Advice on Raising a Bottle Calf

Ken Scharabok · #1 04/30/08, 03:47 AM

Posted on behalf of another forum member who is apparently having trouble posting:

They are going to receive a bottle calf in about two weeks. New experience to them. What tips and techniques do you have to offer based on past experience?

One book on the subject is Raising a Calf for Beef by Phyllis Hobson, a Garden Way Book. Any others recommended?

tyusclan · #2 04/30/08, 05:34 AM

Rules number 1 through 5 are:

1,2,3,4,5) DO NOT OVERFEED!

That is the number one mistake new calf raisers make. They think the calf is still hungry (and he will act like it), but it's far better to underfeed a little than to overfeed, especially in the first week or two.

Larger calves like Holsteins, I usually start with the full two quart bottle twice a day. Smaller calves like Jerseys, I start with about 3 pints for the first week or ten days, then move them up to two quarts.

Keep a little hay and fresh water beside them all the time. After the first week or so start leaving a little calf starter with them. After they take the bottle, while they're still wanting to suck, take a little of the grain in your hand and let them suck your fingers. While they're sucking, let the calf feed dribble down your fingers into their mouth. This gets them used to the taste, and they'll start finding it in the pan sooner.

Once they start eating the grain, just put out about what they'll clean up. Continue to keep hay out, and let them have all that they want.

I've had Holsteins that were eating good that I weaned as early as 4 weeks, and they never slowed down. Jerseys, I usually take out to about 6.

Shawna · #3 04/30/08, 06:43 AM

We do about what tyusclan posted. We have jerseys...as a matter of fact we just got our first bottle babies of this year (4 of them last Thursday). We have 7 we are finishing out that will start heading in to be butchered in about July.

A couple of things I would add. One is to keep everything as clean as possible. We go out frequently during the day to scoop up any poop in the pens. One reason is that is just keeps everything more sanitary and cuts down on illness, and secondly it keeps us on top on the poop situation and we can catch any scouring ASAP. We had a couple calves last year who got scours really bad. Two calves we thought we were going to lose, but thankfully they pulled through.

This second thing is a huge *DUH* we did. (We are learning as we go) With our calves last year, we never thought about minerals. I dont' know why, but we didn't. Well, it cost us two of our calves because (we had 8 jersey/jersey mix and 2 holsteins) when they started *riding* each other, each of our holsteins broke a back leg. It was completely stupid on our part not to think of minerals (this is after they are off the bottle....they were on corn/baby beef pellets and hay). So, there's a costly mistake we made that others can learn from!

There's alot of nice, helpful people on the forum here....if they have any questions, make sure they post them! Although I don't post alot here, I have learned alot from the postings.

Good luck!
Shawna

mpillow · #4 04/30/08, 08:42 AM

If they are bottle feeding goat milk, let the calves run w/ goats, they'll learn to eat hay sooner and they'll clean up after the picky eaters. The goats will be afraid of the "Ugly" goat for a day or two but then it usually figures itself out. And open the nipple up a little more than it is....2 quart bottle should be sucked down in less than 5 min.

lyceum · #5 04/30/08, 08:58 AM

Our bottle calves run with the goats until they get too rough for the goats or this year until goats started kidding. They start to eat hay and grain much earlier on their own. No forcing them either. Heidi (born Dec. 31) still lives with the milking does. She loves to play with the kids that get in their. She knows how gentle she has to be with them and we have not had any problems. Snuggles (3-4 weeks old) lives in a pen next to goats and will get to join them soon. He already loves goats.

Even the 1200 pound feeder calves live with goats and always have. We have even had a Nigerian Dwarf in with them. He thought they made a good leaping pad to fight with the other goat. Calf could have cared less.

Carisa

Shawna · #6 04/30/08, 10:06 AM

We have two pygmies in with our year-old steers. Those goats can hold their own LOL! They do, however, have a penned-off spot where they can go if things get a little hairy. But we haven't seen the steers bother the goats....it's more the other way around!

SHawna

Brisket · #7 04/30/08, 10:12 AM

they gave you all the advice you will need, never over feed. with the milk replacer NEVER BUY anything but milk base replacer, they sell soy base (DO NOT BUY IT) When buying the grain fifty pound bag, buy at least one bag for one calf of the "calf starter" dont worry you wont miss the difference it cost almost three times as much, i buy two. I dont know the animal situation were the calf is going, but calves do well with other calfs. I clean my bottle with hot water and the cap I fill with hot water and then stick my finger in the inside of the nipple forcing the water through the opening, then put bottle and cap in the refridgerator. by the way scours is diareah and you dont want it.

Ken Scharabok · #8 04/30/08, 10:23 AM

I typically add two raw eggs to each bottle for the extra protein.

Agree on milk-based, not soy-based milk replacer. Well worth the extra cost.

On nipples, other theory is the opening should be no larger than that of a cow. As a calf suckles a cow you can see slober as it has to suck so hard. The slober it ingests adis in the digestive process.

Brown runs if fine. Yellow indicates a rich diet. White probably means the calf is going to die.

It wouldn't hurt to go by your local vet office in advance and get a couple of bags of electrolite. For example, if the calf seems to be scouring, it provides vitamins, minerals, etc. without the protein. Also ask if they recommend any preventive shots, such as pennicillin.

Do not accept a bottle calf which hasn't spent a couple of feedings with the cow to get the colustrum. If they survive, they will likely be poor doers. They may recommend a first feeding contained powdered colustrum just in case.

For the first feeding or two you may have to straddle the calf, gripping the head between you thighs. If the calf simply won't accept the bottle after several tries, you may have to tube feed it. Your vet can provide the tube/bag and illustrate how to use it.

mpillow · #9 04/30/08, 10:34 AM

I use plain gelatin in the bottles the first two days(small box w/ 4 pkg in it about $1.50)...Resorb(tm) is probably the best electrolyte stuff you can get if you need it.

We don't do any shots as they are intended to eat....band them a few weeks after you get them so its not an added stress.

If the calf sucks in the sides of the bottle pull it out of his mouth and let air in through the nipple or you'll end up with holes in the corners of the jug on the bottom.

Ken Scharabok · #10 04/30/08, 05:15 PM

"That is the number one mistake new calf raisers make. They think the calf is still hungry (and he will act like it), but it's far better to underfeed a little than to overfeed, especially in the first week or two."

I have had several like this. One I was feeding in the backyard. When into the house and he followed me up the stairs inside. Anyway, what I would do is to give them warm, sugared water to fill them out.

Another I turned in with the herd at about two weeks old as the weather was pleasant. Feeding time I would just go out and call it. At first it came running, then increasing less interested. Saw why. When another calf was nursing it would sneak in from the back. Some cows didn't seem to notice.

Shazza · #11 05/01/08, 09:18 AM

I always look at the sides of the calf when feeding...and stop when the calves sides fill out but never feed so the calves sides stick out full.

plowboy · #12 05/01/08, 08:25 PM

hey where you live you know what stae and all because i want a calf i can bottle feed from a baby and make a milk cow please pretty please help me

Ken Scharabok · #13 05/02/08, 07:50 AM

The supply is going to vary greatly from state to state as you are talking about a dairy breed (although some do milk other breeds, such as Milking Shorthorns).

Contact your local county ag agent and ask them if there are any dairies in your area. If so, call them and ask if they sell heifer bottle calves. Many keep the heifers and just sell the bulls.

Do you have Amish or Mennonites in your area? Outside possibility if you can somehow make contact with them.

If you want, say a Jersey, do a Google search for the breed association and then ask them for a list of breeders in your state.

Keep in mind in order for a cow to provide milk she has to have been bred so she calves. Plan in advance how you will breed and rebreed her.

Ken Scharabok · #14 05/03/08, 08:20 AM

plowboy: Have you considered a couple of milk goats with a buck? May be easier to care for than a single milk cow.