1 or 2 calves?
 

I had intended on getting a older jersey bull calf, but that deal fell through. Now have found 5 day old holstein bull calves at a decent price and will be going to pick him/them up on Saturday.

I'm stopping on my way home today to pick up supplies, based on the items recommended in the "bottle calf" thread, but.....

We only need one (1) steer for meat, so can I raise a single calf or is it truly important for them to have a companion?

If it definitely improves the odds of surviving then 2 it will be, but was not planning on two for this "first time" bottle calf experience.I've been told they eat better if there they have company and do worry that he will try to rip my fence apart to get to the neighbors cows for company.So I'm leaving the 1 vs. 2 decision to the experts here at HT and will follow your recommendations.

Two more questions that I haven't found answers for, at what age do you band and dehorn bull calves?

Thanks for any advice, I'm feeling unprepared for this adventure.

Norman was a ten day old "only cow" and I bottle raised him but I had a pony to keep him company. it made him more "horselike" than "cowlike" but other than that worked out.

I've always read that you should have more than one, and I know they are, in fact, social animals. The problem I've had with more than one bottle baby is them sucking on each other. Even long after weaning, I have not been able to break it.

Do you have other animals they would be with or close to?

This is just the city boy in me talking but I wouldn't deliberately get a calf I had to bottle feed if I was planning on sending it to the freezer. The calf will grow to love you and look adoringly at you with big dark eyes. When you come home, he's going to come running to the fence to say hi and act like a happy puppy.

If you had a larger herd for him to get lost in after he was done with the bottle that would make it easier on you. OTOH, maybe you are a lot tougher than me and you won't get attached to him.

I have read older posts on the sucking problem, need to design a calf pacifer.

I do have a older Alpine goat, by herself now, so maybe they can keep each other company. (I don't think the dog, cat or chickens count as companions for a cow.)

CesumPec,

LOL The calf will be named "Burger", so I do not forget his purpose/destination.

My Dad named all of his "Burger." I call all mine "Bully." And it doesn't matter how cute they are as babies, by the time they are ready to wean, I am ready to wean them. By the time they are ready for the locker, I'm ready to send them.

I think a goat is an acceptable companion. I had a buck goat and a heifer once that hung out together in the pasture.

If you can afford 2 - do two, especially if you have no other animals. I haven't found tht my cows like my sheep too well. They like to have them outside with them, but ren't really companions. Our last steer was alone nd he got bit hard to handle. I think he was treating me like another cow. I didn't appreciate it. It might depend on the individual steer. Some might do okay.

Right now we hav 4 steers - 2 for DS to sell and 2 to raise to butcher size. We'll sell the one to pay for the other's feed and butcher costs.

if you have enough pasture and you have the money buy 2 you have a better chance of getting to weaning age with a healthy calf that way . al goes well and you have 2 live healthy calves sell one of the started ones on craigslist and keep the one you need

get two, sell one at butcher time, pays for both of them. Keeping calves seperate while nursing is the only way to feed bottle calves. Don`t need calf weaners that way. > Thanks Marc

Alright the majority is leaning towards two, selling the second to put towards feed and butchering costs is a big plus.

Just keep thinking about managing two on bottles and if they both get sick, but it can't be worse then the goat kidding seasons a few years back.

They are herd animals so 2 is better. We left a steer home alone once when the cows went off to visit the bull, he was a year old and long weaned but he still carried on for days. Ran the fenceline, bawled himself hoarse, went off feed, the whole nine yards. I realize it is slightly different from your situation because he was used to a herd and then separated, but the trauma of it was obvious. And, that steer still had an old horse to hang out with, he wasn't totally alone.

I bought just the one little Bonnie and raised her with the goats and that worked out pretty good. Except she thought she was a goat for the longest time. LOL!

Alright, here is the plan!
I spoke to the gentleman that has the calves, I'm going to get 1 this weekend and if everything goes well the 2nd calf 2 weeks later.
That will give me time to get a routine in place and a good handle on any problems with the 1st one. They would be in seperate box stalls anyway initially, so 2 week gap in age should not make a big difference.

Got all of my supplies yesterday, except could not find nipples for the bottles w/screw on tops that I have and forgot to research what vaccinations are needed before banding. (Always gave my goat kids CD&T shots before banding, so assume it's similiar w/calves).

I'm so excited, even took Monday off work, in case I need to get supplies from my vet and to just work with the calf. (DH does NOT understand be excited or taking a day off LOL) How soon can I start to teach him to lead?

Check with your vet about other vaccinations; our vet recommends a tetanus shot and then a booster tetanus when banding about 3 weeks later.

I think the nipples you're looking for are called Pritchard Teats (lamb nipples):

Pritchard Teat - Premier1Supplies

Dont get lamb teats, you would be lucky for them to survive one feeding. You need a proper calf teat.
New Zealand's best selling calf feeding teat... by far!
You can also get teats without a thread which can be used with a soft drink bottle. You could also make your own 2 teat feeder very easily. I could put a photo up of one I made from a 20 litre plastic container if you are interested.

VALMAI I could put a photo up of one I made from a 20 litre plastic container if you are interested.
would love to see it

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/696/051nic.jpg/
You would not believe the difficulty I had getting this thing loaded
ETA Ok that didnt work back to the drawing board.:smack
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/696/051nic.jpg/
Can you see it now?
It has been sitting in the shed collecting cobwebs for a couple of years. It originally held cooking oil. I cut half the top off and made 2 holes to fit the teats snuggly. I attached a tube with non return valve to the inside of the teat long enough to reach the bottom of the container. You could make the teat holes at the bottom and do away with the tube. I also did the same thing with a 200 litre (44 gallon?) plastic drum. Place the teats about 6 inches apart and you can make a feeder for 12-ish calves.

Valmai you will have to download it to Photobucket or something like that then COPY IT TO HERE

thanks

Valmai, if you'd like to make your photo appear here, right click on the image, and it will give you an option to "copy image url."
Click on that, then paste it here, with [img] at the start of your url and [/img] at the end.