Convincing A Cow To “Adopt” A Calf
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Here’s a trick to encourage a cow or heifer to accept a substitute calf if her own calf dies at birth. It can work even if the substitute calf is several days old. I learned about this idea from Andy Acton, a veterinarian in Alberta, who learned it from Dr. Joe Stooky at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
“Stooky suggests rubbing birth fluid over the calf,” says Acton. “The amniotic fluid that surrounds the fetus in the uterus is very salty and tangy, and cows are usually interested in smelling and licking it off their newborn calf. You can use this to your advantage by saving some of that fluid for emergencies if you’re present during a normal birth or need to help a cow calve. Have a clean towel handy and when there’s a lot of birth fluid, soak the towel in the fluid and place it in a waterproof plastic bag and freeze it.”
Then if you have a situation later where you want to convince a cow to accept a substitute calf, you can thaw out the towel and rub the fluid onto the calf. “The birth fluid doesn’t have to be the cow’s. She doesn’t know the smell of her own calf at first, until she has bonded with her calf and knows its smell,” says Acton.
Make sure to remove the dead newborn calf before the cow has a chance to smell and lick it - she’ll be more likely to think the substitute calf is hers because it smells and tastes like birth fluid.
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Convincing A Cow To “Adopt” A Calf LIVESTOCK Beef Here’s a trick to encourage a cow or heifer to accept a substitute calf if her own calf dies at birth It can work even if the substitute calf is several days old I learned about this idea from Andy Acton a veterinarian in Alberta who learned it from Dr Joe Stooky at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine in Saskatoon Saskatchewan “Stooky suggests rubbing birth fluid over the calf ” says Acton “The amniotic fluid that surrounds the fetus in the uterus is very salty and tangy and cows are usually interested in smelling and licking it off their newborn calf You can use this to your advantage by saving some of that fluid for emergencies if you’re present during a normal birth or need to help a cow calve Have a clean towel handy and when there’s a lot of birth fluid soak the towel in the fluid and place it in a waterproof plastic bag and freeze it ” Then if you have a situation later where you want to convince a cow to accept a substitute calf you can thaw out the towel and rub the fluid onto the calf “The birth fluid doesn’t have to be the cow’s She doesn’t know the smell of her own calf at first until she has bonded with her calf and knows its smell ” says Acton Make sure to remove the dead newborn calf before the cow has a chance to smell and lick it - she’ll be more likely to think the substitute calf is hers because it smells and tastes like birth fluid
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