60 miles south of Indianapolis | Black angus cow today had a set of twins one steer and one heifer. This was her 2nd calf season. Both seasons same bull. Last year she had a healthy heifer and last year within 2 hours the calf was up sucking no problems. This year with the twins she licked them both off fine, ate part of her afterbirth but just was not very interested in them. She was in the barnyard with the other cows. After 5 hours the twins were not attempting to nurse nor did she seem to want to let them. I pinned her and the twins in the barn by themselves put her in the head gate and tried like hell to get that twins to suck with very little success. So after 7 hours I made the call to get the bottle out and gave both of them some boughten colostrum which they sucked down really well. As my wife fed one I would take the other over to mom and force it to suck on the cow with minimal success. I alternated twins doing this for an hour. After I let the momma out of the headgate she again didn't seem interested in them. I left them at the cattle barn an hour ago and will check in the morning. Did I jump the gun giving them boughten colostrum too soon? By picking up the calves and moving them and get in the barn did I jump the gun too soon? Does twins really screw with a momma cow? Thanks in advance for any advice. |
Twin calves - did I screw up
