Does anyone...

[stifflej]

Feed more then 2 - 2qt bottles a day to a bottle fed calf (Hereford)? Was at our county fair yesterday and the one display appeared to say they fed the calf 6 bottles a day? I know the responses on here all said 2 quarts twice a day, was just wondering if and why you would give more then that?

Thanks.

[TSYORK]

I hope I don't confuse you further, but the amount of feed for a newborn calf doesn't change per day, although the denominations in which it is given may.

You can feed: 1 gallon broken up into two feedings (two quarts twice a day)

You can feed: 1 gallon broken up into four feedings (one quart four times a day)

You can feed: 1 gallon broken up into six feeding (5.33 cups per feeding, six times a day).

Hope that helps! However, you can up his intake as the steer gets older, especially if you're feeding rich, raw milk. There not a lot of untility in doing it if he's replacer.

[MayLOC]

milk replacer? No, I never have, and wouldn't.

fresh goat/cow milk? Yes, we have and do.

We figure a minimum of 2 bottles/day per calf (minimum).
When we get bottle calves (off our ranch) we usually start them off on 3/4 a calf bottle 2 x per day. Then increase to a full bottle 2 x per day. If we have plenty of (goat) milk, then we feed as much as we have. Some years we only end up with 1 or 2 bottle calves and so they end up getting a lot of milk. Other years we end up with more calves and so they might only get the minimum (2 full bottles per day).

This year, up until last month (when we ended up with a 2nd) we only had one bottle calf starting in the spring. She was getting 2 3/4 bottles morning and about 2 1/2 bottles at night.

The most we have ever fed a calf was a few years ago when we only ended up with one bottle calf. He was getting about 3 1/2 in the morning and almost 3 1/2 at night.

They do awesome!

But again, this is fresh goat milk and not milk replacer.