Calves only sucking 2 quaters

JDF

Member
Livestock Farmer
I have 2 calves coming up to 2 weeks old that have both only sucked from one half of their mothers, the other side looks pretty big on both mothers. Should I get them in the crush & milk the other 2 quarters?

I thought after a couple of weeks the calves would have found them. If left could it cause any issues in the future?
 

JDF

Member
Livestock Farmer
Here's a couple of photos of one of the mothers
 

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ladycrofter

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Highland
Due to the age of your calves (not newborn) I would milk her out a bit as I found the teats can get dry, the plug can get stuck and the bag can get sore, not to mention what state the milk will be in when they finally start sucking there.

They will smell the new milk on that side and hopefully go over. I have never had one continue to refuse to go to the other side after doing that. If she is calm, you can stand and tap the calf's nose with a stick to get them to switch over. They can be bloody minded but eventually hunger will see them on all 4.
 

David1968

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
SW Scotland
Get them in, check for mastitis, and empty them out. Smear some milk on the outside of the teats and see if the calf comes to them. If still no luck bring them in again and separate the calves for a night. When you let the calves in again try and make them go to that side of the cow.

If all else fails you'll just have to stick a couple of dry cow tubes in for safety and let them go.
 

JDF

Member
Livestock Farmer
Thanks for the advice, I have one of the mothers already in as her calf didn't have a very good start, I'l get her in the crush tomorrow & empty them out & try encouraging the calf to them.

Other than drying up later in the lactation period, if left they wouldn't cause any ill lasting effects to the cow?
 

Anymulewilldo

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Cheshire
I tend too milk them out if the calves aren’t rotating round the bag. Generally I milk into a clean bucket and freeze it. Never know when you’ll get a calf in need of a boost! Shame too waste colostrum on those type of calves once they are 2 days old! If she’s tight I find them more likely too kick the calf off. Once the pressures off I usually see the calf on them the day after 👌🏻👍

never seems too make much difference the next year.
 
Thanks for the advice, I have one of the mothers already in as her calf didn't have a very good start, I'l get her in the crush tomorrow & empty them out & try encouraging the calf to them.

Other than drying up later in the lactation period, if left they wouldn't cause any ill lasting effects to the cow?
I have yet to see this cause problems in a healthy animal, particularly in beef cows as they tend to be pretty robust when it comes to mastitis resistance.

I certainly wouldn't be using any dry cow tubes or antibiotics.
 

ladycrofter

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Highland
Thanks for the advice, I have one of the mothers already in as her calf didn't have a very good start, I'l get her in the crush tomorrow & empty them out & try encouraging the calf to them.

Other than drying up later in the lactation period, if left they wouldn't cause any ill lasting effects to the cow?
Yes as said, you run the risk of mastitis which if bad can ruin a quarter. It won't milk well and seems to congest easily, encouraging further bouts of it.
 

ladycrofter

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Highland
Sh*t happens 🙄. I agree I wouldn't automatically tube her, but if she's milking out seriously bad, bloody stuff, you need to. Or if the quarter is hot or hard.
Otherwise if she's just a bit clotty, she should come good with a calf on it.
 
Had one last week, calf wasn't sooking two back quarters initially then when it tried the cow was kicking off as they were starting to get sore, quarter a bit tight. Brought her in, milk from both sides was discoloured. Tubed, alamycin LA and metacam. All seems well now. She's a bucket reared Hereford X, quite a vessel of milk. If things get much tighter, I might buy a milking machine!
 
Really? You'd change your entire system for the sake of a couple of tubes in a one-off situation?
No, for a one off I'd cull that cow!

If it happened regularly I'd be changing something, maybe calve earlier, keep them on barer fields for a bit or keep a more hairy cow to protect from flies or simply use some fly treatment.

Going forward ABs are probably going to be restricted, I'd prefer to be ahead of that, particularly on the completely unnecessary ones.
 
Had one last week, calf wasn't sooking two back quarters initially then when it tried the cow was kicking off as they were starting to get sore, quarter a bit tight. Brought her in, milk from both sides was discoloured. Tubed, alamycin LA and metacam. All seems well now. She's a bucket reared Hereford X, quite a vessel of milk. If things get much tighter, I might buy a milking machine!
This is why I don't like calving around peak grass time, cows don't need that level of nutrition to feed one little calf.
 
This is why I don't like calving around peak grass time, cows don't need that level of nutrition to feed one little calf.
Yes, you have a point. She started to bag up seriously when they were still on the sacrifice field being fed ordinary silage. The dairy genetics coming through, I suppose. The rest are milking away nicely and putting on a bit of condition.
 

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