Another Question

therookie · #1 01/19/12, 08:10 AM

Was just wondering what your methods for teaching a calf to drink were? We have one calf that is uncommonly smart(eats grain/drinks water without being shown how

) the others are behind him a little ways

Just looking for ideas...

Callieslamb · #2 01/19/12, 08:52 AM

I think if one drinks, the others will follow. I don't believe I've ever had to teach a calf to drink water.

sassafras manor · #3 01/19/12, 12:09 PM

Assuming they are still on the bottle, they are usually more than willing to suck your finger. Get them sucking on your finger and then slowly lower your finger down into the water. Before they know it they are drinking and do not even realize it. It may take a couple times but once they start they are set. Another way is to give them their milk in a bucket and then do the same finger trick. Once they are reliably taking the milk from the bucket, rinse the bucket out when the yare done and pour a small amount of water in it for them to drink.
Good luck - Matt

therookie · #4 01/23/12, 10:04 AM

O.K. got another question for ya

Can calves that are about two months old eat too much grain??

Thanks,

myersfarm · #5 01/23/12, 12:53 PM

yes they can it will run out the back end faster than it came in the front......if thats not happen and it is a solid pile .... they are not getting to much grain...they also need good hay will help it firm up...they can bloat on just grain easily

therookie · #6 01/23/12, 08:19 PM

O.K. thanks,

Another thing i've been wondering about is, how long can you let them keep their "balls" and not get the "bull" taste in the meat?

myersfarm · #7 01/24/12, 01:13 AM

I am eating a 3 year old herd bull right now.... I have never tasted the bull taste..so not a good person to ask.....but if i am going to cut I do it at 400 pounds

BamaProud · #8 01/24/12, 12:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by myersfarm

yes they can it will run out the back end faster than it came in the front......if thats not happen and it is a solid pile .... They are not getting to much grain...they also need good hay will help it firm up...they can bloat on just grain easily

Quote:

Originally Posted by therookie

o.k. Got another question for ya

can calves that are about two months old eat too much grain??

Thanks,

lol!!

therookie · #9 01/26/12, 07:03 PM

So I am going to turn this into an official Q&A thread...

One of our calves has been diagnosed with chronic pneumonia, which it is currently being treated for. Question is, how often and how serious is it when one of the abscesses in its lungs bursts? Is it treatable? Will it be able to be babied until it is older and then butchered?

Thanks,

therookie

therookie · #10 01/30/12, 06:18 PM

No comments folks??

myersfarm · #11 01/30/12, 06:35 PM

therookie if you started a new thread it might help getting a faster respones

this is JUST MY EXPERIENCE
sorry to say but once the lungs are scarred the lungs do not grow very much as the calf does...if scarred really bad even with treatment.....do not see were you live but....when the temp around here gets in 100 one day you will see them under a tree or pond breathing really hard and the next you will find them died...they out grew there lung capacity..

myersfarm · #12 01/30/12, 06:37 PM

this is the reason I am always taking temp.. and treating right away.... to fix before lungs get damaged

therookie · #13 01/31/12, 08:00 AM

myersfarm- I live in NE Iowa, we usual don't get temps higher then 95-98. But i was thinking of butchering him (for hamburger) in the spring/early summer, before it got to warm. I was just wondering if he would make it that far.?

myersfarm · #14 01/31/12, 10:33 AM

I would ask the vet that said he had the llung problem