Milk Replacer or Goats Milk?

Pipe Dreaming · #1 09/12/14, 05:48 PM

On our way to pick up a week old bull calf. Calf had colostrum, and is drinking milk from a bucket.
I was wondering if goats milk would be a better/healthier choice or if a good milk replacer is best?

wally · #2 09/12/14, 06:24 PM

I go with the Milk replacer, more balanced nutrition

msscamp · #3 09/12/14, 09:38 PM

Personally, I would go with milk replacer formulated for calves, not a universal replacer. Also make sure it is dairy based - not soy - and it contains 24% protein and 24% fat.

Awnry Abe · #4 09/12/14, 09:43 PM

Goats milk all the way.

ETA: I state this because anyone considering goats milk must have cheap goats milk on hand. To go out and buy goats milk to feed....ouch. I would consider the economics of the feeding situation over the marginal differences in nutrition.

topside1 · #5 09/13/14, 06:56 AM

Bite my tongue, I've got to many items on my work list. Goats milk is a near perfect food for man and beast. Enough said....Topside

sammyd · #6 09/13/14, 01:14 PM

whatever is cheapest.
We have raised them both ways and had fat happy calves.

24% fat and protein is pretty hot stuff. 20% is perfectly acceptable and will probably cost less.

Pipe Dreaming · #7 09/13/14, 01:25 PM

20% all dairy protein is the best they had. Went with ML.
Bought electrolytes also to offer him a little mid day. Is it alright to give a healthy calf electrolytes? Just want to keep him going well. Nervous after reading g so many scour stories..

sammyd · #8 09/13/14, 02:39 PM

we usually only offer electrolytes right after we bring them home or if they are ill.
Other than that no problem, just adding to the cost is all.

billinwv · #9 09/14/14, 08:21 PM

If I don't have goat's milk I use whole milk from the grocery store. Nearly the same cost of replacers and never had problems.

Pipe Dreaming · #10 09/14/14, 08:43 PM

Calf update: not good. Today he started getting the runs and he wheezes when he eats. He also has a snotty nose. I will give electrolytes between feedings... but I'm super concerned my calf is getting pneumonia. Have read nuflor is a good way to treat this..but we don't have any. I'm leaning towards just calling the vet out. I don't want to loose him.
Attached a few pictures.

msscamp · #11 09/14/14, 11:30 PM

How did you introduce the milk replacer - how much and how often? What color are the scours? Is he coughing or is his breathing rattly after he finishes his bottle? Have you taken his temperature? Do you have Penicillin on hand?

Pipe Dreaming · #12 09/15/14, 05:10 AM

We feed him 2 quarts, twice a day. Mixed it on the light side, not quite a full scoop. Haven't taken his temp. His poop was soft, but not liquid up until yesterday afternoon. Then it looked brownish yellow. Yes the rattled breathing is during his feedings and immediately after. We don't notice it before a bottle. The people we bought him from were trying to bucket feed him...I think he was way too young and probably aspirated. No penicillin. .. thought about getting whatever I could fin at TSC. .but I think I'd sleep better having our vet come out. Just nerve-wracking. This is our first calf.

Awnry Abe · #13 09/15/14, 05:51 AM

Ours rattled the whole time. Aspirated. He would finish with a nice smoker's hack and go on with his day. (He is weaned, finally).

Nuflor is one of the "good to have on hands" if you deal in livestock. If you have the vet out, have him draw up a syringe or two to leave behind. Pneumonia is an ailment where hours count.

topside1 · #14 09/15/14, 06:35 AM

Take the calf's temp. Don't fight a bacteria if one doesn't exist. Feed the bottle lower to the ground and feed less, I'd be giving that breed of bull calf only three pints per feeding, nothing more. I'm familiar with the feeding cough, lower the bottle and less will enter his airways. None of mine have ever died from the wheezing post feeding cough. Take his temperature and take it from there. Topside

Pipe Dreaming · #15 09/15/14, 10:00 AM

Thank you - have read your posts before about feeding low.. more natural. Will give that a shot.

Vet said 4.5ml of LA200 every other day and pepto before feeding. 30cc's. I will take his temperature before using the LA200. I'll reduce the amount of MR and vet also said do not mix it light... watered down MR isn't good for them. (the people we bought the calf from suggested this). He'll get 2 pints of water mid-day with electrolytes to help fight off dehydration.
I've heard raw egg helps? We have chickens, could give him raw egg if it won't hurt him.
Anything else that might help the scours? Keeping his stall as clean as we can and being super consistant on feedings.. 12 hrs apart.. I'll do anything I can to keep this little guy going. So far, he still seems perky. Vet said call him ASAP if he starts getting worse.
Thanks again for all you guys' help. I really appreciate it.

Pipe Dreaming · #16 09/15/14, 10:01 AM

May have forgot to mention. He's a Angus/Holstein cross... just looks more like a angus I guess... but he has a little white on his back feet.

Pipe Dreaming · #17 09/16/14, 07:37 AM

Took his temp. 102.8. Gave him about a pint of electrolytes and he crapped them out.. cleaned out his stall real good, gave him about 25cc's of pepto (which he hated). Cleaned up his rear end with a warm soapy rag, gave him 4.5ML of LA200. Couple hours later gave him his MR. Fed him lower and more of a straight down angle. Made a world of difference. No wheezing.. no coughing. Also bought a new nipple and it's coming out a little slower. I think getting the MR at a slower rate is helping also. Hung around and watched him, no craps immediately after feeding and he seemed perky and alert. Went back out just after 10pm - no crap puddles.. no smell... he was up and peeing. Gave him 1.5 pints of water/electrolytes.. he wasn't real hungry, but he finished it.
My husband fed him this morning and he said there were a couple spots (or puddles) of poop this morning, but his energy level was real good. He was rambunctious and frisky. Mooing more and wouldn't hardly let him out of the stall, pushing him around. So we are very hopeful at this point.
Also, his ear tag looks to be infected... hoping the LA200 will help with that as well..