Thin calf question

myheaven · #1 12/26/12, 08:19 PM

I have a holstine bull calf. He was to be a steer by now but!!!,he isn't keepin weight on. Born middle of september. He has height but he is far thinner than normal. He is off The bottle. He isn't vigorously eating concentrates like he should. I tried to separate him but then he wouldn't eat his grain at all! My gut says start bottle againg. Can I do that or is his guy flora changed too much?

CJBegins · #2 12/26/12, 08:44 PM

What is this calf's poop like? Has he been dewormed or given coccidia meds? What food does he have available to him?

Can you post a picture, that would really help assess the situation.

myheaven · #3 12/26/12, 09:05 PM

Poops are perfect. No illness. I put a coat on him. He keeps pulling it off. Beef hay access at all times. Alfalfa 17% protine pellets. 2-4 lbs a day mixed 3 cups with oats. Oats, corn and distillers grain 20% mix.

myheaven · #4 12/26/12, 09:06 PM

I have no pictures at this second. I will have to get pics in the am

topside1 · #5 12/26/12, 10:03 PM

How about taking his temperature, just to rule out a low grade lingering fever..Also you are offering way to much grains. What are you comparing him to? Topside

topside1 · #6 12/26/12, 10:07 PM

All he needs is hay free choice & a pound of calf starter in the AM and another pound in the PM...

topside1 · #7 12/26/12, 10:09 PM

You didn't mention hay, a ruminant must have forage.

topside1 · #8 12/26/12, 10:10 PM

Quit with ration mix and make him eat hay and calf starter. The hay keeps him warm, fermentation...

myheaven · #9 12/26/12, 10:33 PM

I said beef hay at all times. Not alfalfa. Beef quality hay. Alfalfa pellets cus the hay isn't a good quality

myheaven · #10 12/26/12, 11:35 PM

His temp is 100 it has been very cold. So I expect it to be a little low. He is happy plays,bumps me. Eats my laces. Just not puting on weight and his growth seems to have stunted. I have raised many holstine. I have him with my almost 6 mth old heifer. She is a beef white park/ holstine dairy cross. She now towers him before they didn't have such a difference.

myheaven · #11 12/27/12, 03:09 PM

I have pics but I have to get the pics up loaded in my computer.

Allen W · #12 12/27/12, 09:34 PM

1% of body weight a day is what I try to feed for grain, might feed a little more when it's real cold. topside1 is about right on calf starter, i would make him eat the grain before he got anything else for the day.

I don't think your wrong feeding the alfalfa pellets just get him on a good calf starter at 2 to 2.5 lbs a day then feed the alf. pellets and hay at a rate that keeps him eating his calf starter.

Steins go through some akward growth stages, they spend most of their young life looking like no more then hide, bone, and running gear.

RockyRidgeFarms · #13 12/27/12, 09:45 PM

I've got one that was like that. Almost gave up on him, but he, like yours was always happy and healthy. Had good grass at the time with calf starter. It wasn't till he was almost a year before I wasn't embarassed to show him to my friends. He was my first dairy breed and everybody said that just how they look. But comparing him to other same aged steers, he was way under for a long time. Now, at just over 3 years he aroung 1700lbs and filled out nicely. Freezer camp in 2 wks.

Judy in IN · #14 12/27/12, 09:58 PM

When I brought Bella down from MI, after she got rid of the rattle in her lungs, she still didn't want to really eat. I gave her a dose of BoSe and she never looked back. You might get a bag of Rumensin and mix in his feed. That will take care of Coccidia if he has it. When hubby was raising Holstein steers he mixed that into the ration. Last thought is a shot of B complex to bump up his appetite.

topside1 · #15 12/28/12, 07:44 AM

I had no idea what beef hay was, learn something everyday. Like AllenW said 1% body weight in calf starter, hay, water and he will surprise you by summer...Topside