# Lost calf, failed graft, HELP!!!



## OvertheEdjeRanch (6 mo ago)

I had an Angus cow that lost a 4 day old calf & we got a replacement within 24 hours of the loss, covered the baby in natural mom smells (manure and milk). This is not moms first calf, she has been successful before. Mom had really big bag before calving (think Holstein bag on an angus). We put her in the chute, milked to check milk, put calf on, nursed down/milked to relieve bag. Bag was tight but not lumpy, not sensitive, and not hot. After 3 days of letting calf eat and milking her, her bag is softening, but she is getting really jumpy and we are having great difficulty getting her in the chute. Only once has she let the calf nurse outside of the chute. She isn’t mean, she just walks off. (We finish the calf with a bottle bc he isn’t getting enough from her). Can we let her dry up? How do we do that safely? (I’m fine with bottling the calf, I just want to make sure I save the cow for breeding.)


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## MontanaBredRancher (Apr 12, 2021)

OvertheEdjeRanch said:


> I had an Angus cow that lost a 4 day old calf & we got a replacement within 24 hours of the loss, covered the baby in natural mom smells (manure and milk). This is not moms first calf, she has been successful before. Mom had really big bag before calving (think Holstein bag on an angus). We put her in the chute, milked to check milk, put calf on, nursed down/milked to relieve bag. Bag was tight but not lumpy, not sensitive, and not hot. After 3 days of letting calf eat and milking her, her bag is softening, but she is getting really jumpy and we are having great difficulty getting her in the chute. Only once has she let the calf nurse outside of the chute. She isn’t mean, she just walks off. (We finish the calf with a bottle bc he isn’t getting enough from her). Can we let her dry up? How do we do that safely? (I’m fine with bottling the calf, I just want to make sure I save the cow for breeding.)


Chute her once, maybe twice per day, and milk her down. I would put her in a stall or extra pen you have around so it will be slightly easier than having her be difficult and jumping to get in the chute.
Do this for one or two weeks, slowly milking smaller amounts. Then she can finish drying up herself.


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