Calves

[Homesteadwi5]

How long should you keep a calf on milk replacer?

[topside1]

That would be dependant on what type of calf you bought, how much grass and grains it's eating per day. I'd do whatever the milk replacer bag says. Some folk wean at 6 week, some at 12 weeks, some beyond 12. I personally wean at 8 weeks but once again that's based on the calfs daily eating habits.

[menollyrj]

We wean at 6 weeks if the calf is eating sweet feed & drinking water well. We introduce grain very early (1 week) because, frankly, milk replacer is more expensive than feed. Of course, we don't feed large quantities early on, just a handful or so and gradually increase. We have 4 3-week calves right now (Holstein & 2 Jersey) & they get 3 pints (1 1/2 qts) of milk replacer 2x a day, and about a 1/2 cup of grain apiece, 2x a day. There is also grass available, but really, they don't digest it well early on.

Hope that helps. Remember, baby calf advice is like human baby advice - everyone has a way that worked for them, and some of the ways are even contradictory. None of the ways are necessarily better, just different.

-Joy

[topside1]

Great read Joy, well said....TJ