Some advice please

[ChickenMom]

I got a JerseyxHolstein heifer calf from a raw milk dairy in Texas. She was on her mother until I got her. I have had her for 4 days, she is 8 days old. I am feeding her 2 bottles a day with 2.3 quarts each, so a little over a gallon a day. Is that enough? She looks skinny to me. She drinks water and chews on grass and hay (I don't know if she is eating it). We haven't had a bottle calf in about 8 years so I don't remember how they are supposed to look. I am giving her half milk replacer and half goat milk because I don't have enough goat milk to go around.
Thanks

[Callieslamb]

I believe that to be plenty. I fed mine 2 qts 2times a day. They will bawl and beg for more no matter how much you feed them. Baby calves always look thin to me. If she is drinking water and chewing on grass and hay.....she will be fine on what you are feeding her.

[LibertyWool]

The only thing I do differently is make sure they have grain. It has taken about 2 weeks, but they are really starting to like the grain. The first week they lost weight (Scours and respiratory problems), but the second week they are back to gaining. They still look skinny, but when you put your hands on them, you can feel that they have better covering.

[ChickenMom]

Thanks
I will start offering grain too. I always wait until about 2 weeks to offer grain with the goats so that's what I was going by. I'll try to get a pic and post it. I'm bad about always thinking my animals look skinny anyway. I didn't want to give her more milk and end up with scours.

[ChickenMom]

OK, here's a picture:

[2horses]

Awww, what a cute baby! Such a pretty color and markings! I have Limousins - red, boring, solid, plain, red.

[topside1]

chicken, that's one sweet little calf you have there..You are doing an excellent Job. Don't bump up her milk intake until she's 3 weeks old or older..Topside

[topside1]

She does not appear skinny to me....skinny is normal, overfeeding is not..

[ozark_jewels]

Not "skinny", just "dairy". The bright eyes, clean tail and damp nose speak volumes.

[Calfkeeper]

Isn't she a cutie! She looks healthy and happy to me. Sometimes they do seem to be really skinny, but as long as they are eating well they are OK. Once they start eating more than just milk they will plump up a bit.

Good luck with her, she's a beauty.

CK

[jBlaze]

She is SO cute! nice looking baby.

What grain to start? I have similar situation.

(we just got holstein calves that are about 3 days now. a heifer and a steer. Giving about 1 quart 3 or 4 times a day. Was not sure how much to start, they were pitiful and we worked to get that in them. Giving kaolin-pectin for the runnies from the change of milk. they seem better now - playing in stall, not just laying there. Will be working towards the 2 quarts twice slowly. - Just wondering what grain to feed.)
Thanks.

[7thswan]

She looks great to me.So pretty too.

[sammyd]

Nothing wrong with that calf.....


for starter grain we use an 18% mix that the mill sells. They mix it themselves, but any decent starter ration from a feed store would work.

[Ronney]

Originally Posted by ozark_jewels

Not "skinny", just "dairy". The bright eyes, clean tail and damp nose speak volumes.

I agree She's a lovely looking calf and I hope your going to milk her when she grows up. I like the Jersey/Friesian cross, they usually make for good milkers and have the temperament of the Jersey. I have two in my herd, both are champion producers and have personality plus. Which means that I think I've come back with a cow short and go looking for her to no avail only to find that she's already put herself into the milking bale and is standing patiently waiting while I go wandering around the farm looking for her

Cheers,
Ronnie

[ChickenMom]

Thanks everyone. I do plan to milk her (in 2-3 years Ha!). She is looking at little more plump, I'm noticing cow piles instead of plops now, I guess from eating more grass and starting grain. Tail is still clean so I guess we're OK.