Adopting beef calf

Angus2000

Member
Livestock Farmer
I have first time Hereford heifer calved with a dead calf, trying to adopt on a Angus calf to it. Been tying her up for 2 weeks now and still won’t take calf, any suggestion/advice?
 

Whitepeak

Member
Livestock Farmer
Does she let the calf suck when tied up? Or just kicks it off?
Are you leaving the calf in with her between feeds or keeping separate?
We tend to give a bit of corn when suckling them. Often get them behind a gate or tie up to start with and keep giving them more space as they get more used to the calf.
But some never take to a calf, culled one last week that never took to a calf.
 

Angus2000

Member
Livestock Farmer
Does she let the calf suck when tied up? Or just kicks it off?
Are you leaving the calf in with her between feeds or keeping separate?
We tend to give a bit of corn when suckling them. Often get them behind a gate or tie up to start with and keep giving them more space as they get more used to the calf.
But some never take to a calf, culled one last week that never took to a calf.
At the minute we can get her to stand with cake in front of her for 5 mins max then starts kicking. Just been halter tying her up behind a gate to get her to stand after. She has improved since calf was first put in but just feels like it’s taking longer than it should and loosing the will with her.
 

Hfd Cattle

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Hereford
They usually take with patience but sometimes it just won't happen .
I shut them up real tight so she hasn't got much room to turn if they are awkward but it's usually patience that does it . Don't give up it will be worth it .
Next time save the afterbirth if it's born dead and smother it over the foster calf .
 

valtraman

Member
I have a pen with self locking yoke to restrain it while letting calf suckle . Always have the calf behind sheep hurdles in pen with it so she can’t hurt it and calf won’t annoy her . She can then go to calf as she pleases. Not been beat yet.
 

nails

Member
Location
East Dorset
I have first time Hereford heifer calved with a dead calf, trying to adopt on a Angus calf to it. Been tying her up for 2 weeks now and still won’t take calf, any suggestion/advice?

Keep going , i had a Simmental heifer last year with a dead calf and it took a month to get her to accept a foster calf. I Quite unusual for a simmental especially as the foster calf was a twin from the same group of heifers.
 

BrianV

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Dartmoor
I have first time Hereford heifer calved with a dead calf, trying to adopt on a Angus calf to it. Been tying her up for 2 weeks now and still won’t take calf, any suggestion/advice?
We've had exactly the same & usually at the point you are about to give up she suddenly decides she wants the darn thing, best if you can put them in a building on their own & if you've got a bit of molasses smear it on the calf if she's anything like ours they all like licking something sweet. :)
Having a dog with you when you let it suck sometimes helps.
 

milkloss

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
East Sussex
Usually we'd get an awkward cow to put up with the calf (I.e. not try and kill it) and if it's strong enough we then mix the pair with some other calved cows that are flexible. You'll find a strong calf will get feed somehow even if not from the one you want. You'll then wish youd chopped her head off anyway.

other option is to get some shackles on her so he can have a half feed and then top the calf up with powder so she doesn't get p1ssed off. I'm not sure having the calf penned away is helping but appreciate you might not have a choice.
 

Treecreeper

Member
Livestock Farmer
I've said this before on here. When the cow is restrained, drop a length of rope long enough to tie a loop around its girth. Place behind one pin and in front of the other making sure its in front of the udder. Slip one end of the rope through a loop at the top and pull tight, the cow may rock a bit and try to fidget but can't kick the calf frees up time to do other things while the calf feeds.
 

Radio

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Radnorshire
As said patience, if cow kicks tie one front leg up,stops moving back legs off ground. Cake her as well to help take her mind off calf. If she improves have suckled calves outside,cornering up morning and night with cake and stick. One day you will look and see calf sucking in middle of field. Stay with it,good luck.
 

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