Bottle calf! Some say I'm crazy...

UnlistMe
Gather App
Inventry
Shes not there yet. But much better. Tummy is full now. She took her second bottle this morning just now. All but a couple ounces. I'll be calling my vet shortly. She's not hot. But I can hear her breathing.
@Hereford2 she's 3 days old. 4 now I guess.
@TCRanch I did see some of the sale Wednesday. Just as crazy here. Bottle calves 400 and up. This one got split early before the crazy folks with big checkbooks showed up!
Between her color, condition, and ears, she went pretty reasonable.
20230602_065725.jpg
 
Weber Hickory Wood Chunks Outdoor Cooking Fuel, 4 lb – Premium BBQ Smoking & Grilling Chips for Rich, Subtly Sweet Flavor – Ideal for Beef, Lamb, Poultry & Pork – Long Lasting
See price on Amazon
Weber Hickory Wood Chunks Outdoor Cooking Fuel, 4 lb – Premium BBQ Smoking & Grilling Chips for Rich, Subtly Sweet Flavor – Ideal for Beef, Lamb, Poultry & Pork – Long Lasting
Old Potters Smoker Wood Chunks 13-16 lbs for Grilling, Smoking, and Wood Fire Cooking ~ 2 x 3 Inches, (Hickory, 790 Cu in.)
See price on Amazon
Old Potters Smoker Wood Chunks 13-16 lbs for Grilling, Smoking, and Wood Fire Cooking ~ 2 x 3 Inches, (Hickory, 790 Cu in.)
Hickory Pizza Oven Wood 6 Inch, 15 lbs Box – Kiln Dried & Bark-Free Firewood for Pizza Ovens, BBQ Smoking & Grilling – Premium Hickory Wood Logs for Ooni, Gozney, Solo Stove, Bertello
See price on Amazon
Hickory Pizza Oven Wood 6 Inch, 15 lbs Box – Kiln Dried & Bark-Free Firewood for Pizza Ovens, BBQ Smoking & Grilling – Premium Hickory Wood Logs for Ooni, Gozney, Solo Stove, Bertello
Firewood Central Kiln-Dried PA Hickory – 8” Splits (Approx 39.5 lb) – Bold Smoking Wood for Pizza Ovens, BBQ & Fire Pits – Easy Light, Low Smoke, USA Sourced
See price on Amazon
Firewood Central Kiln-Dried PA Hickory – 8” Splits (Approx 39.5 lb) – Bold Smoking Wood for Pizza Ovens, BBQ & Fire Pits – Easy Light, Low Smoke, USA Sourced
Firewood Central Kiln-Dried PA Hickory – 6” Splits (Approx. 42 lb) – Bold Smoking Wood for Pizza Ovens, BBQ & Fire Pits – Easy Light, Low Smoke, USA Sourced
See price on Amazon
Firewood Central Kiln-Dried PA Hickory – 6” Splits (Approx. 42 lb) – Bold Smoking Wood for Pizza Ovens, BBQ & Fire Pits – Easy Light, Low Smoke, USA Sourced
Greenworks 24V 6in BL Pruning Saw w/Auto Oiler, Tool Only
See price on Amazon
Greenworks 24V 6in BL Pruning Saw w/Auto Oiler, Tool Only
Old Potters Kiln Dried Firewood - Cherry, 1100 Cu. in, 16-18 Logs ~ 8" x 2.5" Logs. Solo Stove and Cooking Wood for Grilling, Smoking, and Firepits, Cherry.
See price on Amazon
Old Potters Kiln Dried Firewood - Cherry, 1100 Cu. in, 16-18 Logs ~ 8" x 2.5" Logs. Solo Stove and Cooking Wood for Grilling, Smoking, and Firepits, Cherry.
Heritage Smoke Wood Hickory Pizza Oven Wood with Fire Starter - Kiln Dried Firewood 6" Hardwood Logs for Brick Fire Pizza Ovens & Grills, 6 lb, Low Smoke, High Heat, Competition-Grade Clean Burn
See price on Amazon
Heritage Smoke Wood Hickory Pizza Oven Wood with Fire Starter - Kiln Dried Firewood 6" Hardwood Logs for Brick Fire Pizza Ovens & Grills, 6 lb, Low Smoke, High Heat, Competition-Grade Clean Burn
39" Fire Pits with Wood Storage for Outside, Large Wood Burning Outdoor Fireplace with Chimney, Mesh Spark Screen & Fire Poker, Idea for Backyard, Patio, Party, Camping, Picnic
See price on Amazon
39" Fire Pits with Wood Storage for Outside, Large Wood Burning Outdoor Fireplace with Chimney, Mesh Spark Screen & Fire Poker, Idea for Backyard, Patio, Party, Camping, Picnic
Smoak Firewood Cooking Wood Mini Splits - USDA Certified Kiln Dried Pizza Oven Wood, Grilling Wood, Smoking Wood, BBQing Wood (8inch Pieces, 25-30lbs 1728 Cubic in - Hickory)
See price on Amazon
Smoak Firewood Cooking Wood Mini Splits - USDA Certified Kiln Dried Pizza Oven Wood, Grilling Wood, Smoking Wood, BBQing Wood (8inch Pieces, 25-30lbs 1728 Cubic in - Hickory)
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change.
Good late morning guys n gurlz!
Been a busy busy week for sure. Sandy is coming right along. Taking a bottle great. She did scour just a wee lil bit. But no pills for her yet. She is drinking water good too.
I introduced calf starter last night. Got woke up by a pouring down rain about 3 am this morning. 😴 😆
STILL RAINING!! THANKS FOR THAT. LOVE IT!!

@Warren Allison usually there's plenty of pics in the trailer. I take a pic or three when I first get em for my records. The first day I almost always have something else in my pen. 🤣
The trailer is usually backed up to the pen for a make shift shelter in case they want out of the weather, sun etc. I have that lil calf hut I built, but it was in use elsewhere with Eleanors babies. So yeah, that's all. Just shelter etc. I've also learned it's nice to have it like that for days like today!! I can go give her a bottle and not stand in the rain! That's a huge plus. I don't skip bottles because of weather. Calf don't care if it's raining, snowing, blowing. I gotta be the mama rain or shine.

Edit to add..
It sure makes it easy to get those first few bottles in as well. Close the cut gate and trailer is half sized. Easy peasy to back em in a corner and work with em. Gets em started much easier than chasing around a pen. The more vigorous calves have proven escape artists and can be little pills to get that first bottle in! Trailer, upside down panels, good chains. No escapes
 
Last edited:
Travlr said:
How old is Big Sexy gonna be in two years? And are you going to breed him to his daughters?

Not that I'm playing devil's advocate or anything... lol
Click to expand...
He will be 7

I don't think I've kept any of his daughters. I kept a few from Richard tho! So if I keep this lil guy he will definitely have eared calves outta those 3 heifers. They'll be cows by then actually.
 
50/50Farms said:
How much did he run you and how much will he run you by then?
Click to expand...
He was super cheap.
Most bottle calves are 300 and up here lately. He was near 1/3 that today. Just got lucky.

If I bottle him, it'll cost 200 in milk to get him to feed and grass. Then feed for quite a while.

If I stick him on Bessie tho...... she has one calf I can pull off of her now. I already pulled one off. So she will just have her own calf and this one. And she does it without feed! Just grass.

If I pull the big jersey steer of Eleanor, I can put Sandy on her. Then no more more milk replacer costs for either. Eleanor eats a lot of feed. But she's rasing 3.

I've almost always got milk replacer around here. I can never seem to run out of replacer the same time I graft calves to nurse cows. 😆
I've got enough to last these 2 thru the weekend I think. Strongly considering pulling one calf from each cow and replacing em with these 2 new ones

These jerseys are the most profitable cows I own I do believe. And they allow me so much flexibility with baby calves. I used to buy lil 50 dollar calves and the jerseys would get em going. Once the calves were about 2 or 3 weeks old, they brought 300 pretty easy. I've flipped a bunch that way. Bessie ran 11 or 13 of em like that one year. I can't remember specifics. It's in her thread somewhere.


O yeah!!
Could've bought 3 lil black heifers for 100 each today too. I can't make enough time to do em all at once tho.
 
Murray I have been looking at your cows , at both places, that you have been posting pics of. You have amassed a pretty damned decent cow herd of "mutts". All but one anyhow. If these were mine, I'd load that belted runt and that Herford bull up TOMORROW... before he breeds another cow.... and haul them to the closest sale. I'd take the money they brought, and buy the best registered Brangus bull I could afford, and breed ALL those cows and heifers to him. All but those 4 (or is it 3?) Jerseys. I would AI them with sexed Brahma semen, and raise 3 or 4, Br x Jers heifers each year off of them. No other bull could you breed them to and get a heifer worth more money. Notice I did NOT say " If I were you" or " You ought to..". I just said if I ended up owning all of those cattle, that is what I would do.
 
Warren Allison said:
Murray I have been looking at your cows , at both places, that you have been posting pics of. You have amassed a pretty damned decent cow herd of "mutts". All but one anyhow. If these were mine, I'd load that belted runt and that Herford bull up TOMORROW... before he breeds another cow.... and haul them to the closest sale. I'd take the money they brought, and buy the best registered Brangus bull I could afford, and breed ALL those cows and heifers to him. All but those 4 (or is it 3?) Jerseys. I would AI them with sexed Brahma semen, and raise 3 or 4, Br x Jers heifers each year off of them. No other bull could you breed them to and get a heifer worth more money. Notice I did NOT say " If I were you" or " You ought to..". I just said if I ended up owning all of those cattle, that is what I would do.
Click to expand...
I uhhh....
Have considered it a time or two. If I decide to keep all these danged colored up cows, that'd be the thing to do for sure!
Most of these oddballs I bought to let em raise their calf and re-sell as calves and bred cows this fall. The money I gave for most of em, the calf will pay for the pairs. Then sell the cow and that's cake!!
Folks didn't want some of these pairs/cows. They just didn't want em.
But heck, their calves are black hided and pretty decent calves!!
I do plan on selling several of them. Ol Big Sexy done got everyone bred except my 2 latest calvers I reckon. I'd be looking at a new bull for this late fall after the ones at the lease place have calved.
Appreciate your thoughts, my friend!!

So I did this today too......
Shes HALF HOLSTEIN!!
I'm guessing hereford sired. She came in with her mom and grandma and a couple other holsteins. She a 4 year old. 3 months bred. I'll bring her home late this fall. Because if she does what I think she will do............
20230615_183854.jpg20230615_183852.jpg20230615_183911.jpg
 

Latest posts

Back
Top