When's calving starting 2021

JustJoe7240

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118293963#Comment_118293963

Needs a hell of a lot of patience with some cows but have yet to see a cow fail to foster a calf. Lock the cow in the calving gate and let him at her, she might need a grain of meal to distract her when he sucks to get her used to him but he'll get there

893bet

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118293963#Comment_118293963

Had a similar week last week. Not a nice feeling to know you could have done more.

I think a 3m old one is a bit old to foster.

Thet will be too used to the bucket and too big and hard to handle for you tryin to train them to suck. ITs a nightmare and budget at least 30 minutes twice a day for 2 weeks.

Hard Knocks

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118294014#Comment_118294014

You’d be surprised, generally a few sucks & they’re mad to go, they’ll scour for a few days with the change

Sadly have do a few here, best give the nuts after the calf has sucked as a reward rather than during as a bribe, like with children it’s hard not to bribe

dzer2

Make sure the calf is hungry

dodo mommy

Jezz lads I left the calf hungry all day, so when I came home from work I caught her head in the gate and let him at her, well he nearly ate her alive I sabose thats the beauty of going with a strong calf to her.

squinn2912

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118298308#Comment_118298308

Great result. I was gonna suggest that apparently skinning one of her calves and tieing that onto the foster lad is meant to work. Keep a tight eye on her I saw one turn off a calf about 3 weeks after she’d taken to him. Always better to work in the yard and kinda supervise the suck. Beauty about that calf though is that he will eat silage and meal and should be ok either way now.

patsy_mccabe

If the cow is kicking, I find it helps to rub the cow on the back near the tail. It helps keep her distracted. Just mind you don't get a kick.

High bike

Great when it works out like that,a good strong calf like that won't be put off by an odd kick

squinn2912

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118298552#Comment_118298552

That’s a good trick yea. If you use a stick and just rest it around the same spot it can be a help too. Just as long as she settles a bit when she sees the stick she’ll think she’s for it.

Diarmuid B

Heifer calved just now with a tank of a heifer calf. Some pull to get her out but alls well that ends well. Thank god the Christmas lights in the yard were left on and I checked the cows while turning the lights off on when I came in from work!! Caught her on the slats and managed to get her onto straw bedded pen