Tricks for getting a cow to take a calf that is not hers???

[Ruebush Shorthorns]

My situation is actualy a heifer that lost her calf so that is going to make it even harder.  What are some tricks to get cows to take calves that are not theirs.  I just tried Vicks vapor rub on the cows nose and rubbed some on the claves back too.  My buddy said this has worked for him in the past.  Any more are appreciated.
Thanks

 

[chambero]

We don't mess with putting anything on the calves or the cows.  Just lock them up in very tight quarters and that calf will get hungry and the cow will give up.  We have two or three heifers a year lose calves and we'll grab a twin or orphan from the pasture and bring in and put on them.  We haven't had one refuse an adoption in a few years.  You might have to put the cow in a chute and let that calf suck to keep its strength up or to let it figure out its new mama has what it wants.

 

[showsteerdlux]

This might sound gruesome but you can cut the hide off of her real calf and drape it on the other calf so that she thinks its hers. You could also try Lysol if you dont want to try the hide.
Good luck with it. We had the same problem last winter so I know what your going through.

 

[kanshow]

The hide thing does work but we've also had some success rubbing the cow's afterbirth or milk on the calf.  I think it is pretty important to get that calf to drink that cow's milk too because then everything about the calf starts smelling 'right' to the cow. 

We usually lock the cow up in a squeeze chute with the sides off and get the calf to suck.    If the cow doesn't seem to mind the calf being around, we pen them together in a little stall.  If the cow wants to kick the calf, we put the cow in one pen with the calf next to her.  After a couple/few feedings - the calf starts to smell like the cow and the cow also becomes used to that calf nursing. 

It is hard work to get the calf over onto another cow and it doesn't always work.  We usually do a few every year but so much depends on how easy the cow is to work with, how aggressive the calf is, and other issues.    Sometimes it takes only hours (LOVE these) and other times, we are still messing with them a week later. 

 

[shortyisqueen]

If this happens at our place, we skin the dead calf too, like showsteerdlux suggested and duct tape it to the 'orphan' calf for a week. If your orphan is more than a week old and your dead one is a newborn, you may want to hog tie the orphan calf for twenty minutes or so that it flops around like a newborn trying to get up. The momma's maternal instincts will kick in and usually you can get them to take them within a couple hours.

 

[RSC]

If this happens at our place, we skin the dead calf too, like showsteerdlux suggested and duct tape it to the 'orphan' calf for a week. If your orphan is more than a week old and your dead one is a newborn, you may want to hog tie the orphan calf for twenty minutes or so that it flops around like a newborn trying to get up. The momma's maternal instincts will kick in and usually you can get them to take them within a couple hours.

This might be a little controversial, A close friend of mine has a method that has worked great for him.  He calves out in open Range in the Sandhills so getting them to a chute isn't always feasible.  The young calf will go after her if she lets him.  He would rope the cow and give her a pretty heavy dose of Ace.   Then when the ace has taken effect, he pushes the calf up to her.  By the time the effect of the Ace is starting to where off,  the calf has been nursing for some time and her motherly instincts kick in.  He swears by this,  not battling the cow in a chute.  I believe he may be putting the dead calfs hide on the orphan as well.

Just a Thought,

RSC

 

[dutch pride]

We had a heifer that lost her calf, went to a local dairy farm and bought a 5 day old bull calf and did the afterbirth thing and it worked out great. Kind of unusual to see a black cow with a Holstein calf but at least we weaned a calf of her that year.

DLZ

 

[garybob]

We had a heifer that lost her calf, went to a local dairy farm and bought a 5 day old bull calf and did the afterbirth thing and it worked out great. Kind of unusual to see a black cow with a Holstein calf but at least we weaned a calf of her that year.

DLZ

Big, fat "steins" raised on a cow are some pretty-good-eatin'. Take him straight to "full Feed" as soon as you wean him.

GB

 

[SWMO]

A LOT OF PATIENCE. and I usually look like this for a few days of dealing with a unconvinced cow   Some have even been quite well halter broke before they have up.  And I've had a couple that loved the calf the minute it was put with her.

 

[Rocky Hill Simmental]

My dad said when he was a kid, he'd just skin the dead calf and tie the hide to the new one and the cow would take the calf.

My uncle had a heifer lose her calf and he gave her a holstein bull calf. All he did was tie her up and let her smell him and she took him right away. Most cows aren't that easy (must have been a friendly cow too, she wasn't even halter broke lol)

 

[afhm]

I have always put the cows in a chute and let the calves go to town.  I will feed the cow as long as she is letting the calf nurse.  If she quits then she doesn't get any feed.  Eventually you can put them in a small pen, put the feed out for the cow and normally she will let the calf nurse while she eats.  You can slowly remove the feed as she grows more fond of the calf.

 

[Okie Boy]

We have used the calf skin method in the past. I have not done it for a long time. These days we will use a product called O No MO, it used to be called orphan no more. It is a powder you sprinkle on the replacement calf's back and seems to confuse the cow and lets her take the replacement calf. If at all possible we will rub the new calf with the afterbirth before using the O No Mo. A confined area will also help. In those situations you just try everything and hope something works, it does not really matter which it was.

 

[knabe]

when i did the skin method, we made sure to include the anus and tail.

the first time i did this i nearly puked.  it was a great feeling when the mother instantly took the calf.

 

[kanshow]

It seems like you work a lot harder and try a lot more things if it is a heifer/young cow that you like and want to retain in your herd.  We don't spend all that much time on the shortlisters.

 

[red]

I've also hear that a strong aftershave put on the calf & then the cow's nose works.
We just bottle feed them I guess instead of trying to get the cow to take.

Red

 

[knabe]

it's pretty awesome to see a cow's nose working real hard in these situations. 

 

[Ruebush Shorthorns]

I got the calf to drink in the chute this morning.  I guess I will try again around dinner time.  The cow is not aggresive towards the claf but she moves her leg if he tries to get near her utter in the pen.  I'm just glad he drank in the chute earlier.  I payed $40 for him and want him to make it on this cow so she is earning her keep til the next calf.
Thanks for the ideas many will benefit from the replies!!!

 

[kanshow]

I'd wait until late afternoon/evening.  He'll be hungry and she'll be getting tight.