Adopting beef calf

[Working from home]

I was adopting a calf on last year and the cow didn't seem to take to the adopted calf. I stood in that pen twice a day every day for what seemed ages. So when it came to letting out time I thought right, he will probably get stuck in elsewhere and if all fails he will just have to come back in. So off down the field they went. Looked at them that night and stood there in the middle of the field was said cow and adopted calf drinking away like a good'un!!!!

 

[Thick Farmer]

Take both of them to the mart and cash them in.

 

[Hilly]

I was adopting a calf on last year and the cow didn't seem to take to the adopted calf. I stood in that pen twice a day every day for what seemed ages. So when it came to letting out time I thought right, he will probably get stuck in elsewhere and if all fails he will just have to come back in. So off down the field they went. Looked at them that night and stood there in the middle of the field was said cow and adopted calf drinking away like a good'un!!!!

Sometimes they are shy and dont let calves suck when watched close .

 

[egbert]

It's all been said.

Keep calf behind hurdle between feeds so it doesn't bother her.
Use feed as bribe each feed.
Have dog near to hand while calf feeds.
Carry a stick.

it's a chore, but she'll likely come in the end.

 

[norse]

We had one a few years ago, had to keep the calf separate to avoid bullying and kept the cow penned next to it,we got fed up after 6 weeks and let the cow out in the pen with the others and brought her in twice a day to the calf,she still didn't want it so we put the calf with them thinking it would pinch elsewhere but once with the rest the cow constantly watched it and called it,we left them to it, job done, any since were skinned and accepted the calf immediately, good job as they begun to stink after a couple of days.

 

[ollie989898]

There I was reading the title of the thread and thinking it was a post on behalf of some vegan animal rescue/liberation organisation.

 

[Uggman]

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.

Yeah shackles work quiet well and a dog helps rope round the neck the cows give up a lot quicker and I swear by restricting water to the cow gives you longer for the calf to suck+ cake and the calf don't scour thou drinking water

 

[hendrebc]

I was adopting a calf on last year and the cow didn't seem to take to the adopted calf. I stood in that pen twice a day every day for what seemed ages. So when it came to letting out time I thought right, he will probably get stuck in elsewhere and if all fails he will just have to come back in. So off down the field they went. Looked at them that night and stood there in the middle of the field was said cow and adopted calf drinking away like a good'un!!!!

Someone told me with sheep sometimes they prefer the adopted lamb they don't like over the rest of the lambs in the field so will take the adopted ine better with other lambs about because they don't want strange lambs stealing milk from them. I'm not sure that's the exact reason it happens but maybe the same thing happened there with your calf?

 

[Lazy Eric]

We used to adopt a few calves here and there until our vet said it as bad for bio security to buy young calves in if you really didn’t have to. Don’t bother any more , just dry them off. If it’s a really fit cow that will be as fat as hell by next winter I cash it in , if young enough and won’t be much bother she gets another go and a summer with no kids !

 

[Hilly]

We used to adopt a few calves here and there until our vet said it as bad for bio security to buy young calves in if you really didn’t have to. Don’t bother any more , just dry them off. If it’s a really fit cow that will be as fat as hell by next winter I cash it in , if young enough and won’t be much bother she gets another go and a summer with no kids !

Ive never bought a calf in for twenty years , id regard it as financial suicide , thankfully i have the odd set of twins for set ons or as you say dru off and bye bye .

 

[David1968]

We had one a few years ago, had to keep the calf separate to avoid bullying and kept the cow penned next to it,we got fed up after 6 weeks and let the cow out in the pen with the others and brought her in twice a day to the calf,she still didn't want it so we put the calf with them thinking it would pinch elsewhere but once with the rest the cow constantly watched it and called it,we left them to it, job done, any since were skinned and accepted the calf immediately, good job as they begun to stink after a couple of days.

Yes, that often works as a last roll of the dice. Suddenly it's the only calf in the group the cow recognises.

 

[Whitepeak]

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.

If we don't see any improvement after a week/10days I usually give up tbh. No point pissing the cow off twice a day, and risking you or the calf getting hurt.

 

[Suffolksucklers]

Have you got anything with a calf you can put beside her? We often find it helps as they see the other one mothering hers and then takes a bit more to an adoptee. We had one last year which was a cesar on a bought in calf heifer and she didn't want to know her own calf. Had a yard free as rest of herd was out so could use self locking yokes and calf used to just come up as soon as he saw her lock in. Rather busy with other things and wasn't really any work so was still at it after four weeks when suddenly calf wouldn't come up to suck and then caught him sucking on his own but cow still not really interested in it. Eventually moved her into a pen next door to a newly calved cow so we could take calf to market next sale and she suddenly started mothering him properly so ended up keeping it. On the other hand had another heifer which wouldn't let her calf suck unless you had a hand on her back for eight weeks, she was culled

 

[Jim bean]

Turn them out in a small paddock together you may be surprised.

 

[M-J-G]

If i dont have a skin indont bother now , i aint got the time, skin 20 mins and never had a fail cattle or sheep ,

Amen brutha