Novice Suckler Cow Calving Advice

[H.M.]

Thought I may as well put my question in here instead of starting a new thread[emoji4]
A cow had twins last week, two weeks early, and after a week of tlc she still doesn't even have enough milk for 1[emoji52] she's on silage, fodderbeet and a barley/beans mix, but she won't eat the beans unless you hand feed her them with milk powder sprinkled on them banghead: she's also remembered, at 5 years old, that she was a bucket reared calf and so when bottle feeding the calves she drinks whatever milk they leave [emoji1] hence the not eating beans unless they taste like milk powder [emoji16] any tips to get her to start milking more?
Also had some heifers calve a couple of weeks ago, they've got loads of milk, would it be wise to foster one of the twins onto one of them, or with them only being first calvers would suckling two calves pull them down too much?

 

[Alicecow]

Could you rotate them all round, adding a bottle here and there as you go?

 

[Northeastfarmer]

Thought I may as well put my question in here instead of starting a new thread[emoji4]
A cow had twins last week, two weeks early, and after a week of tlc she still doesn't even have enough milk for 1[emoji52] she's on silage, fodderbeet and a barley/beans mix, but she won't eat the beans unless you hand feed her them with milk powder sprinkled on them banghead: she's also remembered, at 5 years old, that she was a bucket reared calf and so when bottle feeding the calves she drinks whatever milk they leave [emoji1] hence the not eating beans unless they taste like milk powder [emoji16] any tips to get her to start milking more?
Also had some heifers calve a couple of weeks ago, they've got loads of milk, would it be wise to foster one of the twins onto one of them, or with them only being first calvers would suckling two calves pull them down too much?

Beans are bitter...get some soya that'll put milk on her...or grass

 

[H.M.]

Could you rotate them all round, adding a bottle here and there as you go?

Yes could try doing that, just until she has enough milk of her own

Beans are bitter...get some soya that'll put milk on her...or grass

The local mill only had beans or a calf mix, but that should have some soya in so its the next thing to try[emoji106] did think of mowing the lawn and taking her the grass

 

[Henarar]

No horns here, sorry!

your not horny then ?

 

[Alicecow]

your not horny then ?

Fraid not!

 

[Lazy Eric]

Do you think bolusing is more cost effective than mineral buckets?

Bolus cattle and sheep twice a year, job done, only bought in minerals are the mag buckets. Our stock are performing better than when on min buckets alone.

 

[choochter]

Bolus cattle and sheep twice a year, job done, only bought in minerals are the mag buckets. Our stock are performing better than when on min buckets alone.

Performing better in what way?

 

[DrWazzock]

I let a small cow with her calf out of the calving pen back into the group. Next thing the big ones are bashing her around again so back in the pen she goes.

Why do they have to be so aggressive with one another? I am going to have to build another pen for the shyer calved cows, otherwise there is going to be an injury.

Strangely they are really friendly with me, sauntering over to have their back scratched but with one another they sometimes go mental. Not just a butt, but they'll get the small cow off its legs and keep ramming it into the wall or feeder. Barstewards.

My mistake for having mixed sizes I suppose, but other farmers have commented how agressive my British White cows are with one another.

Is it a breed thing or are all cows like this?

Another minor thing. Separating a cow and calf off from the herd while they undergo assistance with a dopey calf or whatever seems to put them in a depression. I have seen this before where a house cow we had nearly pined to death during the time between the last fatteners going away and the followers being turned out into her paddock, when she made an instant recovery.

Funny old things.

 

[Sharpy]

Nah its a piece of cake. In the crush, grab the top lip and lift, hang on for dear life while she swings you around, try an get the gun in her mouth without being bitten or the gun being snapped or getting a face full of saliva, ease it down and pull the trigger, take the gun out and let go.

Then repeat after she spits it out on the floor

Easy I tell you, easy

We did ours in the yokes, I stand to one side, back against the barrier, grab both sides of mouth (upper lips), lift, she opens mouth , assistant inserts applicator, boluses and withdraws applicator, I then let go of cow and he sticks a bucket of cake in their face. Idea is that they swallow the bolus as they swallow the cake. Worked fine, 30 mins later no regurgitated boluses.

 

[Lazy Eric]

Performing better in what way?

With the cattle, less barren cows, fewer dopey calves, sheep, fewer barren ewes, weaned lambs just generally doing better.

 

[holwellcourtfarm]

I let a small cow with her calf out of the calving pen back into the group. Next thing the big ones are bashing her around again so back in the pen she goes.

Why do they have to be so aggressive with one another? I am going to have to build another pen for the shyer calved cows, otherwise there is going to be an injury.

Strangely they are really friendly with me, sauntering over to have their back scratched but with one another they sometimes go mental. Not just a butt, but they'll get the small cow off its legs and keep ramming it into the wall or feeder. Barstewards.

My mistake for having mixed sizes I suppose, but other farmers have commented how agressive my British White cows are with one another.

Is it a breed thing or are all cows like this?

Another minor thing. Separating a cow and calf off from the herd while they undergo assistance with a dopey calf or whatever seems to put them in a depression. I have seen this before where a house cow we had nearly pined to death during the time between the last fatteners going away and the followers being turned out into her paddock, when she made an instant recovery.

Funny old things.

Quite normal in cattle. Folk who don't know them think they are friendly, docile animals. In reality they are mean to each other. You can learn alot by standing watching them for half an hour at a time occasionally. You'll see a cow stroll up to another then give it one hell of a whack. They are all constantly jostling for place in the herd "pecking order". At the first sign of weakness those just below in order will wade in to try to move up. When you separate one, even for a short time, they will need to check where she fits back in. You can't stop it, you just have to learn to let them.

Just don't do it with bulls though - you can easily end up with a dead one.

 

[CharcoalWally]

I let a small cow with her calf out of the calving pen back into the group. Next thing the big ones are bashing her around again so back in the pen she goes.

Why do they have to be so aggressive with one another? I am going to have to build another pen for the shyer calved cows, otherwise there is going to be an injury.

Strangely they are really friendly with me, sauntering over to have their back scratched but with one another they sometimes go mental. Not just a butt, but they'll get the small cow off its legs and keep ramming it into the wall or feeder. Barstewards.

My mistake for having mixed sizes I suppose, but other farmers have commented how agressive my British White cows are with one another.

Is it a breed thing or are all cows like this?

Another minor thing. Separating a cow and calf off from the herd while they undergo assistance with a dopey calf or whatever seems to put them in a depression. I have seen this before where a house cow we had nearly pined to death during the time between the last fatteners going away and the followers being turned out into her paddock, when she made an instant recovery.

Funny old things.

If other farmers are commenting on how aggressive these particular cows are , then I think there is your answer. British Whites may be particularly aggressive , I wouldn't know , but I know that when I switched from Native cows to Continental cows , the herd quietened down immediately. Aggression levels towards each other fell right away.

Yes , mixed sizes of cows doesn't help. A level sized herd is easier to manage.

If the cows are nasty , then maybe don't scratch them on their back. If a cow gets in to the habit of looking for your attention , and you maybe don't have the time to give her any , she'll take out her annoyance on another cow. If they see you scratching another cow , then they'll want your attention and will whack the other cow out of the way. If you encourage one to think that she's a favourite , then she'll behave like a favourite. And if she thinks you've found another favourite , then she won't like it and it'll turn nasty.

If this all sounds unlikely , then just watch them. Cows are pretty much like us. They can feel a wide range of emotions , and if they're very socialised with humans , then they'll develop them.

If it turns out that that's just the way they are , and that the way that you handle them makes no difference , then I am honest enough with myself to admit that I'd be hard pressed to accept a cow that will bulldoze another cow off her feet.

That would drive me up the wall. I loathe all bullies , human and bovine.

 

[GenuineRisk]

As @CharcoalWally says above, I think most continentals are quieter? We have a couple of pedigree Blue alpha cows but they aren't excessively agressive. Some of our recips, though, over the years have been a bit mental - crosses of all sorts of breeds ! However, compared to a herd of mares, I think cows are extremely placid and tolerant, especially when mixed cows and calves in together - can't remember any cows being mean to other's calves but you wouldn't find the same degree of tolerance with mares!!

 

[marshfarmer]

I've got about 10 dairy cows multi suckling calves in one hut, put a couple of the poorer beefers in with them to get the better ration, big mistake they don't mix, even though the dairy cows are larger they still just shy in the corner taking a hiding, I get lots of time to observe as the shed also houses the grader, had to take the offenders out in the finish as it won't settle down.

 

[Wendy10]

I let a small cow with her calf out of the calving pen back into the group. Next thing the big ones are bashing her around again so back in the pen she goes.

Why do they have to be so aggressive with one another? I am going to have to build another pen for the shyer calved cows, otherwise there is going to be an injury.

Strangely they are really friendly with me, sauntering over to have their back scratched but with one another they sometimes go mental. Not just a butt, but they'll get the small cow off its legs and keep ramming it into the wall or feeder. Barstewards.


My mistake for having mixed sizes I suppose, but other farmers have commented how agressive my British White cows are with one another.

Is it a breed thing or are all cows like this?

Another minor thing. Separating a cow and calf off from the herd while they undergo assistance with a dopey calf or whatever seems to put them in a depression. I have seen this before where a house cow we had nearly pined to death during the time between the last fatteners going away and the followers being turned out into her paddock, when she made an instant recovery.

Funny old things.

We find all simx to be awful with other cows. Even fighting through gates, yet as you say really quiet to handle.

 

[H.M.]

Thought I may as well put my question in here instead of starting a new thread[emoji4]
A cow had twins last week, two weeks early, and after a week of tlc she still doesn't even have enough milk for 1[emoji52] she's on silage, fodderbeet and a barley/beans mix, but she won't eat the beans unless you hand feed her them with milk powder sprinkled on them banghead: she's also remembered, at 5 years old, that she was a bucket reared calf and so when bottle feeding the calves she drinks whatever milk they leave [emoji1] hence the not eating beans unless they taste like milk powder [emoji16] any tips to get her to start milking more?
Also had some heifers calve a couple of weeks ago, they've got loads of milk, would it be wise to foster one of the twins onto one of them, or with them only being first calvers would suckling two calves pull them down too much?

Scratch that, the cantankerous old bat has had a brain transplant and decided she does like beans after all[emoji35]

So her milk should start appearing soon
You've got all this to come @DrWazzock [emoji1] now you've started with them you'll never be able to shake the suckler bug off [emoji38][emoji13]
Some of ours are really aggressive with each other, just got to let them sort their pecking order out. Our worst went as a cull a few months ago, it's been a lot quieter since, she even used to attack others' calves![emoji107][emoji35]

 

[M-J-G]

We find all simx to be awful with other cows. Even fighting through gates, yet as you say really quiet to handle.

Funnily I find anything AAx to be a nasty, treacherous type, and that they tend to make mince meat out of Simmentals.

 

[Sharpy]

Funnily I find anything AAx to be a nasty, treacherous type, and that they tend to make mince meat out of Simmentals.

+++++1

 

[CharcoalWally]

Funnily I find anything AAx to be a nasty, treacherous type, and that they tend to make mince meat out of Simmentals.

+++++1

And from here , ++++++2.

Filthy natured brutes. Only cows I've had that if you put them in the head yoke would try to get their revenge by either breaking your arm or knocking your teeth out.

Had a vicious little brute 30 years ago that only gave up after 4 goes at the electric wire to get through to the cows next door to fight with them. She spent the day wandering round roaring like a bull at the other cows. She would knock them over just to amuse herself.

A tremendously good wee cow. I hated her.