|
Post by wanette on Jun 22, 2011 14:36:44 GMT -5
I'm not sure that calf is nursing much, I would have said, not at all, except I just got back from trying to give it a bottle and it wasn't interested and when I gave up she ran over to mom and gave her a short go at it. The only pee I've seen is what ended up on my pant leg this morning but when we try to help her nurse, mom is washing that end. We turned them out into a small 1 acre pen with grandma cow who was due last week, they have lots of trees and a water trough and the corral is there also. The other three are in a large adjoining pasture and they all came up for a look so of course calf went under the electric fence to say hello. The vet didn't try to get calf to nurse but cow is a good mama and doesn't kick the calf. Cow's udder looks full again, not near what it was but still full, I'm going to try and milk some tonight. This may sound crazy, but, I wonder if this calf is lazy. She will take a bottle if I put a soft goat nipple on it but won't take the harder calf nipple and it's hard work to nurse. Just thinking out loud.
Am watching for signs of dehydration, so far skin is good, gums are pink, are there any other signs to look for?
|
|
|
Post by otf on Jun 22, 2011 15:28:34 GMT -5
Honestly, I'm not sure what to advise you at this point. If the calf is bouncing around at all, it is probably nursing.
If it were me, I'd have them in a smaller enclosure and I'd be sitting there watching for pee and poop from the calf. You may not know unless you sit there and watch. One acre is quite a bit of ground to cover to check for this. After the calf naps for a couple of hours, then I'd get it up and move it over to the cow's udder...it might take a few minutes for it to wake up...after a time or two, it should be okay.
If the calf has nursed its mother at all, it will remember where to look for nourishment.
|
|
|
Post by rhonda on Jun 22, 2011 17:38:03 GMT -5
I had a little one born 2 weeks ago that I thought wasn't going to make it. I hauled him to town in my Jeep when I thought he was dying. the vet tubed him and gave a shot and home we went. We tried for about that nite and next morn to bottle but he wouldn't takeit. I sat out there all day and figured out he was nursing for what seemed like a minute to me...but he is now running around like a maniac with his tail over his back!! Maybe yours is getting more than you think?
|
|
|
Post by wanette on Jun 23, 2011 9:57:55 GMT -5
Not good news. Last night's try at milking was horrible, and as we were releasing her she threw her head and hit me in the mouth, luckly nothing was really hurt, I look really bad but it is all swelling and not broke. lesson learned, I'm old and don't move like I used to and I was tired.
Made trip back to vet to have her drained out, loading and unloading was fine but once it got down to business with her teats it was a fight. He said he had done all he could and if she developes mastisis we'll deal with that. His advise was to sell her or eat her because this will happen with every calf. Perhaps a different bull so she would throw a larger calf would help, this baby weighed 30lbs and has a very small head -small mouth.
Calf is doing well on bottle and is still trying to nurse, we're hoping that when our other cow has calf that she will take on both, I really didn't want a bottle baby.
|
|
|
Post by Star Creek Dexters on Jun 23, 2011 11:42:56 GMT -5
I'm so sorry you are having to go through all this! I wish you where closer, I would take that cow and teach her to milk for you! You have done a good, proactive job with this cow. Hang in there.
|
|
|
Post by ctownson on Jun 23, 2011 15:42:24 GMT -5
I know this is very stressful and taking a lot of your time - keep at it and good luck! Would love to see a picture of the udder and teats of the mom and one of the calf.
|
|
|
Post by wanette on Jun 23, 2011 22:07:46 GMT -5
Kimberly, be careful what you offer, lol, we are looking at the map. There is so much that I like about this cow, she wants to be a good mama, I wish I could find a solution. Milking her would be the ideal solution so if you are serious let me know.
My understanding for posting pics is to have an acccount with photobucket which I don't have. I'll try to get that done because this calf is cutie patootie.
She was up and playing tonight when I went to feed her and she took all 4 pints, with mama licking off her sloppers.
|
|
|
Post by aggieelissa on Jun 23, 2011 22:59:31 GMT -5
Howdy, You can use tinypic ( www.tinypic.com ) to upload photos with out having a photobucket account. They give you a link for posting direct to message boards. Hope this is helpful.
|
|
|
Post by Star Creek Dexters on Jun 24, 2011 7:16:39 GMT -5
Wanette, I am absolutely serious! If you want to give it a go and let her stay here for a bit, I would be happy to work with her.
|
|
|
Post by Olga on Jun 24, 2011 21:16:46 GMT -5
You can always use attachments button in your post - but you'll only be able to attach one picture per reply.
|
|