[pointer]

Hi folks

My heifer had a nice bull calf this morning, he's up and active but she won't let him suck! Obviously her udder's sensitive and he just gets a gentle kick away whenever he tries. He's now given up - even when I tried to put him on while she was occupied with a bucket he wasn't really interested. I'm concerned at him losing energy because he's been following Mum around a lot, and they're outdoors on a wet day with little shelter. I'm considering giving him the colostrum I recently got free from Rumenco, but I'm wary of stomach tubing myself without having done it before. Would it be OK to give this out of a bottle with a calf teat? Any advice much appreciated.
Thanks

[Rosemary]

Can you tie her up so you have plenty time to get him to suck? You could milk some colostrum off her - it would be better than bought in stuff and would get her used to having her udder handled

Are you sure he's not feeding? Check if his belly's full. We had a bull calf two years ago and I never saw him feed - I was sure he was going to stare to death but once the panic subsided, I could see him wee buckets, poo and his belly was full.

I'm not saying be blase about him because you do want to get colostrum into him before he's six hours old but they might be kidding you on.

[pointer]

Rosemary

Thanks for that. I'm pretty sure he's not fed - I wasn't there when he was born but I think I was within an hour. None of the tests looks like it's been sucked, they're a bit muddy. Based on my limited previous experience, the kicking away by the mother subsides once he's had his first feed. He seems to be losing his persistence, possibly due to being cold and wet. Mum is very restless and wandering around all the time, and he's gamely trying to follow her. But if he has a nuzzle, she either kicks or moves on.
She's never been tied up before, but I could give it a go - she's fairly docile, and is OK with me handling the calf. I just wandered if the powdered colostrum was worth doing so he at least gets something, and then I can worry about getting him latched on to the udder?

[pointer]

Should say I've never hand milked either - this is only our fourth calving. But I suppose there's a first time for everything!

[Sbom]

He needs colostrum in him ASAP, try putting down a bucket of corn for the heifer and milking some off her into a bucket. Then either get him sucking on your finger and gently lower into bucket or better still get him sucking on your milky fingers and lead him onto her teat. She should settle quite quickly but her colostrum is far superior to powdered stuff.

Good luck

[twizzel]

Definitely need some colostrum ASAP, take it you don't have access to a crush? If so put her in it and milk as much off as possible. If not you could try to tie her up or behind a gate. If ours persistently kick they are told this is not acceptable. Can you pen her up too, if they have a smaller space they are less inclined to move around and kick the calf off.

[Rosemary]

If she kicks, you could hobble her

Hope the wee fella is OK; daft bitch (heifer not you  )

[pointer]

Thanks all for advice. Vet came down in the afternoon as I had no joy bottle feeding (much trickier than lambs) but wasn't comfortable stomach tubing as I'd never done it before. So he got a litre of powdered colostrum that way, vet thought temperature was OK and advised letting him rest for a few hours. Now got mother penned up with him so she can never get more than a couple of yards away from him, hopefully his persistence will wear her down! If not I'll have another try of latching him on in the pen.

[Sbom]

Whereabouts are you? There may be someone on here willing to come and give you a hand, I would if you were near here.......

[pointer]

Sbom

Thanks for the offer, but NW Scotland is a wee bit out of the way for you! Should he be feeding through the night, or not till morning?

[Rosemary]

I think I'd want him to have a full belly at bedtime ie 11pm and again at 6am.

[twizzel]

Yes I wouldn't be going to bed without knowing he had a fully belly. We had a heifer exactly the same the other week, she had a big bull calf and his legs were a bit weak to support him. Milked her off in the crush and got colostrum into him, within 6 hours he was up and sucking, it's magic stuff... liquid gold.

[pointer]

Ok, she's now standing still for him in their small pen. I forced him up, pushed him into position while Mum gave soft encouraging moos, but he just wasn't interested. She didn't like me touching her teats - that got a gentle but firm enough kick. I've just spent half an hour at this but without success. Her teats are a bit muddy, though that hasn't put off our previous calves. I got kicked when trying to remove the mud!

[Old Shep]

I have no hands on experience with cows but in my childhood i know that mum and dad would have given her a good cussing and a whallop till she cooperated. That calf needs that colostrum so  be determined and dont take no for an answer and be armed! Hope your bruises arent too painful.

[farmvet]

once the calfs blood glucose drops they give up trying quite quickly. you could try some honey or sugar on his gums a few minutes before you suck him. Also a square of white chocolate on the tounge sometimes gets them sucking...buy a huge bar & eat the rest.  As for the heifer, try from behind, if you're on your own have her behind a gate, if your right handed push the tail up at the base with left hand..this greatly reduces kicking, put a bucket between you and cows left hind ( absorbs any kicks!), then gently but firmly touch udder on right side. massage lightly before handling the teats. its not foolproof but most cows kick with the leg on the same side as your touching. If shes super sensitive you can spray local on the teats.  Another trick is to loop a rope around her just in front of the udder, leave it on loosely & just tighten it up when you want the calf to suck. 
Remember though its all new to her & shes not being stroppy just overwelmed. Your main priority is just to feed the calf until the maternal instinct kicks in. I'd just try bottling him again tonight & leave them quiet overnight