The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Cattle => Topic started by: mark@farmhouse on May 13, 2013, 08:59:14 pm

Title: Calf won't nurse mother
Post by: mark@farmhouse on May 13, 2013, 08:59:14 pm

Hi all I am looking for any advice I have a 1 week old calf who won't suck from mother but will take bottle I have tried assisting on to teat but not interested , also let it get hungry but still no joy , tried in small pen to no avail . The calf has had mothers test in mouth but refusing to suck then will demolish a bottle . Any suggestions please I have been told it will eventually nurse from mother

Title: Re: Calf won't nurse mother
Post by: SallyintNorth on May 14, 2013, 07:10:59 am

You have tried squirting mum's milk into its mouth while you have it on the teat?

Has mum ever kicked or butted it away?

Title: Re: Calf won't nurse mother
Post by: shep53 on May 14, 2013, 12:16:41 pm

 I  assume that you are bottle feeding mothers milk , have you tried bottle feeding next to the teat then swapping onto teat while still sucking ??  depends how hungry you let the calf get ???

Title: Re: Calf won't nurse mother
Post by: Sbom on May 14, 2013, 01:33:37 pm

You need to let it get really hungry, then it will be easier. When you say you let it get hungry, just how long have you left it?

Title: Re: Calf won't nurse mother
Post by: sabrina on May 14, 2013, 02:07:41 pm

Was it a difficult birth ? Sometimes during the birth baby can get stuck for a bit which can cause throat and windpipe to get bruised. This makes nursing with the neck at an angle difficult. Have seen this a few times.

Title: Re: Calf won't nurse mother
Post by: mark@farmhouse on May 15, 2013, 06:58:52 am

Yes I have squirted milk in mouth from test and held it in the calf just lets the teat go I have also fed from the bottle at the udder and swapped over tests just for the calf to spit out mothers teat .
I didn't want to starve it so got a small feed about 8am then next feed 8pm it gets excited when being fed and will try go to udder / neck / tail/side but not latch on

Title: Re: Calf won't nurse mother
Post by: sabrina on May 15, 2013, 07:28:04 pm

Just an idea, what about putting some condense milk on mums teat to try and tempt calf to latch on.

Title: Re: Calf won't nurse mother
Post by: mark@farmhouse on May 15, 2013, 10:01:38 pm

I have finally got the calf to latch on for a short time by getting it to suck the mothers teat and the bottle at same time then pulling out the bottle after long time and a few choice words (they must be the reason for the limited success ) the calf got fooled and sucked on mothers teat I have left then in a small pen together and crossed everything . But at least another step forward step taken  :thumbsup:

Title: Re: Calf won't nurse mother
Post by: SallyintNorth on May 17, 2013, 01:20:31 pm

Oh well done mark  :thumbsup:, that was clearly not easy.  Good on yer for perservering.  She must be a very sweet-natured cow  :love: :cow:

Title: Re: Calf won't nurse mother
Post by: mark@farmhouse on May 18, 2013, 07:27:01 pm

Thanks Sally yes she is a fantastic little highlander who is 15 yrs young  :) she even let me milk her with no restrain at all do long as the calf was close by anyway the calf is now latching on normally and getting stronger a good end to a possible disaster
Thanks for all the suggestions and advice