from seeing the calf to be introduced and what is occurring. Put the new calf up to the nurse cow and squirt some milk on the calf's mouth and hold its head up to the teat. After repeated attempts the calf should start to nurse some. Put some of the cows milk on the calf's head and ears and its rear in order to get the calf to smell like the nurse cow. Depending on how the calf nurses you may have to milk out the nurse cow some for a few days to give her some relief depending on how much milk she has. The nurse cow and the calf will become accustom to each other in a few days and accept the process.

[harplade]

thanks, we are going to start the process this afternoon. I'll let you know how it goes

[harplade]

didn't go so well the first time-bottle fed calf didn't even know where to look-he was trying to eat the feed. We'll try again in the morning.

[linn]

We have had that problem with bottle calves also. We just push the calf up against the cow and let it suck on our fingers as we guide its mouth to a teat. Once the calf gets the teat in its mouth and gets a little milk, it usually starts right in nursing. If the calf gets hungry, it may take to nursing the next time you try.

[harplade]

it's working!! while eating, she'll let him suck and he's figured it out fairly quickly. We had one mishap yesterday morning when she ran out of food and realized he was sucking and sent him flying with her head. So last night, she was tied to the fence and had enough food to keep her occupied and I think they sucked her dry. I love when things work out like the books say they should!!!
Thanks for helping out this newbie!!

[linn]

We usually either put our nurse cows in the stanchion or tie them if they will stand tied. That way they don't have as much chance to do damage. I am glad that your little calf and cow are getting along.

[Bret4207]

I had a Jersey/Holstein cross once that any calf in the herd could nurse off of anytime they wanted. She loved them all and stayed in nilk forever it seemed. So what did I do? I sold her!!!

STOOOOPID!!!!