Fostering - Dead calf found

Broomcroft · Post by **Broomcroft** » Sun May 18, 2008 6:58 am

I had 2 red heifers calve overnight in the field and I missed them. One of the calves died and both heifers were claiming the live one. I know which heifer the live calf belongs to, so I have taken the other heifer out of the field.

I was considering trying to get a calf from another farm to foster onto the heifer, but how long before it becomes difficult to do the fostering? She's a long-leg and could take anything size-wise.

Edited By Broomcroft on 1211093280

Sylvia · Post by **Sylvia** » Sun May 18, 2008 8:35 am

ASAP I think but try to get a calf similar in colour to hers. We fostered a limo cross onto a short leg some years ago with no problems but failed to get a blue and white calf adopted by a long leg (and we tried very hard with her). I've got a hunch that it might have been easier with a black calf but could just as easily have been the cow's temperament although both were excellent mothers before and after.

moomin · Post by **moomin** » Sun May 18, 2008 9:04 am

If you have the dead calf then skin it leaving the tail on and put the coat on the new calf. Try and introduce the new calf in the same area where her own calf died. Works like magic with cows [and apparently mares]. Much quicker than with sheep.
If I am unfortunate to get a dead calf I never take it away immediately - I always let the cow go through a mourning process, usually about 3 days. I have had cows actually bury their dead calf in straw and then walk away! This also gives you time to find another calf.
If you are going to leave the cow to dry off then don't break her teat seals, prevents mastitis bugs getting in, but keep a watchful eye on her udder.

Rutherford · Post by **Rutherford** » Sun May 18, 2008 9:12 am

I endorse Sylvia, colour is important, red might be difficult, if so, my hunch would be whole black, I would avoid patches of different colours, and the sooner the better. She obviously wants a calf which should make it easier; the coat of the dead one might help.
Beryl (Woodmagic)

Duncan MacIntyre · Post by **Duncan MacIntyre** » Sun May 18, 2008 10:29 am

By far the most important consideration here is the health status of any bought in calf relative to your own. This is especially important if you have numbers of young calves, in first week or two of life, on the ground. Any different scour bugs for example can cause a lot of damage. The opposite can also happen - your animals may have bugs the bought in has not and it may suffer. Unless you are very sure of the health of a bought in calf do not get one.

Duncan

Saffy · Post by **Saffy** » Sun May 18, 2008 10:51 am

Duncan would the usual 2 week isolation work here?

If so Clive could you isolate for 2 weeks whilst the Mum takes the calf?

Stephanie

Broomcroft · Post by **Broomcroft** » Sun May 18, 2008 5:54 pm

I think I'm just going to let her get over it and not foster. She was absolutely positive it was her calf because they were both red and born at the same time, so this calf had two mom's following it everywhere and getting very confused. I'll keep an eye on her udders and speak to my vet about her. As Duncan says, I've got a whole batch of new calves and I don't want to risk introducing anything.

I have to say I'm not 100% sure I've got the calf with the right mom because it looks like a carrier but has quite longish legs. One of the heifers is a short and one is long. The dead calf is definitely long and it was the short mom who seemed most convincing with the live calf, and did 90% of the licking and the calf is now suckling off her quire happily so that's the main thing.

We lost a foal last week as well which was very sad. Stayed up every night for weeks and then fell sound asleep on the night that mattered just for 2 hours!

Many thanks for the help.

Saffy · Post by **Saffy** » Sun May 18, 2008 11:06 pm

Clive - so sorry to hear you have had a dead foal as well, a bad patch can be pretty disheartening.

Rutherford · Post by **Rutherford** » Mon May 19, 2008 12:49 pm

So very sad about the foal. It happens to all of us at some time, there is a limit to human stamina. You can’t win them all. I was thinking about approaching a near dairying neighbour for the calf, not the market, there is a fair chance of securing an odd healthy one. Since you are bound to have the occasional casualty, it would be worth while making enquiries for the future.
Beryl (Woodmagic)

Minnie · Post by **Minnie** » Mon May 19, 2008 11:41 pm

Hi Clive,

That's terribly sad a calf and a foal...

I hope things go better.

Regards

Vicki

ann · Post by **ann** » Tue May 20, 2008 8:55 pm

You have probably made the right decision if you are very busy as very few cows accept a strange calf straight away. I use to double suckle all my cows before BSE and even the most placid cows can be a challenge for the first few days and this is when they still have their own calves. As for colour I think cows are very racist and bulls are even worse, I once made the mistake of taking a B & W calf and no one loved him and I even had to turn the cow in with the bull on her own as other wise he would beat him. Needless to say in many respects he sort of got his own back as he just grew and grew and eventually he was so big that he just pushed everyone out of the way. But never again as he was a bottomless pit and certainly never repaid the input costs when the poor lad finally went. But he was a sweetie and at least he had a good life.

As for skinning a calf, I once got my poor husband to do that for me and the cow was not impressed with this poor little calf walking round in a smelly skin nor was I and we got a replacement calf within 2 hours. So thats not a route I would try again, maybe it works sometimes but it certainly didn't for me.

Broomcroft · Post by **Broomcroft** » Wed May 21, 2008 7:41 am

I am just letting her get over it. It seems to be extended because as far as she is concerned, her calf hasn't died, it's walking around with another cow. I can hear her calling right now but it is subsiding. I am going to move her further away today if possible. Her udder looks OK, maybe a bit red but it always is. I'll have her in the crush shortly to see if it getting hard or hot.

wagra · Post by **wagra** » Thu May 22, 2008 2:58 am

Oh, blessed cabbage leaves!

Nikola Thompson · Post by **Nikola Thompson** » Wed May 28, 2008 3:39 pm

I am really sorry to hear about your calf and foal. I lost a calf last year and was devastaed. I also sat up and mist my foaling but was really lucky all was ok. I looked into cctv as our foaling / calving barn in 5 mins walk. It is so expensive though but as we use the barn for both cow and horses I am wondering whether the expense is justified.

We left out heifer that lost her calf and put her back to the bull. I don't know how successful fostering is having no experience of it.

Nikola

Peter thornton · Post by **Peter thornton** » Wed May 28, 2008 4:52 pm

Have a look here:

http://www.maplin.co.uk/family.aspx?menu=1632

CCTV is pretty cheap nowadays. The only problem is that the wireless systems have a limited range, but if you can run a cable there you can buy a camera for as little as £20