# Fostering a bum calf onto a cow/calf pair...



## Beekissed (May 2, 2009)

Anyone ever do it?  Any good methods that work well?

I am getting a Jersey cow whose due to calf in a couple of weeks and would like to try feeding two calves on her.  She is older and extremely docile and I'm thinking, if it can be done, this is the cow to try it with.

When we did this with meat rabbits, we just put a little lavender essential oil on the doe's nose and she did very well with the new babies.  Couldn't smell the strange kits at all.

Could something similar  be done with cows?


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## Farmer Kitty (May 3, 2009)

Yes, you can draft calves onto cows. But, Beekissed, I wouldn't do it this lactation with this cow. I have read on SS where the cow is really thin. She will need time to gain weight and get herself back into condition. IMO, two calves will just take to much from her to allow her to do this.


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## Beekissed (May 3, 2009)

Nah, I had no plans on doing it this year, but I plan to breed her to a Jersey bull next year and wouldn't mind having a little beef bum calf on her then, as well.  

I think by next year I can have her back in fine condition for such an endeavor.  I'll know by how she does with this calf just how depleted she may get when nursing.  

Just trying to prepare ahead of time.......


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## Farmer Kitty (Jun 11, 2009)

Beekissed said:
			
		

> Nah, I had no plans on doing it this year, but I plan to breed her to a Jersey bull next year and wouldn't mind having a little beef bum calf on her then, as well.
> 
> I think by next year I can have her back in fine condition for such an endeavor.  I'll know by how she does with this calf just how depleted she may get when nursing.
> 
> Just trying to prepare ahead of time.......


Next year?


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## Beekissed (Jun 11, 2009)

/img]

Isn't she beautiful?  No mange or anything!  Seems to have survived the calving also.


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## Farmer Kitty (Jun 11, 2009)

Still thin but you're doing good. I never said you couldn't turn her around. Just how bad off she was when you got her. I'm glad your making progress.  BTW, Shade is being a normal healthy calf. 

I think adding the two calves to her was a huge mistake but, your decision.


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## KareyABohr (Jun 11, 2009)

Grafting a calf is really tricky work and normally won't work unless you have a cow that is REALLY maternal or a cow that has lost her calf and you just so happen to have a bucket calf of about the same age.

IF they do take them, what we do is keep them in a pen off by themselves and two or three times a day run the cow through the shoot and lock her in. Put the calf on the cow and make sure they suck. After 3 or 4 days the calf will start to smell like Mom and you can turn them out to pasture.

Most times keeping two calves on any one cow is a bad idea. You end up with two crappy calves when you could have had a decent bucket calf and a good looking cow calf pair.
IMO


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## wynedot55 (Jun 11, 2009)

she needs extra feed if your going to get her to nurse 2 calves.id say 15lbs of feed a day.because the calves will pull her down bigtime.


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## Thewife (Jun 11, 2009)

Hey Bekissed she does look better!


When I have sets of twins, or back when I would put extra calves on the cows. I would take both babies away for the day, giving the cow a chance to eat and fill up!
It seemed to help the twinners by letting them build up and taught the calves to all eat at once, rather than tag team her and never give her a moments rest!
It also seemed to help the adopting process, because when the cows came in, they were ususally so happy to be milked, they didn't care who was nursing!
The cows would usually would have a fit at first, but soon caught on to it and seemed to like the idea of leaving the kids behind!

I had one that would almost bowl me over to get out of there every morning! In the evening she would start mooing for me to put her back, but once I was at the gate, she would take her own sweet time getting there!
Yea, she ended up with an unpostable name!


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## Farmer Kitty (Jun 11, 2009)

The OP has requested this thread closed.


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