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2 week old calf Self weaning
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<blockquote data-quote="Lucky_P" data-source="post: 1760092" data-attributes="member: 12607"><p>sunnyblue...</p><p>Feeding milk replacer is the most expensive and labor-intensive part of raising 'bottle calves'. The sooner you can get them weaned and eating sufficient amounts of a good quality 16-20% protein calf starter/grower ration, the better - for you and your wallet. I always made fresh calf-starter ration available for my calves from the time I got them, at 3-4 days of age, to encourage them to try it - and would cram a handful in their mouths after each feeding, or any time I just happened to be passing by. Current nutritional recommendations (for dairy heifers, but no reason not to follow for steers) is not to feed hay before 8 weeks of age, and even then, it should be a high-quality product with 18% CP and 35% ADF.... which would probably have to be an early-cut alfalfa/grass mix... not many mixed grass hays will have that sort of quality. </p><p></p><p>Farmerjan, </p><p>There's an old veterinary joke about the vet who received a call from a dairy client who had a problem with a Brown Swiss bull calf... something was wrong with him! "What seems to be the matter?" , asked the vet. "He know how to nurse!", replied the dairyman. </p><p>I had very few clients who milked Swiss cows, so I had little to no firsthand experience with them. We bred some of our beef cows to Braunvieh bulls for a few years, but never had any issues with those calves.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Lucky_P, post: 1760092, member: 12607"] sunnyblue... Feeding milk replacer is the most expensive and labor-intensive part of raising 'bottle calves'. The sooner you can get them weaned and eating sufficient amounts of a good quality 16-20% protein calf starter/grower ration, the better - for you and your wallet. I always made fresh calf-starter ration available for my calves from the time I got them, at 3-4 days of age, to encourage them to try it - and would cram a handful in their mouths after each feeding, or any time I just happened to be passing by. Current nutritional recommendations (for dairy heifers, but no reason not to follow for steers) is not to feed hay before 8 weeks of age, and even then, it should be a high-quality product with 18% CP and 35% ADF.... which would probably have to be an early-cut alfalfa/grass mix... not many mixed grass hays will have that sort of quality. Farmerjan, There's an old veterinary joke about the vet who received a call from a dairy client who had a problem with a Brown Swiss bull calf... something was wrong with him! "What seems to be the matter?" , asked the vet. "He know how to nurse!", replied the dairyman. I had very few clients who milked Swiss cows, so I had little to no firsthand experience with them. We bred some of our beef cows to Braunvieh bulls for a few years, but never had any issues with those calves. [/QUOTE]
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