Author Topic: Calf won't nurse mother (Read 3679 times)

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

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #1 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?

shep53 · « **Reply #2 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

Sbom · « **Reply #3 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?

sabrina · « **Reply #4 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.

mark@farmhouse · « **Reply #5 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

sabrina · « **Reply #6 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.

mark@farmhouse · « **Reply #7 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

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #8 on:** May 17, 2013, 01:20:31 pm »

Oh well done mark

, that was clearly not easy. Good on yer for perservering. She must be a very sweet-natured cow

mark@farmhouse · « **Reply #9 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