Feeding bottle bull calves

PrettyPaisley · #1 09/03/12, 04:12 PM

How much milk do they need per day? How often do I feed them?

Thanks-

Callieslamb · #2 09/03/12, 05:37 PM

2 quarts 2 times a day. If you buy a calf bottle, that's one bottle two times a day. They will try to convince you that they need more but feeding more often causes more problems than feeding too little. In a couple weeks, they will start nibbling at grain or hay. Introduce new foods slowly and in very small amounts.

Mironsfarm · #3 09/03/12, 06:38 PM

what are you going to use powder milk or goat milk? if your gonna use powder stay away from the soy milk it isnt good at all! i havent had luck with it for a little more you can buy stuff that is closer to reg cows milk

Kato2010 · #4 09/03/12, 06:58 PM

Agree totally. I would add that it's also not a good thing to suddenly switch milk replacer varieties suddenly either. If you ever change a calf to a different replacer, do it gradually over a few days.

francismilker · #5 09/03/12, 07:07 PM

Paisley, I'd recommend the sticky at the top of the page about bottle calves. I realize it's extensive but there's some good info there.

As far as how much, I say it depends on the weight of the calf. If you start a newborn jersey calf on 2qts, 2X per day you might over feed them. I usually start the smaller calves on 1.5qts and gradually raise it up. The smaller amount you feed and the more frequently you feed them helps them to grow out better. One dairy I worked on years ago fed 4 times per day instead of two. Of course, no one wants to be nailed down to that rigid schedule and the dairy had someone there 24\7 to do it. The calves grew well and weren't pot-bellied at all.

topside1 · #6 09/03/12, 07:25 PM

Pretty, need more info, breed, age, where bought, frame size, what type milk replacer, type bottle, nipple, bucket, feeding height, as you can see there are many variables involved in raising bottle calves. For example I'm raising two bottle jerseys right now, they start with 2 pints of milk per feeding and are weaned at two pints of milk per feeding. If I fed them 2 quarts per feeding from the get go they would be dead by now. The list of techniques and scenarios are endless. I'd be glad to help, need more info. As Francis mentioned do all your homework first, then ask questions, listen to the answers, and enjoy your bottle babies.....Topside

JBarGFarmKeeper · #7 09/03/12, 08:27 PM

Paisley's Ms. Moo lost her calf last week I believe and I imagine she's feeding real milk. I think she got dairy calves but I don't remember if she said.

PrettyPaisley · #8 09/03/12, 10:07 PM

Real milk here. All this homesteading stuff was born out of a desire to avoid soy and prepare for an economic disaster so I'm clear on the dangers of soy.

My desire to help my cow's maternal instinct has clearly backfired. She wants nothing to do with them at all. Sadly, neither do I. I had no idea how much trouble they would be. It's a big difference bottle feeding baby goats vs. baby cows.

One was born 9/27 the other 9/23. One is a Holstien, the other is brown. I have no idea. Both came from mid-sized dairy farms. Their frames? Just a touch bigger than my 2 7-month old Great Pryns LGDs. Regular half gallon sized white calve bottles with rubber nipples.

What else can I tell you? I would hate to get rid of these boys but OMG I already have so much to do. My SO is a cop and with the DNC here I am a work widow and all this is KILLING me. I do not even enjoy these things because they follow me around with those huge slobbering tongues pushing on my like I'm their momma. I've finally stopped wearing shorts to the barn because I can't stand them sucking on my thighs.

I hate feeling this way and I was just trying to help Ms. Moo. Clearly you cannot circumvent Mother Nature's intentions.

Why did my first calf have to die????

Sorry. It's been a difficult week here.

PrettyPaisley · #9 09/03/12, 10:10 PM

Could I just get one of those buckets with nipples hanging off of it? I want these to be happy and friend animals but I fully intend to eat them in a couple of years so I don't feel the need to treat them as pets.

goodhors · #10 09/03/12, 10:28 PM

We fed our calves 3 bottles a day. Every 6 hours worked for us, so that is what I timed them to be fed at. One full bottle each time. This was Vet recommended quantity of bottles, because he said that too many small calves get dehydrated by being only fed twice a day. They gained well, didn't have any scours issues with that diet. We had Dutch Belted and Holstein calves.

I liked the bottle because then I went back and cleaned everything up for the next feeding. I would not go for the bucket yet, too easy for them to not empty it and get nasty stuff in the milk, or get spoiled milk to make them sick. Milk goes bad fast in this warm season.

We kept our calves in stalls while they were so little, with the kid to walk them daily because we got ours in winter. Stalling did keep them from following ME around everywhere! Leading them out to their field for a couple hours of turnout made them easy to handle when haltered, cooperative when they got to be larger animals.

Jessilee7 · #11 09/03/12, 10:34 PM

Yes. You can get the bucket feeder. You may have to spend a little time getting them used to it but sounds like they are started well and should catch on quick.

francismilker · #12 09/03/12, 11:20 PM

If you want, you can do what some dairyman still do today. Have them drink it from a bucket instead of nursing it. I've seen it done many times. It takes a day or two but if they're interested in nursing it's not too bad. Simply put a nipple in their mouth and lower it teat up into the bucket. Before long, they realize they've been tricked and stop drinking. After a day or two, they figure out food's in there and readily drink it.

Doing this, you can have two buckets. One that you take full of milk to the lot and one that's empty that you take back to the house for cleaning and refilling next feeding. It takes far less time this way once you get a routine down. For me, I'd prefer the bottles because I insist on being with the calves a little day to day to inspect them and look for potential problems. Remember, a calf that's nursing well and eating good this morning can be a dead calf by this evening.

**gone-a-milkin** · #13 09/03/12, 11:25 PM

I am sorry to hear that you are not enjoying your little slobberfaced knuckle headed bully calves.

They really arent like goats though, are they?

You probably could put them to the bucket at this age, but it is as francismilker says.
More time spent observing the individuals will give you a quicker clue if something goes wrong.

Cheryl aka JM · #14 09/04/12, 07:32 AM

She doesn't want the calves....but that may not matter if you can convince them they want her. instead of bottle feeding the darlings twice a day go ahead and feed the cow twice a day. Hoble her, or hold her knee joint the way I described, or do with the rope the way was described so she can't hurt the calves. In the morning and evening put food down for her, confine her ability to kick and let the calves at her. Once they get the idea they will take care of the rest. They will make sure they get a feed in, and once you make her let them feed twice a day every day for a couple weeks...she will give in and let them feed. Then it's HER job to put up with the annoying little darlings not yours!

Cheryl aka JM · #15 09/04/12, 07:34 AM

Oh~ and if she does get a kick in on a calf, don't worry too much about it. The calves are tough little darlings and can take a pretty good kick and still dive right back in for some more milk. Just be carefull to keep her from getting a good kick in on YOU

PrettyPaisley · #16 09/04/12, 10:46 AM

I did try to tie her and let them suckle but then at the second milking she would not come in to the barn. Guess I should just hide them, tie her and not give her a choice, huh ?

Cheryl aka JM · #17 09/04/12, 10:54 AM

Make sure she is hungry enough and the treat your offering is super tempting.

francismilker · #18 09/04/12, 06:52 PM

After she stands in a dry lot all day in the sun without food or water, she'll more than likely come in. If she don't after the first day, she'll be there the second. Cows have the mentality of a third grader I've been told. You just have to outsmart a 3rd grader!!!! lol.........

PrettyPaisley · #19 09/04/12, 08:20 PM

Well that's what I did tonight. In the pouring down rain being attacked by Brisket and Chuck, I lured her in the barn with a big bucket of goodies and tried to milk her (I'd rather milk her than have them on her the entire time) but she wouldn't let me. The thing that is so hard about this is that I am ALL alone and have been for about 10 days now-since the DNC is in town and my SO is a police officer working 16+ hour days til this Friday. If I could have just a slight amount of help I could get SO to tail her and I could get these hobbles on her so she would quit swatting me with her foot. A week ago today she took the milk stand down fighting me to milk her.

Anyhow-I finally convinced the younger calf Chuck to suckle. Brisket is a champ and went to town. I stood there with them for what seemed like forever and she tried to kick them away but eventually gave in. Then she let me sit beside her and scratch behind her ear and under her eyes-and I swear she nudged me when I let up.

It's times like that when I really don't think I should take her back to a big dairy; I think she is happy with me-I just need to be reminded she's not miserable.

Anyhow-back to it again tomorrow. Hopefully they will follow her around now and not me. At least they will sleep well with full bellies tonight!

Cliff · #20 09/05/12, 07:17 AM

I was wondering how things were going for you, I'm so sorry to hear you're having such a hard time with this

Just stick with it. Once you can establish habits with the cow it'll go easier. Don't feed the cow if she doesn't come where you want her! She will come when she gets hungry. You have to get her trained for the good of all concerned. Don't give up, it will be so worth it when you finally get everything worked out.

Irregular and incomplete milking can cause mastitis issues. Also irregular nursing can cause the calves to scour because when they get too hungry they'll drink too much at one time.

She's still not letting you milk her? She shouldn't be able to stop you if you're using the belly rope right. That really does work better than the other options, even hobbles really because it keeps them from moving around so much. Learn to tie the belly rope so it doesn't slip.

Be persistent, don't give up or she will know that if she insists, you will give up. Just like a three year old like someone above said.

I wish I was closer, I'd give you a hand to get her settled down

I've only had one cow over the years who persisted with her nastiness to the point that it just wasn't worth it to fool with her anymore. But you said you were able to milk this one before she was dried off? Was it a rodeo back then too?