TWIN NOT TAKEN BY MOMMA

[kobo_ranch]

We had a set of twins out of one of our good cows, and she took one but rejected the other one.  Unfortnately at the time we were swamped with other things, didn't have our squeeze chute set up and I had to give the baby that artificial colostrum stuff.  Not sure if she ever sucked her momma.  She had almost given up and I got here revived and now shes about 4 months old.  Been off the bottle for over a month.  We now let her roam with the herd and have a creep feeder that she eats feed out of.  She eats all the time, yet still such a little squirt of a thing!  Shes my baby and I want her to do better, but just don't know how she'll ever make much of a cow since she's such a dwarf!  Any suggestions?  (I know what to do the next time!)  But what do I do with her?? <cowboy>

 

[MYT Farms]

We had a set of twins out of one of our good cows, and she took one but rejected the other one.  Unfortnately at the time we were swamped with other things, didn't have our squeeze chute set up and I had to give the baby that artificial colostrum stuff.  Not sure if she ever sucked her momma.  She had almost given up and I got here revived and now shes about 4 months old.  Been off the bottle for over a month.  We now let her roam with the herd and have a creep feeder that she eats feed out of.  She eats all the time, yet still such a little squirt of a thing!  Shes my baby and I want her to do better, but just don't know how she'll ever make much of a cow since she's such a dwarf!  Any suggestions?  (I know what to do the next time!)  But what do I do with her?? <cowboy>

If she's so small, you might have good luck with her finishing out pretty well. If she does get fat, I'd finish her and then take her to the locker. Seems tough, but that'd probly be best.

 

[kobo_ranch]

We had a set of twins out of one of our good cows, and she took one but rejected the other one.  Unfortnately at the time we were swamped with other things, didn't have our squeeze chute set up and I had to give the baby that artificial colostrum stuff.  Not sure if she ever sucked her momma.  She had almost given up and I got here revived and now shes about 4 months old.  Been off the bottle for over a month.  We now let her roam with the herd and have a creep feeder that she eats feed out of.  She eats all the time, yet still such a little squirt of a thing!  Shes my baby and I want her to do better, but just don't know how she'll ever make much of a cow since she's such a dwarf!  Any suggestions?  (I know what to do the next time!)  But what do I do with her?? <cowboy>

If she's so small, you might have good luck with her finishing out pretty well. If she does get fat, I'd finish her and then take her to the locker. Seems tough, but that'd probly be best.

You've got to be kidding right!!  Thats definitely OUT of the question.  I've already named her LUCY, don't get me wrong, I know where beef comes from (I'm a ranch raised gal) but I do have a HEART!!  Next suggestion PLEASE . . . (angel)

 

[LN]

She's had a rough start and sometimes when they get older they'll catch up with the others, but it's a pain to get them to that point. Don't want to be mean, but being attached to dinks isn't very good on the bottom line.

 

[4B Live]

Had this happen about 5yrs ago, so I don't quite remember what  I fed her, but I'm thinking I kept her on pelleted calf manna and continued giving her milk out of a tub til she was bout 6mo. old.  To this day I still have her she is by no means my biggest cow (1150lbs) but she brings in a nice calf every year.  Don't give up on her she just needs time and a little extra care to mature.  In all honesty this is the only orphaned calf that ever turned out to be worth keeping for me.

 

[kobo_ranch]

She's had a rough start and sometimes when they get older they'll catch up with the others, but it's a pain to get them to that point. Don't want to be mean, but being attached to dinks isn't very good on the bottom line.

I agree on the business end, but history tells me if you're into ranching you can't ever be assured of anything and what matters most sometimes is just seeing and doing things that makes your heart happy!!  I'm gonna keep her a while and see, her other twin has turned out to be a pretty nice steer calf, after all she is a Paddy Omalley daughter, and her other sisters are awesome, so maybe we'll  get lucky and she'll come into her own!
Just wondered if there's a special feed or nutrient that would help her out of her dward stage.

 

[Stihlpro]

Could be wrong but if the other twin is the opposite sex, isn't there a good chance she's a freemartin and will never breed?

 

[kanshow]

You need to get her in and go almost full feed grain for awhile.  Talk to your feed person about a pellet you mix with shell corn - its used for dairy beef.  There may also be a complete pellet. 

 

[dori36]

You need to get her in and go almost full feed grain for awhile.  Talk to your feed person about a pellet you mix with shell corn - its used for dairy beef.  There may also be a complete pellet. 

On the other hand, it's really important for this little heifer for her rumen to develop properly.  Straight grain might not be the best option for her.  I'd keep her on high quality hay, all she can eat, and continue to let her eat from the creep.  The last thing she needs is to start finishing and stop growing and a high grain ration may do that to her.  Just keep on doing what you're doing with the possible addition of 2 lbs of Calf Manna/day and making sure the others aren't pushing her out.  Also, if you get tired of using the bottle/bucket, you can pour the powdered milk replacer right on top of her Calf Manna with enough extra concentrate to be sure she eats it.  I am somewhat concerned that she might be a freemartin.  Nevertheless, I know how you feel.  The ranch I worked on in Wyoming had a whole corral full of misfits.  Mostly missing feet or parts of them from frostbite.  He couldn't bring himself to just knock them in the heads either!

 

[chambero]

Take her to the sale barn.  She's most likely stunted and will be taking up space a better animal could occupy.  We'll get one or two sets of twins a year.  If momma abandons one or we get an orphan, they never turn out to be worth the trouble.

 

[MYT Farms]

Take her to the sale barn.  She's most likely stunted and will be taking up space a better animal could occupy.  We'll get one or two sets of twins a year.  If momma abandons one or we get an orphan, they never turn out to be worth the trouble.

Yup. We were very sympathetic to an older cow that had somehow broken or dislocated a shoulder. There was a glimmering of hope that she might heal, so we kept on. After having to give her the lead treatment the other day, it would have been kinder and far less expensive to make hamburgers. Plus, I would NOT pour grain and time into a heifer that very well may be infertile. Then again, I produce seed stock, and I can't afford to be lenient with my herd.

Forgot to add:
If she is infertile, you'll end up knocking her in the head anyhow, so you might just as well put her on feed.

 

[box6rranch]

I'm with you on this one, we love our calves too and would never abandon them. There is a reality of her not being able to breed though. I would still keep her and feed her out. My theory is, my cows have the best life on earth while they are here. No excuses!!! I have been know to get extremely attached and not be able to eat the cow or have to trade someone else meat. Just a softy at heart, whacha gonna do?

 

[JSchroeder]

Aren't you in Lampasas?  I don't think you guys are in a position to look for ways to waste forage right now.

 

[MYT Farms]

Aren't you in Lampasas?  I don't think you guys are in a position to look for ways to waste forage right now.

Hate to beat a dead horse, but another good point. If you're in ranching, you're right, nothin' a sure thing. Nothing anywhere ever is. But if you're a rancher, you might have to do something tough or get outta business. This heifer may not break you, but it won't be a cheap endeavor. If you're bent on keeping her and breeding her, as you seem to be, then don't put her in on full feed and pamper her. I know, I know, I'm a terrible person, but if my cows can't survive tough times, I likely won't either 'cause they're my #1 income source.

 

[braunvieh]

I would say try to get more feed in her and keep her on pasture and grow her. If you sold her now, she would bring next to nothing, at least that is what happens with runts around here, you practically give them away unless someone has a group of them and calls them featherweights.

I had a set of twin heifers, the cow raised them but they were pretty small at weaning (400 & 450). The cow did great and I figured the calves would take off once on feed and this was not the case. They gained but actually less than the others. Then, I put them in their own huge pasture all summer with good grass and at 15 months they were still only 750 pounds. Decided to sell the smaller one and keep the bigger one but after breeding her she still has not grown much or gained much so I think she will go too. My concern is with her mature size,being able to calve (even at 30 months) and they still retained that scrawny runt look compared to the others not matter their weight.  

Good luck with your decision, lots to factor in.

 

[LN]

You said she was twin to a steer calf right? There's a 96% chance she's a freemartin which means she's only good for eating.

 

[jbw]

If Lucy was at my house I would make sure that she was current on all vaccines, her immune is probably lacking without her first milk. Then  I would make sure that all parasites were under control, after that I would probably get some sort of fancy eartag to put in her ear, make sure they had at least one bath a week,  go on walks every day. She would be in the way all the time, taking up empty space in the barn and be the #1 priority on the farm. But I have three little kids and she would be a good responsibility for them.

 

[kobo_ranch]

OK--I guess I get it.  I didn't know about the possibilty of her not being able to breed,
And you are right --in a bad drought right now--though feeding everything so Lucys just been one small extra mouth to feed
She's just so tiny she wouldn't bring a thing, guess I should have just let her die!  I'm so sad!

 

[MYT Farms]

OK--I guess I get it.  I didn't know about the possibilty of her not being able to breed,
And you are right --in a bad drought right now--though feeding everything so Lucys just been one small extra mouth to feed
She's just so tiny she wouldn't bring a thing, guess I should have just let her die!  I'm so sad!

Naw, all of us woulda done the same exact thing. We all have something inside us that won't let a calf die, no matter what the hassle. But now, what needs to be done now is to put her on a feedlot ration when she's developed enough. To help improve feed efficiency, I'd even shoot her with some Ralgrow or similar hormone. Might help her get a little bigger, too. We'd of all saved her, but now I think we'd all go with the most practical route.