How long will mom produce adequate milk for week old calf?

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cad58y

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Apr 28, 2018
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Bull calf born 7 days ago and would not suck.  Suspect unilateral tongue paralysis which is now improving.  Tubed calf for 4 days and was finally able to transition to bottle feeding.  We are now at 7 days and appears to be able to suck mom adequately.  I am supplementing one quart bottle feeding twice a day.  At this stage will mom still be able to produce enough milk for her calf and how can I tell if the calf is getting adequate nutrition?  I do not have a squeeze chute so that I could physically milk her.  Thannks
 

WinterSpringsFarm

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Joined
Jul 8, 2015
Messages
361
My thoughts are if the calf nurses and nurses aggressively (butting her while sucking) she should come into her milk. I would think if she wasn't providing enough milk the calf would do poorer that its contemporaries pretty quick.
 

idalee

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Joined
Aug 18, 2013
Messages
188
If the calf is able to nurse effectively,  stop feeding it by hand.  The increased hunger will result in the calf seeking the cow more often and more often milk-out will stimulate production.  I had one just like  yours that didn't nurse for 9 days and once it started,  the cow visibly increased production within 4 days. 
 

cad58y

New member
Joined
Apr 28, 2018
Messages
2
Thank you for the replies.  Yesterday I observed the calf nursing on 3 occasions including butting her udder.  I am currently bottle feeding every 12 hours.  Starting tomorrow I will decrease that to once at dusk for a few days.  Hopefully we are over the "hump".  Bob Smits
 

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