Encouraging young heifer to lick calf?

Crann

Our heifer had her first calf today but is showing no interest in the calf. Is there anyway to encourage her to clean him?

blue5000

Shake salt or minerals or meal over the calf.

padowado

I found krunch very good or put calf under red lamp for a few hours i found red lamp very good

bbam

Squeezey bottle of golden syrup and run some down the back. Grand when it works but messey if it doesn't.

Bizzum

Keep the calf with the heifer at all times, just the 2 of them together if you can at close quarters. She may be still sick from calving.
Is she ignoring or attacking the calf? Is the calf up and sucking her?

Dozer1

The inlaws had one of these yeaterday, heifer sick most of the day, eventually had to be jacked out, she was excitable enough hardly noticed the calf in the pen, don't think it helped that there was 8 people there....felt for the poor brother inlaw as he was the only one doing the work, the rest were observers(the downside of bank holidays).


Don't think she made any effort to take to the calf but they'll give it time, tried the salt trick but no joy

Farmer Pudsey

When I was young when a cow calved salt was always put on the calves back, a drop of holy water on the calf and cow and a bucket of warm water for the cow. cattle need a lot of salt so it is a good way to get the mother to lick the calf. Old remedy's are often best. There is always a reason behind them