bottle feeding an orphan calf, help please

[dixiegal62]

my Bil called me this awhile ago to ask if I wanted a calf, she was born Sunday and they found the mamma dead this morning, we went and got her, shes a bit on the thin side but still is able to get up and move around. On the way home we stopped and got replacement milk and a bottle and put her in a stall then tried to feed her, we had to fight her and ended up just trying to squirt some milk into her mouth. I might have gotten a half pint down her but that's a generous guess. We tried to get her to suck it out of our hand too, she didnt want it. Is there any trick to getting them to accept the bottle? Shes a black Angus.

[Teacupliz]

Make sur eht replacer you is milk base not soy base-
I have never had to do this with a cow but a goat. If you could get her to suck you finger you could slip the nipple in- One calf I had trouble gettng started I used a human baby bottle for a few days she liked that much better.
good Luck- Liz

[SHELBY]

What we do is, stand over the calf like you are riding it, put it's neck, front leg region tight between your legs, back her up against the wall, hold her under the chin and use your finger to get her mouth open and put the nipple in, Keep her head level with her back, so the milk will fall back out of her mouth and not down into her lungs, until she starts sucking then you can elevate the bottle a little more,

Some calves just have no clue on how to suck a bottle, They are used to mom

[dixiegal62]

ok we went out and tried again and got a half of bottle down her she seemd to have wanted more, I think she just needs more time to figure it out she sucked pretty good a few times this feeding.

[ilovejerseys]

Shelby is right on. One of our calves let it drool out of her mouth using this method for 24 hours. The next day I went out, she ate like nobody's business -- a total difference for her lack of interest the day before.

Cheer up - you're on the right track.

Horay for you saving an orphan!

Kelly

[francismilker]

Here's what you do:

-Straddle the calf with it's head end facing forward and your legs around it's neck area.
-take one hand and slightly tilt the calf's head up.

-use the same hand your tilting head up with to pry mouth open.
(use thumb and middle finger. try to meet each one of them in the middle of the calf's mouth)
-Once the calf's mouth is open, insert the nipple into it's mouth on top of the tongue.

-now just keep the calf's head tilted up and mouth "gently" clamped around the bottle.

-after a few attempts at this, most calves will get the hint and start sucking.
-it may take several failed attempts at it and a lot of patience but they will eat if you give them time.