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Too young to wean ?

  • 22-05-2013 8:40am
    #1
    Alibaba
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 506 ✭✭✭


    Have a 4 week old Limousin heifer suckler calf.

    Her mother died Monday night.

    Problem is despite repeated efforts the calf won't drink any milk from a teat bucket.

    Eating a bit of hay alrite and nibble a few nuts.

    Just wondering is she too young to wean ?


Comments

  • #2
    bbam
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,410 ✭✭✭bbam


    Its not ideal..

    What about water? Is she drinking fresh water at all? this will be a big bearing on how successful she will be..

    At weaning she should be consuming 1Kg of high protein concentrate, fresh water and straw/hay (straw more preferrable)

    From your description you could be in trouble...


    The best advice is stick it out a bit longer.. Keep her hydrated, best done with 2l electrolyte twice a day. Once its seperated 30mins or more from the feed it will actually help appetite for feeding..

    We've had success in the past by leaving the teat feeder with the calf with milk in it.. Smear the teat in honey or treakle. Keep the calf in a small pen where there is little chioce only investigate the teat..

    Frustrating and time consuming..


  • #3
    mf240
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,881 ✭✭✭mf240


    Buy the peach tit calf nurser bottle it's give you great control.

    Then when she's hungry catch her in a corner and hold tit in her mouth and after a while she should suck it.
    Warm up proper milk for the first turn or two.

    She is very young to be off milk.


  • #4
    freedominacup
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,920 ✭✭✭freedominacup


    A "bet" white teat might be your best hope to get her started. One that milk is dribbling out of slowly. Lims are difficult at the best of times to hand rear. Small feeds and often if you can to get her going.


  • #5
    Alibaba
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 506 ✭✭✭Alibaba


    Thanks lads.
    I'll struggle on with her, though we're going to have a few battles i'd say.


  • #6
    Dampintheattic
    Closed Accounts Posts: 839 ✭✭✭Dampintheattic


    Women, have more patience for a job like that. It just takes patience and persistance. The will to survive, will bring out the suck reflex on something / anything, with patience and persistance. Good luck with it. It's a great satisfaction, to get them going agaainst the odds.:p


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  • #7
    redzerologhlen
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,329 ✭✭✭redzerologhlen


    mf240 wrote: »
    Buy the peach tit calf nurser bottle it's give you great control.

    Then when she's hungry catch her in a corner and hold tit in her mouth and after a while she should suck it.
    Warm up proper milk for the first turn or two.

    She is very young to be off milk.
    . +1 on the peach tit, bought one of the 2l nurser bottles a few years back and have found it to be a godsend.


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