topic Re: My Twins in Community Spirit

My Twins

harley_babes_hoard — Thu, 06 Nov 2014 11:09:52 GMT

This morning one of my cows had twin babies. The white one was born first then at 6.30 the little brown one was born. Unfortunately mum has ditched the brown one. She did let it suckle for a short time so it would have got some colostrum thankfully but it is now going to be bottle fed my me.

Brown one just born in this pic

Re: My Twins

channys_mum — Thu, 06 Nov 2014 11:14:49 GMT

I wish you lots of luck and fun.

Have you raised a newborn calf before

Re: My Twins

harley_babes_hoard — Thu, 06 Nov 2014 11:20:14 GMT

Only once years ago.

It took nearly all day to get him to suckle from the bottle but he had a good drink late this afternoon.

Re: My Twins

freddie*rooster — Thu, 06 Nov 2014 11:25:07 GMT

Awwww good luck that's one naughty mumma tossing out her baby.

*slaps mumma cow*

Re: My Twins

channys_mum — Thu, 06 Nov 2014 11:43:15 GMT

Raw egg each day straight down the throat stops scours.

Also if you let him live in the house yard with the dogs he will think he is one. That is NOT a good thing

Re: My Twins

icyfroth — Thu, 06 Nov 2014 12:02:10 GMT

That's nice 🙂 congratulations

Re: My Twins

j*oono — Thu, 06 Nov 2014 13:47:44 GMT

It's sad how they do that. Sheep seem to be the same when they have twins from my experience with lambs born next door.

Good luck with raising that lovely little calf 🙂

Re: My Twins

iapetus_rocks — Thu, 06 Nov 2014 13:55:39 GMT

I guess that it's going to end up on someone's table in time, anyway.

Re: My Twins

j*oono — Thu, 06 Nov 2014 14:00:17 GMT

Why? Could be a milk farm.

Re: My Twins

iapetus_rocks — Thu, 06 Nov 2014 14:11:48 GMT

It's a male calf?

Re: My Twins

harley_babes_hoard — Thu, 06 Nov 2014 18:35:54 GMT

Yes, he will, but that doesn't mean it's ok to let him suffer and die of starvation does it?

Re: My Twins

bushies.girl — Thu, 06 Nov 2014 18:50:08 GMT

Stunning pic Harley 🙂 Hope both babies do well 🙂

Re: My Twins

harley_babes_hoard — Thu, 06 Nov 2014 19:21:41 GMT

Thanks Bushies.Girl, things are looking up. mum came back so I locked them all in a smaller paddock so she can't escape.

He is a persistent little fellow and has been chasing mum all around. He has been kicked and knocked down trying to get a drink but has now worked out that mum can't kick him if he stands behind her with his head through her back legs so he has been sneaking a drink this morning when the other little one feeds. I still have the bottle at the ready to step in but just going to see how this pans out for a while.

Re: My Twins

thegoblinswillgetu — Thu, 06 Nov 2014 19:24:13 GMT

There is something very rewarding about raising an orphan animal.

I have never raised a calf, but I have puppies and kittens on several occasions.

There is something about the little grunts when they drink from the bottle that makes a person want to smile.

It's a GOOD thing what you are doing.

Re: My Twins

i-need-a-martini — Thu, 06 Nov 2014 19:58:07 GMT

Awww! How cute!!

(Says me from the comfort of my city life and with no idea how much hard work goes into managing farm animals lol!)

Re: My Twins

tasfleur — Thu, 06 Nov 2014 21:24:38 GMT

"Also if you let him live in the house yard with the dogs he will think he is one"

Not only that, but once the calf starts barking, he might have to be renamed as "Bullydog"

Re: My Twins

bushies.girl — Thu, 06 Nov 2014 21:35:25 GMT

Awww he is one very smart baby Harley 🙂 and " grannie" is there to help him as well 🙂 Unlike sheep cows are usually great mums, does this happen often with twins? But then I guess that sheep twins are more common then cow.

Re: My Twins

channys_mum — Thu, 06 Nov 2014 21:49:39 GMT

@tasfleur wrote:
"Also if you let him live in the house yard with the dogs he will think he is one"

Not only that, but once the calf starts barking, he might have to be renamed as "Bullydog"

It's not the barking that is the problem, it's when he runs to meet you with the dogs and jumps up for his pat. As a bigger baby with hooves, that is not a good thing.

Re: My Twins

tasfleur — Thu, 06 Nov 2014 22:02:27 GMT

He probably won't continue that as he gets bigger Channys, he most likely will end up as a gorgeous and friendly pet bull, all calm and peaceful hopefully. Hope he survives. Is it common for a mother cow to reject a twin?

Re: My Twins

harley_babes_hoard — Fri, 07 Nov 2014 00:38:50 GMT

Hi everyone well he is going pretty good, I've just been watching him suckling from mum, He has it sussed now. He can suckle from the back 2 teats, she is happily grazing pulling him along he is not letting go of those teats.

This is the first time this cow or any of my cows actually have had twins so it's not real common and yes they do normally reject one, usually the smallest. I bought a bigger bottle today just in case but fingers crossed he will be getting enough milk from her. His persistence has paid off I think.

I have another cow springing so she won't be far away and then a few more due after that.