New Calf Dilemma

[Razorback21]

Your opinion on this is appreciated. We bought a 145 lb angus/hereford cross heifer calf last night. Obviously just pulled off a mama, has a lot of spunk, bawling all night long. Did eat grass when we were putting her in the pen, eats hay in the pen. Hasn't touched grain, or the water as of this morning. Giving her a bottle of milk replacer would be a two person job (and thats probably a stretch! lol.) and I just don't think she will take it. Should we wait for her to take water? Forced feed her milk replacer? Still has a lot of energy, just don't want her to get sick. I guess the long and short of it is, can we wean her at 145 lbs, for the breed she is? Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated!

Razorback21

[Up North]

Beef calf pulled off Mama doesn't know your water source or may not know to eat grain. It has probably been imitating Mama and nibbling grass. You may have to bottle feed it water or milk, else physically wrestle it up to water tank and stick it's nose in it and make sure it drinks. One way or another, you need to keep it hydrated. Seems on the small side for weaning a beef calf.

[john in la]

I feel you have one option open and only one.

At 145 lbs this is a border line case for weaning. The problem is a weaned calf this small can not survive on grass alone. It must have some grain or milk. Since there is no chance of getting it to learn to eat 1.5 to 2 lbs of grain a day in the next 24 hrs your only option is to feed it milk replacer.
Tie it to a fence; man handle it; do what ever you have to do to get it to take a bottle.

I would think standing with its neck between your legs and its butt backed up into the corner of a stall you could get it to take a bottle. It will not like it at first but once it realizes milk comes from that plastic teat you are home free.

[Tango]

Reminds me of my Charolais x Angus that was pulled off momma in the auction ring. Couldn't have been much more than 140 pounds. He was at least three weeks old cause he was ruminating. Is your heifer ruminating? I couldn't get mine to take a bottle and he wouldn't drink milk from a bucket. Tried to tube him but he was so stressed out that I chose not to. Trying to get him to do anything was stressful and worsened things and he was strong. Figured he was still healthy. He was nibbling grass only but that kept him going. At that age they know what water is. I put electrolytes in the water and made sure he knew where the water was. I opted to get him tarted on grain: a dairy ration 16%. I never could get him to like calf starter. We relied heavily on grain and grass and water w/ electrolytes. Watch your heifer so she doesn't start eating anything inapprpriately (like sand or gravel). My steer calf is doing very well now and never saw milk in any form once he came home with me.

[MullersLaneFarm]

Originally Posted by john in la

I would think standing with its neck between your legs and its butt backed up into the corner of a stall you could get it to take a bottle. It will not like it at first but once it realizes milk comes from that plastic teat you are home free.

This method always works for us.

[Razorback21]

Thanks for everyone's responses. Yesterday afternoon, we went in to check on her, grain was gone and the water was half gone. If we can keep her alive, this just might be a profitable calf. Again, thanks for everyone's input. This is a great forum.