Feeding bottle bull calves

JBarGFarmKeeper · #21 09/08/12, 12:23 PM

I am also curious for an update...

Yvonne's hubby · #22 09/08/12, 01:10 PM

Just be careful the lil guys dont get too much milk from moo. half a gallon a day should be plenty... and make sure they get another half gallon or so of water. Too much milk will cause scours.

ozark_jewels · #23 09/08/12, 03:30 PM

If on a nurse cow twice a day, you need to start them out slow but you can slowly let them have a little more milk every week until they are getting all they want twice a day. Do this SLOWLY. We have cows that we turn calves onto twice a day and the calves nurse all they want(3 calves take all the milk she will make), but they got there SLOWLY.
Too much milk suddenly gives them scours, but if you were you work up slowly, they do fine. They also grow much faster than if only getting a gallon a day.
Don't feed them water in a bottle, put out a tub or bucket available to them 24/7.

PrettyPaisley · #24 09/10/12, 10:34 PM

It's still not going well.
I really think tonight for the first time I am way out of my league.

Ms Moo does not want them on her and bless their little hearts, they take a beating with her back legs. I've tried everything I can think of; I even managed to drill holes in the smallest, thickest dog collars I could find, wrapped them around her ankles and attached a chain to it to hobble her. It didn't work-I couldn't get close enough to get the slack up and her stance was too wide.

I try to get them to her 2x a day but I have to convince her to come into the barn, then I have to get her into the milking area, then I sit by her head and rub her face (she is tied around the neck with a slip knot to a t-post) while she eats. I hate giving her so much grain so I bought some alfalfa bales and she likes them okay but really wants the sweet feed.

She does not let me milk her. When I reach for her teats while the calves are on her she swats me away with her hind leg. Poor SO was out there tonight standing on a cinder block on one leg with the other foot tight up against her hind hock-up high and that helped keep her from kicking.

I'm worried sick but have no idea what to do. It would break my heart to get rid of her but I don't want her to be sick. SO said to go ahead and spend the money on a milk machine to get her milked out but good lord those things are expensive! And I want to milk her by hand. That's what this is all about for me.

So I've done all I can think to do, even cried and begged the vet for something to take the edge off her nerves and he says no. The guy who sold me one of the calves came out to help and brought a friend and all that was well and good while one tailed her and the other tied her to a post. But the calves can't empty her twice a day and I can't tail her and milk her, too.

I've had both my neighbor and the guy who sold me the calf offer to buy her. I tears me to pieces to think about it and I don't want her to just be some dairy cow stuck in a pen on mud all day long and unloved and no grass in sight. I just can't seem to do right by her. They say I shouldn't be "so nice" - but I don't see any need to not treat her well.

Sorry to sound so whiney. I hate to fail and this is pretty upsetting.

**gone-a-milkin** · #25 09/10/12, 10:43 PM

If you could get someone to tail her for you for about 4 consecutive days (8 milkings) she would likely settle down to it.

However, if you are really unable or unwilling to do that, then you may as well think of her health and sell her.

I know you want her to feel "loved" but in a dairy setting she would likely be just fine.
Plenty to eat, lots of other cows to keep her company, and she would serve her duty as a milk cow.

Cows are BIG. They are not for everyone. There is no shame in admitting if it is too much for you.
Honestly. Its okay.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

Cliff · #26 09/11/12, 08:32 AM

I'm so sorry you're having such a hard time.

At this point I'd probably try just keeping the calves away from her to help calm her down, then have someone help me milk for a few days like gone-a-milkin said and see if she'll settle down.

There's no need to be rough with the cow (it wouldn't help anyway,) but by all means you can not be timid while trying to milk her. Restrain her 10 ways from sunday if you need to and just get in close and get the job done. If you are timid she'll likely never give up and calm down.

You said you were milking her before you dried her off, how was that going?

Cheryl aka JM · #27 09/11/12, 10:11 AM

If your unable or unwilling to restrain her you need to move her along to another home. Cattle can be dangerous. It's easy to forget, they act like big goofy dogs sometimes and have those big sad eyes. But you have to be careful. Even with a milking machine your going to have to get in there close to her and push her around enough to let you strap that bucket on her and get it off again (and it is INCREDIABLY HEAVY when full and the cow is jostling around and your trying to lift that bucket out from under her while she fidgits) It really sounds to me like you and ms moo are both going to be happier if you let one of the buyers who offered take her and the calves, use the money to increase your dairy goat herd some for that extra milk your wanting. Goats are smaller and little less intimidating. I LOVE my cows, my 2 girls are my big goofy pets...but after spending 7 weeks in a wheelchair when the neighbors cow kicked me I find myself often wondering if I'm an idiot to be keeping these huge animals when really its usually just me working with them.

PrettyPaisley · #28 09/12/12, 12:41 PM

Cliff-it took a while for Ms Moo and I do find our groove but once we did I was able to milk her without restraining her head or feet. She didn't even miss a beat when we moved the milking area into the barn once it was built, as I started milking her in the middle of the pasture before we even had a barn. I dont' understand why she kicks me now. I almost wonder if it's because she doesn't want both the calves and me on her at the same time, but when I try to milk her without the calves she fights me. She really only kicks at them when they bump her udder. Otherwise she stands for a bit-but not for long.