buying calf first time

michelleds · #1 07/31/11, 12:12 AM

hello everyone,

I'm driving an hour tomorrow to Blackwell, OK to meet a truck with 1.5 week to 2.5 week old calves. Jerseys, Holsteins and Angus crosses. guy says they all have vaccinations, dried umbilicals, good joints, healthy.

I have 10 total acres, apx 5 of which is very well fenced, and I have 7 pregnant meat goats on that. the calf will be with them. obviously, I'll be bottle-feeding, but I want to see if anyone has any advice??

since the calf will be with the goats, is there any reason to get 2?

thanks,
michelle

**gone-a-milkin** · #2 07/31/11, 12:20 AM

Get 2. They die easy.

haypoint · #3 07/31/11, 12:36 AM

....meet a truck....guy says.....

There are people that make a living buying up poor quality, sick or free martians and selling to the unknowing.

Did you study the thread about buying calves, sale barn, etc? Do you know how to identify a sick calf? Dehydrated? Scours? Free martian? Can you identify a 3 week old from a 3 day old calf?

Are you looking for something to eat or something to milk?

**gone-a-milkin** · #4 07/31/11, 12:41 AM

Even if the guy is very honest and the calves are healthy, the shipping stresses them.
Such a mixed lot of calves will be coming from many different sources and they will all be exposed to eachothers germs in the trailer.

Please quarantine them from your goats initially.

michelleds · #5 07/31/11, 12:42 AM

eat.

maybe I'll wait to find a calf local so I can go to the home place.

michelleds · #6 07/31/11, 12:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gone-a-milkin

Even if the guy is very honest and the calves are healthy, the shipping stresses them.
Such a mixed lot of calves will be coming from many different sources and they will all be exposed to eachothers germs in the trailer.

Please quarantine them from your goats initially.

If the guy is honest, these are all from his own place. he has 3000 to 4000 head on a dairy and these are the bulls. but I'm afraid that I've not thought this thru enough, having just found out about this a few hours ago

**gone-a-milkin** · #7 07/31/11, 01:15 AM

Did you research the dairy at all?

Where is he carrying all his calves to?

Taking calves for long rides (esp in this weather) really takes it out of them.
I understand that there are severe drought conditions and the auction yards are full in OK.

Your original post does draw a lot of red flags. If you have never raised bottle calves before, you might have better success with some you can find locally.

Not to be unsupportive, but bull calves born in the heat of summer and trucked en masse are not what I would consider a beginner project.

If they are super cheap and you can afford to take the loss, then go ahead and try.
Just keep them away from your other stock (at first).

Do get more than one though. Could be a learning experience.

huvalfarm · #8 07/31/11, 08:01 AM

Make sure you read the sticky about Barn sale/ Bottle calves! I tried this for the first time this year. It's harder than you might think.
Have some supplies on hand - you will need more than just the milk replacer and bottles... (definitely have electolytes, probiotics, and a tube feeder)
Make sure your schedule is fairly open for at least a few weeks. These guys need lots of attention.
There is alot of information available - research, research, research- (I learned how to tube feed and band them from youtube and found lots of advice on this forum).
I just weaned my 3 little guys. It was hard work and I needed help from my husband to lift them. They are heavier than they look! - I thought I would lose 2 of them to scours, but somehow they all survived!
I couldn't have done it without the information i gleaned from the posts on this site. Thanks to all the people who blazed the trail...
I think I will try it again.

topside1 · #9 07/31/11, 08:13 AM

Michelle, the above posts are spot on. Do yourself a favor, avoid the calf truck (death wagon). Do your homework on raising calves and then study some more. Being prepared is 50% of the battle. Raising calves can be rewarding and fun, it can also be upsetting. Study hard then go get your first calf...Topside

sammyd · #10 07/31/11, 09:17 AM

I'll go the other way. If they are indeed that old and from the guys place. I would throw 2 in the truck and head home. I'd do it early morning or late evening.
Might bring the kid and a couple of bottles of electrolytes for the trip though and make sure they get another bottle of electrolytes when they get home.

ozark_jewels · #11 07/31/11, 09:36 AM

If you were experienced, I'd say sure, try it.
But having no calf experience, I'd advise to wait and find one off the farm closer to home. They should be able to give you health background on calf, etc. And it will come to you MUCH less stressed.

michelleds · #12 07/31/11, 12:12 PM

thank you everyone! based on the fact that the calves were $60 a head, I went ahead and drove down there at 4:00 this morning. I read the sticky, read it again, felt comfortable to look and say no if they weren't right.

apparently God agreed with all of you because the guy never showed and his voicemail was full.

so there ya go! now I'll spend lots more time researching and looking for a calf close to home.

I'll keeping reading here, lots of great info and very nice people.

thanks again. michelle

topside1 · #13 07/31/11, 12:25 PM

Where do you live? One of us maybe your neighbor...Topside

michelleds · #14 07/31/11, 12:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by topside1

Where do you live? One of us maybe your neighbor...Topside

just south of Wichita, ks

Callieslamb · #15 07/31/11, 02:22 PM

You have been given some great advice...... I'll add that if you see wet navels and he says they are 2 weeks old - he's not been truthful and I'd drive away fast. However.......

I bought a bull calf off the back of a truck and he tasted mighty fine 16 months later. I think it more depends on the price than anything else. If you are paying $150 for that calf....find one elsewhere. I paid $25 for one. It was worth the risk. I picked from the calves that were most interested in me when I looked in the back of the truck. The ones that had bright eyes and ears up almost fighting for the spot closest to me. I didn't even glance at the ones at the other end of the truck with their heads down.

If you're up for the risk - bring some water with you and a bottle to feed it to them in so they won't dehydrate on you before you get them home. And yes, I'd get 2 if the price is right. Calves do get sick easily. They do die. But by raising 2 one can help pay for the expenses of the other one. And I'd jump 2x for a chance at a 1/2 beef steer. You do need to consider the cost of the milk replacer though. I have found that it's cheaper to buy a weaned calf than to buy the calf and the MR and pay the vet fee - because with all my calves except 2 - there's been a vet fee.