Bottle feeding

Sylvia · Post by **Sylvia** » Fri Jan 25, 2008 10:17 am

Just when I thought I'd reduced the herd and would have more of that precious commodity - TIME - I've just had a heifer, Harmony, calve a strong, bull calf who she is convinced isn't hers. She wants Misty's heifer calf, much to Misty's consternation.

I separated Harmony with her calf but she fretted so much and kicked her own calf away that I let them back with the group.

Misty's calf now has 2 doting mothers and Harmony's bull calf is on the bottle. I am pleased to say he is a grateful little soul who takes what he is given with no fuss at all But this is the first time in 95 calves that I've had to bottle feed so any tips would be very welcome.

I don't know if his colour put Harmony off - he is a light sandy colour, not the rich deep red we usually get, or dun. Both parents are black. But we've had red calves born to black mothers and vice versa without problems in the past.

Saffy · Post by **Saffy** » Fri Jan 25, 2008 10:44 am

Hi Sylvia,

I have had a bit of success in the past getting an animal to mother by bringing their instincts using a dog at a safe distance.

First seperate them from all the others and shut them in a pen, then hold the dog on a lead just outside the pen, it often seems to bring mothering instincts out. I have heard of people tying the poor dog there all night but I've never left the dog unattended, doesn't seem fair on the dog!

Stephanie

Sylvia · Post by **Sylvia** » Fri Jan 25, 2008 1:03 pm

Thanks Stephanie, but the collies appearing out side the pen when we had Harmony and calf separated just caused her to frantically try to get to Misty's calf to protect her while Ben stood there and licked Harmony's calf through the gate.

Saffy · Post by **Saffy** » Fri Jan 25, 2008 3:36 pm

They have obviously been reading the wrong book!

However it still might work if all others can be taken out of sight and sound but is I admit sounding less likely.

Stephanie

Edited By Saffy on 1201271901

Duncan MacIntyre · Post by **Duncan MacIntyre** » Fri Jan 25, 2008 5:25 pm

Maybe if the real mother is just not going to take it, another cow might - maybe you have one already calved who might take a second, or maybe one due soon who might be persuaded that both are hers as she calves. It certainly would sort out the problem of having to spend the time and source the milk to hand feed. The alternative would be to feed as a dairy calf and wean it early on to good quality calve mix. With both sheep and cattle it seems sometimes to be more difficult to persuade a mother that her offspring is really her offspring than to get one to adopt a stranger.

Duncan

Sylvia · Post by **Sylvia** » Fri Jan 25, 2008 7:44 pm

Thanks Duncan, I live in hope that he will get adopted but will have to change things around a bit tomorrow because Harmony is really upsetting Misty by trying to steal her calf, laying down next to it so Misty can't get to it. And trying to push Misty out of the way. If the little heifer calf gets up and runs across the pen it is a race between Harmony and Misty to see who can get there first.

I'll get Misty and her calf to the other end of the barn and put in another one or two mums and babes with Harmony and her little reject first thing tomorrow.

Fortunately the calf is a strong little bull who has taken to the bottle really well, if he gets the chance of a slurp of milk from another cow I'm sure he'll take it.

We have had similar situations with the Shetlands, one ewe stole a twin from another a couple of days before she lambed, then had twins and cheerfully raised 'triplets' but we haven't had it with the Dexters before.

PS I haven't seen the men in white coats I was sure you'd send round after I suggested dowsing for pregnancy, can I still expect them? :D

Duncan MacIntyre · Post by **Duncan MacIntyre** » Fri Jan 25, 2008 7:56 pm

Sorry Sylvia, I must have missed the dousing bit. One of my farmers here has an old uncle who suspends a fencing staple on string over the cows backs and can tell all sorts of stuff, allegedly.

Seriously I have tried finding drains etc and can do a little, but never practised enough.

Duncan

Sylvia · Post by **Sylvia** » Sat Jan 26, 2008 9:18 am

Even the Utilities are at it down here in deepest Wales. The Water Company has been in my top fields renewing water mains where, bless them, they didn't have maps for the existing ones. Before they started, and to stop them digging up my whole field, I asked if they ever tried dousing for them and was told one of them had gone to get his rods. So I got out my pendant and between us we limited the possibilities down to a much smaller area. We must have looked like a right pair of idiots to the casual observer but it does have its uses.

ann · Post by **ann** » Sat Jan 26, 2008 10:11 pm

I had a similar case a few years ago and I fasten the calf in a pen in the corner of the box with its mother and milked the mother for a couple of days bottle feeding the calf, eventually the penny seem to click that this was her calf and all was well. woth a try. good luck

Sylvia · Post by **Sylvia** » Sun Jan 27, 2008 9:46 am

We tried that Ann but this normally docile heifer, kicked out at us as vigorously as she was kicking the calf, obviously we aren't as brave as you

Saffy · Post by **Saffy** » Sun Jan 27, 2008 12:05 pm

Sounds like your heifer is a complete brat Sylvia - very annoying.

Seriously close to keeping a dog and barking yourself when you have to bottle feed their calves for them!!!

:D

Minnie · Post by **Minnie** » Sun Feb 03, 2008 12:26 am

Hi Sylvia,

I know a couple of people who put something (vegemite comes to mind but don't quite remember) on the cow's nose and then on the calf. Put them in together and her possibly bailed so he can get a drink... could be the same thing on her udder.

Then she thinks he smells the same as her... anyway it worked for them

Cheers

Vicki

Sylvia · Post by **Sylvia** » Sun Feb 03, 2008 9:38 am

Thanks Vicki we are down to 2 feeds a day now and it isn't too wearing. The mother sometimes stands with him and even swung her head at me when I offered a bottle a few days ago (I had a few strong words with her over that!) but this is one confused heifer. The calf on the other hand knows exactly what he is doing.

Sylvia · Post by **Sylvia** » Mon Feb 11, 2008 12:20 am

I thought you might like to know that on Friday morning our little red bull had his 5 pints. My husband took the bottles up for him in the evening and he only had 3 pints, my poor husband thought it was him doing something wrong. On Saturday morning calf flatly refused any milk at all but was skippy, bright and not looking 'empty'. Later that day when I was in the cow barn I saw him feeding from his mother. I took him a single bottle this morning but that was politely refused, so I assume he is getting enough from her. What a relief. :D

wagra dexters · Post by **wagra dexters** » Mon Feb 11, 2008 10:42 am

Congratulations Sylvia. Did you have a clue that the calf had been suckling at all?

Duncan, I hope you don't mind me asking, ... We have a heifer five months old today, far too fat underneath. At what stage does it become a risk to her future milk capacity for her to be laying down all that fat, or is it already too late?

Margaret.