Cow not taking to second twin.

[Chasingmytail]

Got an experienced cow. I found a lone calf in field with bandy legs and a cow with a single both small. We spent an hour finding out if bandy leg calf came from any other cow and there was no evidence of any other cow so have assumed she abandoned the calf because its weaker.

Brought them in but she keeps bunting the calf. I have poured iodine on both and Lynx Africa but she still bunts it. Ive fed it Colustrum but rather she had both.

Any tips as its weak I dont want to subject it to more bunting.

 

[Pistonbroke]

We had similar once and nothing worked,quite the opposite,the more we persevered with her the worse she hit the second calf and injured it even worse. If it will take a bottle do that

 

[Optimus]

Got an experienced cow. I found a lone calf in field with bandy legs and a cow with a single both small. We spent an hour finding out if bandy leg calf came from any other cow and there was no evidence of any other cow so have assumed she abandoned the calf because its weaker.

Brought them in but she keeps bunting the calf. I have poured iodine on both and Lynx Africa but she still bunts it. Ive fed it Colustrum but rather she had both.

Any tips as its weak I dont want to subject it to more bunting.

I would just take it away.if she doesn't want it.it won't take ,had similar happen in the past.feed it off the bottle an keep it as a spare.

 

[Agrivator]

I seem to remember that one technique for fostering a second calf was to blindfold the cow. Something similar to a bull mask but I guess they have disappeared with the demise of the nasty dairy bulls. Or just poke her eyes out???????

 

[Hesstondriver]

you need to get her milk in it and let her smell the calfs poo !

if you can shut both calves off the cow for a bit and let them back on at the same time when the favorite is hungry, ideally with her in a crush or locking yokes and some cake or nuts.

but it will take a few days of doing this twice a day

 

[jendan]

We had similar once and nothing worked,quite the opposite,the more we persevered with her the worse she hit the second calf and injured it even worse. If it will take a bottle do that

Ive had this just last week,and taken the calf away to bottle feed.Mother was determined she only wanted one. She is a black Lim x cow and wants her red Lim x calf,and rejected the black twin(both heifer calves)

 

[serf]

Spare till fin calving then sell it ,

 

[Northeastfarmer]

If she’s taken a dislike to one there’s not a hope in hell of her taking it
Same as sheep, once they hate one they’ll never take it

 

[Chasingmytail]

If she’s taken a dislike to one there’s not a hope in hell of her taking it
Same as sheep, once they hate one they’ll never take it

Yeah I know what you mean done this on a few ewes. Will give it a bit of a try to get it to luck rather than endless bottle feed. We raised 3 calves a few years ago but they were truely rubbish. Not sure what we did wrong but impossible to get them to grow.

 

[Charolais cattle]

you need to get her milk in it and let her smell the calfs poo !

if you can shut both calves off the cow for a bit and let them back on at the same time when the favorite is hungry, ideally with her in a crush or locking yokes and some cake or nuts.

but it will take a few days of doing this twice a day

Even give her meal and slip her favourite calve in first to suck front one and put other calve along side it,, sucking back one, she smell her favourite first,

 

[Treg]

I had one similar afew weeks ago , she hated one of the calves, now is a really good mother to both.
Can you halter the cow / crush with open sides to keep putting calf on and drinking?
She will realise it's hers eventually.

 

[Pistonbroke]

Yeah I know what you mean done this on a few ewes. Will give it a bit of a try to get it to luck rather than endless bottle feed. We raised 3 calves a few years ago but they were truely rubbish. Not sure what we did wrong but impossible to get them to grow.

Could feed the calf until it straightens up and sell it. The other calf will do better with more milk,you might be better off.

 

[Treecreeper]

A while back one of our had twins, cleaned both up but would not let both suck at the same time, either or but not both, I tried every trick in the book but gave up after 3 weeks and put on the bucket.