WOW! - I need help!

[Saffron]

Last night we got a call from a friend who raises beef cattle. They are giving us a 9 day old black angus bull calf. He was way too big, but the momma was able to have him, but it killed her. None of the other cows would take him so he is a bottle baby and they just don't have the time for one. His tail is gone due to vultures and they have him penned up. We are supposed to get him within the week. He is HUGE! At 8 days he was bigger than a three-week-old calf.

I guess I need a crash course! I know about the powdered milk, they said 2 bottles twice a day = 2 gallons a day? They will give him the penicillan and tetanus shots.

We have a pen for him. He is already acting like a pet cause their kids feed him and pet him - he is adorable.

We wanted cows - but our pasture is not ready yet - so we weren't planning on them for at least 6 more months. But I can't turn this down! He will be for meat when he is big enough.


What am I getting into here?

[ozark_jewels]

Bottles are 1/2 gallon(be sure you get the two quart bottles), so 2 bottles a day=1 gallon a day.

[Saffron]

2 bottles TWICE a day

[topside1]

That's all you need to know for now. One 1/2 gallon bottle in the morning and another in the evening..bottles fed at 12 hour intervals, routine is everything to livestock...Topside

[ozark_jewels]

Originally Posted by Saffron

2 bottles TWICE a day

No.....that is going to be too much. Especially if it is replacer and not real milk. Go with one bottle twice a day.

[topside1]

One gallon of milk per day, split into two feedings.

[Saffron]

really?

I don't need hay, or... or... I don't know - lol

I am over the moon that we are getting him - just a little (okay a lot) afraid of what we are getting ourselves into.


btw - his umbilical was still there when I saw him last night - dried, but there. Will it take care of itself? Do we need to do anything that the mom would normally do?

btw - he will be in a pen next to our chickens for a while- will there be any issues regarding diseases?

We are hoofing it on a smaller section of the pasture now. I have electric tape that we will use. IDK - Someone wanna come out and help? lol - jk

[Saffron]

ok - they are giving us the bottle and a wooden holder for it - I thought they said 2 twice a day - but I am glad it is only 1 twice a day.

I know a few people who have cows for milk - I might be able to get some from them - would he still need the colostrum if we can get it?

If we use real milk - is it a different amount?

[Chixarecute]

Just to be sure - powdered milk (people) is not the same as milk replacer (calves). Get a good quality milk replacer - it costs more but is worth it. Quality means good amounts of protein, fats, but not so much fiber. Fiber = filler. Also free access to fresh water daily and some calf starter, a bit of quality hay. They'll ignore it at first, play with it a bit, and start consuming it gradually, however by 6 weeks you should have some noticeable consumption of solid food. A calf that big will hopefully be developing an appetite for solid foods quickly. Good luck!

[Chixarecute]

As long as his cord is dry & not weeping, you don't need to do anything. It will fall off on it's own.

At 9 days old, colostrum is not a benefit to him. It won't hurt him, but he won't get any immuno-bodies absorbed.

IF you can get a steady supply of good clean milk, preferably from the same cow or herd, that is fine. I wouldn't be switching him to whatever milk you can get from anywhere depending on the day.

He's had a tough start, going to your house will be a stress (any change is). Consistency and routine will help him stay healthy.

[TSYORK]

Originally Posted by Saffron

ok - they are giving us the bottle and a wooden holder for it - I thought they said 2 twice a day - but I am glad it is only 1 twice a day.

I know a few people who have cows for milk - I might be able to get some from them - would he still need the colostrum if we can get it?

If we use real milk - is it a different amount?

First of all, that calf needs to be fed more than once a day.

Second, cow's milk will be just fine, actually better than replacer for him. Just make sure that he's getting it twice a day, about two quarts at the time. If two quarts seems to be too much, back off a little bit, maybe a quart and a half till his tummy gets used to things. Remember, a hungry calf is a healthy calf.

If you end up having to use milk replacer instead of whole cows milk, they are pretty much interchangeable, if mixed according to package directions. If you have to go the MR route, dilute it for the first few days until his body can adjust. If you give him a bottle of replacer milk that is "rich" you will scour him in a heartbeat, and there's a whole 'nother bucket of problems.

[JKB07]

You seem to be confused.

It is one bottle in the morning and one in the evening. Which comes to a gallon a day.

Justin

[Saffron]

yes - 1 bottle twice a day = one am bottle, one pm bottle = 2 bottles total

He has been on the MR - I called it powdered milk because I thought it came in powdered form. I didn't mean human powdered milk.
So at this point it is better to just leave him on the MR? I wouldn't be able to get milk from the same herd.

The cord is dry and looks fine to me.

A friend has 8-way for immunizations and will give me a syringe for him.

[Zookeeper]

If you decide to use milk you know who has a refrigerator full!

We also have a banding tool and the bands that we used on the goats but I'm not sure if it will do a cow?

Let us know if you need anything!

[TSYORK]

Originally Posted by Zookeeper

We also have a banding tool and the bands that we used on the goats but I'm not sure if it will do a cow?

Let us know if you need anything!

The bands are interchangeable, both bulls and goats, or at least they are at my farm.

[Chixarecute]

If you already have a bag of milk replacer, & he is doing well on it, then finish the bag. Once he is a little bigger/more stable/less stressed he should be able to transition to the milk, but do it gradually over 5-6 feedings - ie all mr, then 3/4 mr, 1/4 milk for 2 feedings, then 1/2 & 1/2 for two feedings, then 1/4 mr-3/4 milk, then all milk. Back off to the previous blend if he starts showing signs of scouring.

milk replacers are not pretty much interchangeable. the cheaper stuff is OK for older calves - but not for the young ones. you can get by with feeding the cheap stuff to young ones, but then you'd better have top notch management skills & be able to tell & treat asap if the calf is "off" and scouring.

[topside1]

Chix is right. Any type transitiion must be done gradually as mentioned. Every time I rush it, I'm always sorry. I have one on the mend now, went from MR to Goats milk overnight and trouble ever since. I know better too....that's the sad part....Topside

[Debbie at Bount]

Now, watch his "bowel movements", if he starts to get the runs switch to electrolites. Bottle calves have big problems with the runs. You can buy them at the feed store for about a couple dollars a packet which makes two quarts. I just went through this with a angus bull calf. He was born during a snow storm and was too weak for his brand new mother a heifer. I was close by (frezzing to death). It took a good week to get him in shape and his mom to accept him and start nursing. At one point I thought my husband was going to have to do the humane thing and end the poor thing's life. But I sat with that calf and got him up and back nursing. I always give a calf that hasn't had mom's colstrum a packet that Ikeep in the freezer of that. Now store bought colustrum is expensive like 14 bucks which makes only 2 quarts but it will save a calf. It bothers me that they let the vultures get to the calf. I have a terrible vulture problem and I am sure over the years I have probably lost a calf to vultures or coyotes but if you see a problem you would bring that baby right up the house. I hope the mama nursed the calf before she died.

I have a calf that its mother died in a thunder storm, horrible, I cried...anyway the calf was 3 months at the time and of course I couldn't get it on a bottle. So. I started it on creep feed. It is now about 10 months old and its on the list for the stockyard but its size is very and I mean very small for a 10 month old and compared to the rest of the calves going to marker will weight at least 150 pounds less. Sometimes there is nothing you can do but pray.

Good Luck

[bigmudder77]

i feed all mine 2 bottles twice a day and they are fine and act hungry if i give them only one

they never had any runs, sickness, or any thing when i feed them 2 bottles

i feed that much to a twin that was 2 weeks old and really small and he drank all the 2 bottles TWICE a day

id give him 2 bottles twice a day 1 and 1/2 cups of milk morning and night so 3 cups a day for 4 bottles

he sounds like a big calf and he needs more

and if you need to get stuff for the runs try this its called one day responce you feed it 4 feedings 2 days and it works great i feed my auction calves that when they had the runs and it cleared it right up it makes there poop like in a jell type thing but i will always use that

i used alot of stuff before and that works the best for like $3 a pack the resorb or what ever its called works good too but its a little more money