2 heifer calves won't take bottle

Milking Mom · #1 05/27/05, 01:58 PM

I have 2 brangus heifer calves about a month and a half old. Neither one will take a bottle. Completely refuse and fight like tigers. Tried several days, several times, it ain't happening. They are both eating sweet feed, hay and drinking water out of a bucket. Is there anything, supplement, alfalfa pellets, etc. that I can get some calcium into these heifers where they won't be stunted? I would like to use them as replacement heifers for our herd.

Haggis · #2 05/27/05, 02:49 PM

If they will drink water from a bucket why not try milk in the bucket? Couldn't hurt to try.

OD · #3 05/27/05, 03:23 PM

If they won't drink it, why not mix the dry milk with their feed?

tyusclan · #4 05/28/05, 08:22 AM

If they're 6 weeks old and eating well, I wouldn't worry about the bottle. I always wean my bottle calves at about 6 weeks anyway.

JeffNY · #5 05/28/05, 11:43 PM

Sweet feed, the water and other feed will do them well. Just keep the grain to them and you should be set. If they are doing well, healthy, growing don't worry.

Jeff

Ken Scharabok · #6 05/29/05, 06:41 AM

Agree with all of the above. Sounds like they are doing fine now. Sounds like you have already opened the bag of milk replacer so you might as well use it up so it doesn't go stale or get weavils. As said above, sprinkle over feed or mix in drinking water, a bit at first and then more as they get use to it.

I keep some milk replacer at hand since I always seem to get that orphaned calf when the coop is closed for the weekend. I put it in the jugs in which windshield washer fluid comes in as they are much sturdier than milk jugs and last far longer. A gallon's worth will hold me until the coop is open and I can get a fresh bag.

ken Scharabok

Milking Mom · #7 05/29/05, 04:45 PM

Thanks all for your replies. The 2 calves are doing fine. They are not sunk in or anything. They like their sweet feed and hay and munch grass. They are just wild as a march hare.

I was sitting on the feed bucket this morning and had their feed pan about 3 feet from me and as long as I didn't look at them, they would come eat out of the pan. If I moved too fast or looked at them they got scared and ran backwards. BUT...it is better than them being clear down at the other end of the pasture like they first were. I raise dairy goats, so the milk I have is goat milk. I have 3 other bottle babies that are on the goats milk and they are growing like little piggies. I was afraid they would get stunted if they didn't get their milk, but if they are getting what they need then I won't worry about it any more.
Thanks again