Calf question for QCG

[Kendra]

My daughter brought home a jersey calf last night from the stock yards. No one wanted it so guess whose barn it ended up in???

It is three months old but only the size of a three day old calf. The farmer who brought it in said it eats hay and beef feed but just won't grow.

Will it grow or it is just a runt that will stay small??? Could it be a medical condition. It looks healthy and fed.

I really don't need a cow!!!

[QuarterCowGirl]

Good for you guys! You just saved his life by taking him in!

It sounds like he's a twin or maybe he was the first baby for a first time mother.

As long as he's eating well (water, hay & calf starter) I wouldn't be too worried.

Is he a bull, or has he been banded? If you plan on keeping him as a pet - get a vet to band him! Jersey bull calves get attitudes.

Pics please!

[Kendra]

My daughter works with the vet at the stockyards so he banded him for her for free before she brought him home.

He eats great and his weight is good ~ he looks very healthy but at three months he only stands a little higher than my knee? Will he stay a runt ~ I'd rather he didn't get too big.

I took some pics but the batteries just died in my camera so I'll post them tomorrow.

[Kendra]

Found some batteries ~ meet Weeman!!

Just to give you an idea how little he is at three months ~ that's a suckling halter we had to put alot of holes in.

[Joker]

OMG is he CUTE and nice name too He is a jersey and they are small he will be smaller esp if he is a twine or out of a 1st calf heifer. We had holstiens and guernseys and now herfords and the jeresys were tiny compared to them and didn't seem to gain as fast as others. Good for you for saveing him and your lucky he is healthy and eating that can get expensive good luck

[Kendra]

I know nothing about cows so all advice is appreciated.

[snwflk]

No cow advice, but he is adorable- "aww mom, it followed me home, CAN WE KEEP IT??" he looks so sweet-

[barrelracer94]

I have a friend who raises herefords & they have a 2 y/o cow that looks like a calf. It's just a pet & goat companion now!
BTW, he's adorable! How could anyone say know to that lil guy?

[Kendra]

That's what I keep hearing form the 'cow people' ~ he'll just stay small.

In that case he can stay

[QuarterCowGirl]

Jolene's baby, Junior is right around 3 months old. Would you like me to get some pics of him so you can compare sizes?

FYI >>> I went to the OLEX today with my dad, we sold Pookie. Anyways, I went to the calf ring (didn't see your daughter I don't think) but I do know that all the Jerseys were sold. I heard the guy say that there were no refusals. Also, they made a new stupid rule that all calves must be sold for $5,they won't take anything less.

[Kendra]

Evanne ( my daughter) works with the vet in the barn. They have a chute where all the cows go through and they vet checks their teeth and health and Evanne ( via the internet) confirms the cows reg papers etc and thus their age. They have to be under nine years of age to be sold to the US ( due to the mad cow thing)

She has blonde hair to her waist ( usually tied back)

I'll have to ask her about that $5 rule. Wish I'd know you were going.

[QuarterCowGirl]

It was kind of a spur of the moment thing cause of my dad. We'll probably be making more trips in the future anyways, sadly we need to cut back.

[Kendra]

Originally Posted by QuarterCowGirl

Jolene's baby, Junior is right around 3 months old. Would you like me to get some pics of him so you can compare sizes?

Can you post some Junior pics??

How tall is he? Weeman stands a little taller than my knee.

[QuarterCowGirl]

Originally Posted by Kendra

Can you post some Junior pics??

How tall is he? Weeman stands a little taller than my knee.

Sure thing, I'll take him outside and get some good pictures for you tomorrow. Today is the family reunion so it's all booked up!

[blueberry]

Kendra--can you post a pic of Weeman standing by you so we can see how tiny that cute little bugger really is??? He sounds like an adorable little pet

[QuarterCowGirl]

Kendra, I said I'd get some Junior pics for ya today, but Junior had an accident yesturday and he's pretty sore now. I'll get pics up when he's feeling a bit better.

[roberts617]

Oh my goodness he is soooo cute!

[blueberry]

Oh no ------get feeling better soon Junior. After all, you are my lucky little guy . What happened?

[QuarterCowGirl]

Originally Posted by blueberry

Oh no ------get feeling better soon Junior. After all, you are my lucky little guy . What happened?

Sunday I was gone all day. I got home and had 45mins before I had to go to work. It takes me 1.5 hours to do chores at home so I thought I'd just do them after work at 11pm, sure it would be late, but least everything would get done right. So I made up my mind, but I decided to run down and do the outside things so I wouldn't have to do them in the dark. I was walking down to the barn and I heard this awful grunting/groaning/moaning noise. I knew right away that someone was in distress....

Inside our barn there are three calf pens that run east to west. The first pen holds Forest & Gump, the middle pen holds Junior and the far pen holds two belted bull calves.

It turns out that Junior decided to jump in with Forest & Gump, but he didn't make it. Instead he was caught up on the panel that separates the pens. All of his weight was pressing on his lungs and his feet were just touching the ground.

I ran to him. He was drenched with sweat, cold and clammy and he had a bloody nose. I grabbed his front end and heaved him up and over back into his pen. He just collasped. He layed on his side for 30mins at least.

I didn't want to leave him so I did chores. By the time I left he was standing, but his whole back end was shaking and he was walking like he had 4 peg legs. Also, he usually drinks 2 full pails of milk, he only drank 1/3 of a pail.

Today he's doing better, but is still kinda feeling sorry for himself.

I'm just so glad I went down there when I did, that could have easily been fatal.

[Kendra]

Poor junior ~ how is he today?????