One Extra Added To The Mix

The three calves that had the green weaning clips (green weaners) inserted a week ago were ready to leave the main herd and be moved away from their mothers. When we brought the main herd into the barn to sort our the weaners, one of the last set of twins joined the weaners in their pen.

We did come quick calculations when we saw the twin heifer in with the weaners. We noticed she had not been gaining weight as well as we would have expected. Her mother, it seems, does not like the heifer as much as she does her bull calf. The heifer has been pushed away from nursing many times and has had to make-do by sneaking milk from the back quarters while her brother is nursing away on the front ones. When we saw the heifer in with the other three weaners, we realized that she was close to six months old and decided to keep her with the weaners.

By moving her away from the main herd, we can increase her dietary intake to assist her weight gain. The downfall to keeping her with the other weaners is that she has not had to time to adjust to not having mothers milk along with hay for her meals and she has been bellowing for mama. The other three weaners have already gotten past the point where they are worried about milk and there is no pacing or bellowing from them.

Now with the four in the pen in the show barn instead of three, we have begun getting them used to eating grain and apples along with all the hay they desire. The heifer calf #22 is still making a lot of noise of complaint but enjoys her apples and grain tremendously. The green weaning clips have been removed from the other three calves so all are eating unencumbered. The mother of the missing heifer is not concerned because she still has her bull calf keeping her milk supply under control and she does not call back to the heifer, it will only take a couple of more days worth of crying before the heifer goes about her days without worrying about the negligent mother.

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