Young cow letting any calf suck

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KFShorthorns

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 23, 2012
Messages
64
Location
Manitoba, Canada
Has anybody ever had any luck in teaching a cow to not let calves that aren't hers suck? I have a 3 year old PB Shorthorn that will let anything suck, she had 4 going at once last night. She has lots of milk and her calf seems to be doing good again this year, but its something I'd like to get her to quit!

Other than keeping her and her calf in a pen by themselves, which is impractical with my summer grazing rotations, I don't know if there's much I can do about? Maybe she'll grow out of it?
 

frostback

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Joined
Feb 7, 2007
Messages
2,068
Location
Colorado
She wont grow out of it. I have one that every year she lets anything suck. She milks well and her calf always looks good but really comes on when weaned. She even let another cow suck but I fixed that one and put a nose thing in the other cow. That wont work with other calves though.
 

cowboy_nyk

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Joined
Aug 28, 2013
Messages
658
Location
Manitoba, Canada
Your only hope is that she gets smarter with age.

If it makes you feel any better, I have two limo heifers that won't stop sucking my 2yr old.  Finally had to move her to a different paddock.  Even the quiet wean paddles wouldn't slow them down.  Stupid limos...
 

RyanChandler

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Joined
Jul 6, 2011
Messages
3,457
Location
Pottsboro, TX
Welcome to shorthorns!

All my shorthorn cows, w/ the exception of a couple, will let any of the calves nurse.  It used to bother me more at first but now I don't pay much attention to it.  They all share w/ each other and as long as they're not ganging up on one cow, there's not much to worry about.  On the other hand, if I were running multiple breeds in the same pasture, this could potentially be a serious problem.  Shorthorn cows letting all the calves suck, but none of the others cows sharing w/ the shorthorn calves.

  It really is something how different breeds have different tendencies like that.  I have my first calf crop of Shorthorn sired calves out of Brangus cows on the ground now.  POOR CALVES!  For those that don't know, Brangus cows are about as maternal as they come and are very territorial (towards other calves) when their calves are nursing.  You have these little week old shorthorn sired calves that'll just walk over and try to grab a random hind tit-- POW! they get smoked! 


 

Tyler

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Joined
Jun 6, 2012
Messages
115
Location
Mitchell, SD
Maybe she will grow out of it.  The first calf heifer lot at our place is always a free for all.  The next year they all get over it and are protective of their own calf. 
 

hardenblu2

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 10, 2009
Messages
249
I agree she wont grow out of it and if she has enough milk so as to not short her calf then you have a good problem. If it starts to pull the cow down or if her calf is bawling because its hungry the only thing you can do is seperate them. You will be glad you have her the first time you have a set of twins. Itll save you several trips to the barn with bottles. 
 
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