Calfs sucking each others navels

Could try nipple pails or a nipple bar, hard to stop group fed calves from sucking each other. Went to a calf and heifer conference in the states where they said that calves are looking for that suckling action to help them feel more full.
 

Steveyboy!

Member
Could try nipple pails or a nipple bar, hard to stop group fed calves from sucking each other. Went to a calf and heifer conference in the states where they said that calves are looking for that suckling action to help them feel more full.
I agree the drive to suckle in a calf is it's main priority. I did once feed some lim cross calves from buckets with nipples and that did help just because they had satisfied there suckling desire but it didn't cure. It wasn't intended, they were just too daft to take to the bucket plus they had been on there mum's for a good week which didn't help them. Maybe a nipple bar with adlib milk. Never tried it so can't comment but guess it would work. Just another expense
 

Werzle

Member
Location
Midlands
As above - anyone got a cure or a smart fix for stopping bucket fed calves from sucking each others navels?
Try and get them in the habit of eating pellets/mix as soon as they have had there milk. Rattle the pellets in a trough or let them suck your finger with some pellets in the palm of your hand. They usually grow out of it otherwise, i wouldnt use anti suck devices tbh
 

Bald Rick

Moderator
Livestock Farmer
Location
Anglesey
You won’t get this if you feed them with teats is the only answer I can think of.

Interestingly, in Denmark farmers have to provide dummy teats for the calves to suck at even if they are lapping from a trough. Danes were making them out of old liners ... and we think RT is mad
 

milkloss

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
East Sussex
Interestingly, in Denmark farmers have to provide dummy teats for the calves to suck at even if they are lapping from a trough. Danes were making them out of old liners ... and we think RT is mad

It might sound strange but it would actually be something I would happily comply with! Annoys me a little to see them sucking each other and buggering up navels and undeveloped udders. Another one of my little quirks I suppose o_O
 

som farmer

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
somerset
idividual pens, and single bucket tits, double up at 4/5 weeks, when they are eating pellets well, they do tend to try and suck the next calf, but usually end up licking each others mouth. If anyone is thinking of using 'spikes' in young calves, please think again, you do not know who is about, last week we had a water trough overflow in the calf shed, bedded area dry, feed area 2 ins water, lady there taking photo's, ranting on how cruel it was keeping calves inside, how awful we were, how she was going to ring the rspca etc, but she must have been right round our buildings to see them, I repeat the warning, I can't even imagine the uproar, if young calves were photoed wearing them !!!!!! For reference, an rspca officer has NO right of entry onto your property, unless accompanied by a policeman, if she does, she is trespassing, had this when we kept sheep, they like to argue it, but it is right We were getting near weekly visits from them, some stirring little s### in the village, never found anything wrong (thankfully) but I worked on the theory, that one time they might !!!! that's when I found out the above, visits stopped.
 

Kiwi Pete

Member
Livestock Farmer
I have them sucking 5 tit feeders - 'bucket reared' was just the easiest way to describe them..
Apologies for being flip - I know how annoying it is

How old are they?
Salt can help, I know folk who simply wash out their feeder and leave an inch of water in the bottom, the calves then clean out the teats and it puts their sucking habit to bed, or so they say.
Haven't tried that yet, as a lump of salt and a rubber ball or 2 seem to work for us.
 

unlacedgecko

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Fife
idividual pens, and single bucket tits, double up at 4/5 weeks, when they are eating pellets well, they do tend to try and suck the next calf, but usually end up licking each others mouth. If anyone is thinking of using 'spikes' in young calves, please think again, you do not know who is about, last week we had a water trough overflow in the calf shed, bedded area dry, feed area 2 ins water, lady there taking photo's, ranting on how cruel it was keeping calves inside, how awful we were, how she was going to ring the rspca etc, but she must have been right round our buildings to see them, I repeat the warning, I can't even imagine the uproar, if young calves were photoed wearing them !!!!!! For reference, an rspca officer has NO right of entry onto your property, unless accompanied by a policeman, if she does, she is trespassing, had this when we kept sheep, they like to argue it, but it is right We were getting near weekly visits from them, some stirring little s### in the village, never found anything wrong (thankfully) but I worked on the theory, that one time they might !!!! that's when I found out the above, visits stopped.

RSPCA have no right of entry full stop. Doesn't matter who they have with them.

Police have no right of entry unless they suspect a crime is being committed or they have a warrant. Video all interactions.

If police and RSPCA turn up with a warrant carefully read it in detail. Only those persons specified on the warrant have right of entry, insist all others wait at the property line.
 

som farmer

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
somerset
RSPCA have no right of entry full stop. Doesn't matter who they have with them.

Police have no right of entry unless they suspect a crime is being committed or they have a warrant. Video all interactions.

If police and RSPCA turn up with a warrant carefully read it in detail. Only those persons specified on the warrant have right of entry, insist all others wait at the property line.
have been told they can enter with policeman, especialy if worded correctly, it's like a nightmare, 2 people coming onto your farm, with a presumption you're guilty, and neither of them have the faintest idea of farm animals, and there welfare !!!!!!!!! once had a rspca lady who had visually body condition scored our flock of sheep !!!!! she got told where to go, but then she called in the ministry vets, who found nothing wrong, with movement records, medicine records all scrutinised, and getting follow up visits, which then moved onto cattle records, went on for 2 years, and they never found anything whatsoever wrong, in fact, they complimented us on our stock, and record keeping. I reckon we were an easy visit to tick boxes !
 

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