[Berkshire Boy]

How long can I leave a cow that has lost a calf before getting a foster calf? I understand the longer it is the more difficult it will be. My Dexter lost her calf Saturday afternoon and I won't be able to get a calf until Monday or Tuesday. Should I milk her or just leave her be? Thanks

[SallyintNorth]

I think you will have to milk her a little, just to relieve the pressure.  Also, you can get her used to a routine of being tied up, fed and milked, so that when the calf comes it's just one addition to an established routine

If you are happy to work with her to get her to accept the calf, I'd give it a go - but I know I can always get my Jerseys to accept a set-on eventually, even if it sometimes takes a couple of weeks, and I don't know your Dexter!

My process is to tie the cow up with some cake and set the calf on, doing whatever I need to keep the cow from kicking it off, three times a day if I can for the first couple of weeks.  (If it's too traumatic at first, I milk a third feed off and bottlefeed that, just put the calf on the cow twice a day.)  After about a week, I make sure the calf swings its bum under the cow's nose as it suckles, so she starts to smell its smelly bottom that now smells of her milk.  If you scratch the calf under and around the tailhead, it will usually lift the tail up, so she gets more of a whiff.

If she isn't aggressive to the calf, I leave the calf in with her - they are very good at working out when they can nip in and get a suck

Best of luck

[Berkshire Boy]

Thanks Sally.
 
This is the same cow that lost the calf a year ago. This time though I watched her and brought her in when she started to get a udder. She went into labour mid day saturday after a while one of the neighbours checked her and said it was breech so vet came out but unfortunately it was dead.
 
I have a guy who can get me a angus or the like on monday/ Tuesday so i will give it a good go and hopefully all will work out ok. She is pretty laid back so Im hoping she will take it in time.

[farmvet]

usually leaving the dead calf with her then putting the skin on the replacement helps too. If she kicks a bit but is not too aggressive a few days wearing hobbles can work till the calf gets quicker. They're sold in most farm shops for dairy cows to stop them doing the splits after calving

[Berkshire Boy]

Thanks farmvet.
I still have the calf in with her and will skin it when I know the foster calf is on its way. Hopefully she will take to it ok.