Twins!

Hogleg · #1 07/04/10, 12:21 PM

Calving season continues... The second cow had twins, one bull and one heifer. Expecting the heifer to be a freemartin, but that is another story. The current problem is that the first calf born, the bull, is not nursing on the cow. We have been using MR with electrolytes and he is doing well. We gave him collestrum within the first 24 hours. The heifer is nursing normally, it appears. Both show no signs of dehydration with the tent test.

Now the problems.

The heifer has a pasty butt. She seems healthy otherwise. Should I be concerned? Should I attempt to clean it up?

What should I do to try to get the bull to nurse. Mom comes close, and he trys but the cow eventually walks off before success. Is it possible to create an environment where he can hook up? Need ideas here.

If we have to continue the MR, how long will we have to do it?

John

tinknal · #2 07/04/10, 12:32 PM

OK, as far as the pasty but, no problem. Normal.

Unless you want the bull calf to be a bottle calf you need to confine the cow. To start a chute or stanchion would be the best. Push the calf right up to the cow and help him out. They can be incredibly stubborn so you might have to work at it. Do this twice a day, making sure he gets a belly full. Within a few days he should figure it out on his own and you can put them back out to pasture. You might want to quarantine the heifer away from the cow an hour or so before feeding the bull calf.

Good luck!

Callieslamb · #3 07/04/10, 01:34 PM

If you have to do the MR all the way through - count on at least 2 months - 3 is better.

ozark_jewels · #4 07/04/10, 04:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tinknal

OK, as far as the pasty but, no problem. Normal.

Unless you want the bull calf to be a bottle calf you need to confine the cow. To start a chute or stanchion would be the best. Push the calf right up to the cow and help him out. They can be incredibly stubborn so you might have to work at it. Do this twice a day, making sure he gets a belly full. Within a few days he should figure it out on his own and you can put them back out to pasture. You might want to quarantine the heifer away from the cow an hour or so before feeding the bull calf.

Good luck!

Yep, I agree on the above.
Colostrum poops can be very messy or not at all. I've seen it stuck to their tails, running all down their legs, messy, messy, messy. Or not messy at all. Just depends on the cow.

Hogleg · #5 07/07/10, 06:13 AM

Just wanted to let you all know that we got the bull to link up with the momma. Put them in a small pen and stopped the MR and he finally figured it out. Not the sharpest crayon in the box!

tinknal · #6 07/07/10, 10:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hogleg

Just wanted to let you all know that we got the bull to link up with the momma. Put them in a small pen and stopped the MR and he finally figured it out. Not the sharpest crayon in the box!

They can be stubborn little rascals can't they? Last one I fostered onto a cow the cow accepted the calf right off, but the calf rejected HER!

I finally got him nursing and from then on no problem.

ozark_jewels · #7 07/07/10, 04:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hogleg

Not the sharpest crayon in the box!

Heh, heh, heh......he is a bull calf after all. Most of the calves I've had that seem "dumb", have been bull calves. Same for bucklings vs doelings......
Congrats on the success!