Sunday, April 1, 2012

HOW TO RAISE A BABY COW


Baby Calf
by Marie C. Dimino

Raising a newborn calf from bottle feeding to bucket feeding to grazing grass and hay is an enlightening experience.

 



What happens when a calf is born with a minor defect and its mother rejects it? Usually it is left to die or the farm owner rushes to put it out of its misery. If a newborn calf does not immediately drink from its mother, it will not survive. Colostrum in its mother’s milk has nutrients and natural antibodies that the calf needs in order to develop into a healthy cow.

If you’ve ever wanted to have the experience of raising a calf without the commitment of owning one, there is a way to do this. If you live in a rural area with dairy farms nearby, visit the farm and speak to its owner. Sometimes a farmer is willing to hand over a calf when there is a problem and he cannot take care of it. If a calf is born backwards, it might have a twisted leg. When the newborn calf cannot stand up, its mother will reject it.

Before attempting this on your own, it is wise to confer with a large animal livestock veterinarian. A vet will tape the calf’s leg straight and also check to make sure there is no disease. He will also advise of the best way for the calf to get colostrum and what kind of milk the calf should be fed. Usually a special milk powder mixed with water is all it needs.

A baby calf will not need too much space. A small barn will suffice until it is ready to walk around green pasture. The most important thing is to make sure it is bottle-fed at the proper times each day. If the calf will not take milk, you can try using some molasses, corn syrup or honey on the nipple. Anything sweet might work. Just keep trying.

Some calves will go to bucket feeding in as little as two weeks. A bucket filled with the milk formula has a nipple on the bottom. You can either hold the bucket for the calf or hang it on a fence.

It truly is a joy to watch a calf grow stronger every day. Once the tape is removed and the leg has straightened, you will have the pleasure of watching your baby calf run to you whenever it sees you. When you hear your calf mooing happily away, it will bring a big smile to your heart. Soon it will be grazing on your lawn and eating hay on its own.

Unfortunately, that will be the time you will have to bring it back to the dairy farm. It is not wise to keep a bottle-fed calf too long. They become very attached and loving when raised by a human and because they are very strong, a young cow is capable of knocking you down when it wants affection.  If choosing to keep your young calf as a pet when it becomes a full grown cow, you must use precaution and remember to keep its strength in mind. 

Raising a baby cow is an unforgettable experience. It puts you in touch with the beauty of one of God’s creatures. You will come away with new respect for this wonderful animal and first hand knowledge of their individual personalities and emotions. And yes, a cow has feelings, too.

1 comment:

  1. What a wonderful experience that must have been! Thank you for sharing!

    ReplyDelete