Barnyard surprise

[tomstractorsandtoys]

We have a fall calving beef herd. Most in Aug-Sept. While away at a sale last fall wife called and said she found a dead calf in the pasture and was pretty sure it was cow number 2. She checks cows every day even twice during calving. We had just bought her and was not happy but that is the way it goes sometimes. Yesterday evening when we went to feed silage there stands 2 with a newborn calf. We had -26 last night and the forcast is bitter for the next 10 days. We put the calf in the shop and dried it off and put the cow in a well bedded pen under the old barn. After the calf was dry we returned it to the mom. This morning they both look good. The old barn has no water in it so I am not sure what to do now. I do not mind hauling water to her but the next weeks weather looks brutal. It might be easier to just bottle feed the calf than keep them together. Next years project is to redo under the barn for three nice box stalls and a waterer for times like this. Even a catch shute is on the list for bad weather or sick cows and calves. If I would put a bird bath heater in a water tub would that be safe if she drank it dry sometime? I am not sure I will even be able to find any heaters in stock right now with the bitter cold spell we are having. The dead calf my wife found must have been a twin. So the plus side is that if it lives I have one more calf and if it does not well I didn't think I had it anyway so no loss. Tom

 

[Bruce from Can.]

This doesn?t add up for me. If your wife found a dead calf in the pasture in the last week of August, and this new calf born yesterday to cow number 2. Tells me that for the dead calf in the pasture to have been a twin of the live calf you have now, both born to cow number 2 , the calf in the pasture wouldn?t look like much, being nearly 5 months premature. And cow number 2 could have gotten rebred and had anothe entire pregnancy in just 5 months. So, either the calf in the pasture was some other cows twin, or it was cow 2 had the calf and it died. And now some other cow has calved , and cow 2 has stolen the other cows calf. Or is this just cow 2?s calf and she had nothing to do with the earlier dead calf. This is why pregnancy checking cows helps manage large and small herds alike

 

[Crazy Horse]

I'm not cattle guy so I need you to say that again Bruce. Ha, just kidding ....

 

[tomstractorsandtoys]

It must have been a twin to a different cow as we had several calves born close together. She had not calved but was acting like it was hers for some reason. With cows out on pasture you can not handle them like you can cows in confinement and I guess I got to sloppy by just assuming it was number 2's calf. We tag all of the calves when born and since 2 never was seen with a calf we thought (wrongly) that it was hers. She came with eight cows we bought so we no real calving date idea and our vet is terrible about dates on beef cows. With the dairy cows we preg checked once a month so had a better idea. With beef we preg check in Feb or March so much harder to get good dates. Sorry I did not make myself more clear. Tom

 

[Duane WI]

Growing up we had a dairy cow that became lame. She was dry at the time and it was summer so my dad just left her in the pasture where there was a running spring for water. She just sort of disappeared for a couple of months. We would occasionally see her so we new she was still around. She was healing up and doing okay so we just left her to herself. One day we see she has a calf. Sort of surprised my dad. The bonus was it was a heifer.

 

[JD Seller]

Tom just take an empty lick tub and put it for the cow. Just carry her 7-10 gallon twice each day. She will be thirsty enough to drink it dry before it freezes. Fifteen to twenty gallons of water a day is enough for her in cold weather. I have done this many times in really cold weather. She does not need 24/7 water. In a day or so she will learn to drink ASAP. Also if there is any water that freezes you can easily lift a small tub out.

I would not worry about a heated waterer for this cow. In a week or two that calf will be good enough to weather the cold if they can get out of the wind.

 

[in-too-deep]

Leave calf with mom and haul water. Try to buy a rubber water tub so you can break the ice out easily if it freezes. I promise its easier than bottle feeding and the calf will be way better off in the long run. Also, I 2nd what Seller said.

 

[M Nut]

Keep calf with mama. If it is out of the wind and has dry bedding, it will be just fine. One week of carrying water to cow will be well worth your time in the long run.

 

[Bonnan]

This is one old non farmer who really marvels at what you cattle/cow farmers do to make a buck!
Jim B

 

[ditchwitch]

Dang I had to read that 2 times to keep up with how many calfs cow number 2 had. What happen to cow number one

 

[Lazy WP]

Once the calf is dry just kick them back out. Beef critters don?t need the pampering that most people give em

 

[K Effective]

Where are you Tom? I've got two tank heaters I'm not using, and a tank for that matter. You're welcome to them. keffective at s b c global dot net

 

[MJMJ]

Haul water for a couple days and then kick them out with the rest. Calf will be just fine. Bottle feeding should be absolute last resort, as in not unless the cow is dead last resort.

 

[rockyridgefarm]

Just keep them both in the house basement. Number 2 can drink out of the washing machine. Your wife won't mind

 

[RedRoundhead]

We just had 5 calves in the last month, lol. Had 1 calf in August, as planned - not sure what my bulls problem was, lol.

I kept the cows and calves together in the barn for 5 days each time - seem to get along fine in the herd after that. My beef cattle usually hang outside, and are free to go in and out of the barn. Waters are in the barn. Barn is chilly, but breeze-free.

Good advice from JD - beefers dont need as much water as dairy cattle. Hauling water for 5 days is not too terrible. You canput them both out with the herd after that.

Best of luck! I know how it goes - lost a calf this year due to its mom (a heifer) step on, and snap its neck. How ridiculous.

In the middle of a pasture, no less. Gee whiz.

 

[rockyridgefarm]

(quoted from post at 20:24:31 01/26/19)
Just keep them both in the house basement. Number 2 can drink out of the washing machine. Your wife won't mind

According to their website, this is In Stock at F&F in Platteville for $27