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calf adoption

  • 27-01-2013 10:28pm
    #1
    topgeas
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 116 ✭✭


    brother in law lost a lim bull calf last night, only day old. he put a half twin with her. apart from skining the calf is there any other way of bonding cow to calf. the calf is a hardy fecker.


Comments

  • #2
    micky mouse
    Closed Accounts Posts: 278 ✭✭micky mouse


    I do let the cow see the calf but not smell him for a few days.always works for me


  • #3
    ootbitb
    Closed Accounts Posts: 631 ✭✭✭ootbitb


    have heard some cover both calves and the cow's nose in hairspray, unsure of the success rate though.

    also could try rubbing it all over with some of the afterbirth.


  • #4
    yellow50HX
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,828 ✭✭✭yellow50HX


    ootbitb wrote: »
    have heard some cover both calves and the cow's nose in hairspray, unsure of the success rate though.

    also could try rubbing it all over with some of the afterbirth.

    yeah we thry the afterbirth trick too. Have noticed that our cows take to calves that are the same colour as their own easier, we soemtimes but in extra calves if the cow has too much milk. they are less likely to take to a friesen than a lim or aa. We usually bale up the cow and let the let the new calf suckle then leave them in the pen with her (put watch them in case she trys to attach the calf. Its soemthing that you need a fair bit of pataenice with though.

    Had a cow that lost a calf at birth a few years back, had bought in a couple of FR calves the day before so took her calf out and put one of them in instead and wrapped him in the afterbirth, it took a while but eventually she took to him. After that she never left him out of her sight. She was the worst when it came to weaning afterwards roaring for her calf for ages.


  • #5
    reilig
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,401 ✭✭✭reilig


    A bit of glucose powder on the the calf's back and head can encourage the cow to lick him and thus put the smell of her own saliva on him.


  • #6
    49801
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,844 ✭✭✭49801


    reilig wrote: »
    A bit of glucose powder on the the calf's back and head can encourage the cow to lick him and thus put the smell of her own saliva on him.

    or precalver mineral


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  • #7
    freedominacup
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,920 ✭✭✭freedominacup


    ootbitb wrote: »
    have heard some cover both calves and the cow's nose in hairspray, unsure of the success rate though.

    also could try rubbing it all over with some of the afterbirth.

    There used to be a can of hairspray back in the day with a picture of a sheep on it for around three times the price of an ordinary can of hairspray for just such a purpose. It was made to a very precise formulation with a high concentration of "eau de screw the farmer". It was a useful extra when fostering lambs but the yellow pack stuff worked just as well.


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