Foster Calf

[sianelin]

Hi I need your help

This is a long shot but possibly worth a try.

Our heifer lost her calf this morning and we are considering trying to get her a foster calf

Has anyone successfully managed this ?

Any advice would be much appreciated

Kind Regards

Sian

[Saffy]

My advice would be...don't do it.

This is mostly because of the strong chance of bringing in infection, IBR, BVD, Johne's Disease, Lepto, different types of scouring bugs..even TB.

That is apart from trying to persuade and animal to feed a calf, that may well give you a good kicking and then still not take it as her own....

Stephanie

[sianelin]

Hi

Thank you for your advice Stephanie, from experience how long do they take to get over loosing their calves, she's climbing the walls.
Luckily we have never experienced this before and want what's best for the heifer

[Saffy]

It does vary.

If I can I leave the calf with the mother for them to "realise" that it is dead, for at least 24 hours. I take the calf away once they have lost interest.

Is she trying to get over the death or the fact that it has been removed?

They are clever little moo cows and seem to understand when there is something not right, they may...push it about a bit in an attempt to get it to rise but its not as if it is going to do it any harm..... She will calm down gradually now, with or without the calf. Tomorrow she will be a little better and better again the next day, by the end of the week she will be fine. Just because she wanted that calf does not mean she would accept another, it would be lovely if it did!!!

I will PM my number, ring if you are concerned, I have given my opinion, others may well say different. I have kept dexters for about 10 years and was a dairy farmer before that, so can probably answer any questions if you have any, I will certainly do my best.

It will all calm down....so sorry that it is dead, not very nice for you.

Stephanie

[Louisa Gidney]

Sian, trying looking through the old threads as this topic has been covered before.
How well handled is your heifer? Is she haltered, been shown, will tie up, used to having udder handled? If not, I would not advise fostering as it will be traumatic for everyone.
I agree with Saffy to leave the dead calf with her for a couple of days.
I used to double suckle and have fostered a calf onto a cow who had a stillborn calf. It is work and needs time, not good if you have to go out to work. I dried off a cow with a stillborn calf once as job commitments meant I just did not have the time to foster one on to her.

[Saffy]

Morning Sian,

Has the heifer calmed at all yet?

Stephanie

[sianelin]

Hi

Sorry for the delay in getting back to you, we kept her in a stable with some pet lambs and she settled down the after two days, she is now out in the field as if nothing happened.

I think drying her off was the best decision all round

Thank you for the advice

Sian