Heifer rejecting her own calf

[Timbo]

Got a Hereford 1st calver that delivered un-assisted on her own in a box that is rejecting the calf.

Leg flailing and pushing him around when trying to suck. Luckily he is persistent and keeps getting at her and she will stand abit with someone in the pen.

Short of Shackles and holter, any ideas?

 

[GTB]

Bit of cake in a bucket and stand with her twice a day until she gets the hang of it. Maybe keep the calf away from her apart from when it's suckling for a day or two.

 

[Hilly]

Welcome to the world of heifers.

 

[Angus Lime]

Perseverance is what you need, it may be a battle of wills for a few days but the house normally wins in the end! Like GTB says a bit of concentrate in a bucket or some good silage to chew on will normally keep them occupied for a while. I have had them so determined they have killed the calf but yours doesn't sound that bad! Perhaps think about popping her in the cull pen though any cow that needs that much time compared to the rest isn't worth keeping

 

[Northeastfarmer]

Cull the bitch

 

[Lazy Eric]

Had one just the same in January. Had to stand with it twice a day with a bucket of cake. It took us 6 weeks. Took calf off her as I’d given up, she started mooing for it and loved it ever since... the sod, but a happy ending.

 

[CharcoalWally]

Cull the bitch

If she refuses to take the calf full stop, yes .
If she needs stood with for a couple of days and then settles down, no.

 

[v8willy]

Had 1 last year throwing the calf round the pen like a ragdoll, was hard to watch but next morning they were best budies.
Years ago had a heifer calve outside & all was fine. 2 days later next one calved & they were both wanted the first calf, so brought 2nd one if for a night.
Next morning they were a pair, let them out & it started again...had to keep her in for 2~3 days to get them sorted.

 

[Paul E]

If her bag is tender you might need to milk her out empty to start with, as the calf suckling actually hurts her.
Can't really blame the bitch in that scenario.

 

[Timbo]

Just to add, calf is 4 days old now and I give her fresh silage when suckling calf...

Holter and blue wand today...

 

[Angus Lime]

If she refuses to take the calf full stop, yes .
If she needs stood with for a couple of days and then settles down, no.

Regardless of whether she takes the calf in the end or not why would you keep that animal in the herd? she could do it again next year, or if you keep a heifer calf from her then that trait could be passed on. cut your losses with her once the calf has weaned in the back end fatten her there is good money in cull cows and put on an extra bulling heifer to cover the loss far better to invest your time in a younger animal.

 

[Skyfox]

How old is she 2 or 3? We calve at two and get very few problems, but always give them a second chance as long as they take it after a day or so, otherwise there gone.

 

[CharcoalWally]

Regardless of whether she takes the calf in the end or not why would you keep that animal in the herd? she could do it again next year, or if you keep a heifer calf from her then that trait could be passed on. cut your losses with her once the calf has weaned in the back end fatten her there is good money in cull cows and put on an extra bulling heifer to cover the loss far better to invest your time in a younger animal.

Because there is a world of difference between a heifer that outright rejects her calf and one that is a bit sensitive to her milking udder being banged at by her first calffor the first couple of days.

Ask a range of first time human mothers how they felt about the breastfeeding experience and I wouldn't be surprised if you get a wide range of answers.

It had rarely happened here thankfully, but whenever it has, the heifer has never repeated it.

Heifers will , as in human law, commit varying degrees of offences, and it's up to the stock person to know and assess what he/she is seeing, and act accordingly.

Serious offences, they're out.

 

[Angus Lime]

Because there is a world of difference between a heifer that outright rejects her calf and one that is a bit sensitive to her milking udder being banged at by her first calffor the first couple of days.

Ask a range of first time human mothers how they felt about the breastfeeding experience and I wouldn't be surprised if you get a wide range of answers.

It had rarely happened here thankfully, but whenever it has, the heifer has never repeated it.

Heifers will , as in human law, commit varying degrees of offences, and it's up to the stock person to know and assess what he/she is seeing, and act accordingly.

Serious offences, they're out.

But my point is why take that risk? Modern day agriculture is far more time sensitive than it has ever been before, every job has got to be done as efficiently as possible, to get on to the next job, we took a no nonsense approach to the cattle about 8 years ago, anything with bad feet, poor milk, bad temperament etc is gone, it has made a huge difference we very rarely treat an animal for sore feet or have to help rear a calf due to poor milk, or need 3 people to help tag the calf because the cow is "a bit motherly"

Why should that animal regardless of age get anymore time spent on it than the rest?

You say she might of had a sensitive udder, then why on earth would you want to keep her?

If you sit down and work out how much time you spend with these animals and what that costs you in wages and loss of productive time it would be a no brainer cull the problem animals

 

[CharcoalWally]

But my point is why take that risk? Modern day agriculture is far more time sensitive than it has ever been before, every job has got to be done as efficiently as possible, to get on to the next job, we took a no nonsense approach to the cattle about 8 years ago, anything with bad feet, poor milk, bad temperament etc is gone, it has made a huge difference we very rarely treat an animal for sore feet or have to help rear a calf due to poor milk, or need 3 people to help tag the calf because the cow is "a bit motherly"

Why should that animal regardless of age get anymore time spent on it than the rest?

You say she might of had a sensitive udder, then why on earth would you want to keep her?

If you sit down and work out how much time you spend with these animals and what that costs you in wages and loss of productive time it would be a no brainer cull the problem animals

It's all in the background. Knowledge is power. Knowledge of your own herd , their background breeding and their behaviour patterns tells you so much of what you need to know.

When a heifer is expressing behaviour that is inconsistent with her parentage, then there's usually a logical reason. Only very, very, very rarely is a heifer a bona fide bad ' Un. (But if she is , get rid.)

If these heifers had sensitive udders as first calvers, then they never had it again.

If she settles down after a day or two, I wouldn't call that a risk.

What I would call a risk would be to boot her out and replace her with a bought in heifer of unknown health status, fertility , temperament, breeding, because that's probably the choice that most would face.

 

[AGN76]

It's all in the background. Knowledge is power. Knowledge of your own herd , their background breeding and their behaviour patterns tells you so much of what you need to know.

When a heifer is expressing behaviour that is inconsistent with her parentage, then there's usually a logical reason. Only very, very, very rarely is a heifer a bona fide bad ' Un. (But if she is , get rid.)

If these heifers had sensitive udders as first calvers, then they never had it again.

If she settles down after a day or two, I wouldn't call that a risk.

What I would call a risk would be to boot her out and replace her with a bought in heifer of unknown health status, fertility , temperament, breeding, because that's probably the choice that most would face.

Agreed, we had a heifer calve 2 years ago who was a right bitch, after a few days and the bag slackening off a bit all was fine and still is 2 stonking calves later.