My 5 week old shorthorn bull ate small amounts of grain before he had scours. He is feeling much better now and drinking two bottles of milk replacer a day but won't touch his grain (calf starter). I have been force feeding about one pound a day and he chews it up an swollows it fine, he just wont take it on his own. He is in a pen with some hay but wants to eat the grass within reach outside the pen. Should I put him in pasture without any more of his calf starter and continue feeding him his milk?
5 week bull won't eat grain?
- Thread starter Dana
- Start date
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bigbull338
Well-known member
id leave him on the bottle. as well as put him out to eat grass . he should eat grain on his on when he is ready to eat. i wouldnt force feed him grain. scott
Rookie
Well-known member
Don't force feed ya calf any solid food he dont wanna be eatin! Calves dont be followin a set of rules by which they all must live. They develop and grow in they own way in they own time. They have preferences as to what they like ta eat just like anythin else.
george
george
SF
Well-known member
Keep feeding him the milk replacer. Let him in the pasture to eat the grass. Put the grain out for him, let him eat it on his own. Don't force it.
Dana":1enn4udd said:
The "force feeding" of grain that is sometimed alluded to consists of poking some into a calves mouth to get him interested in it. It's not actaully done as a feeding regimen, only a method to get him eating it on his own.
dun
Cut back on the milk a little. Instead if giving him two full bottles give him 3/4 of a bottle twice a day. Some times they need just a tinge of the hungries to get their interest up for grazing or grain. I cut mine to 1 bottle a day at 6 weeks and pleanty of calf starter and all the fresh water they want. They will usually double their grain intake in two weeks. Then they are on their way.
randumchatress
Active member
The advice to cut back on the milk replacer is a good one. Also start feeding your calf from a bucket. I know from experience this will help. After you have your calf taking the milk starter from a bucket use that same bucket and put the grain it also you may want to spread a little milk starter powder on the food. This advice was given to me from good folks on this board. I can tell you my little guy is growing and doing great he is five months old now. Good luck.
farmer rich
Well-known member
Does your calf have access to plenty of fresh water? He wont eat corn unless he has water to drink.
Also dont overfeed. I start calfs off on a double handfull of 16% protein coarse mix and dont feed any more till its cleaned the bucket. If you fill it right up you wont be able to see how much it has eaten and it may go stale before he finishes it, this will also restrict intakes.
Also dont overfeed. I start calfs off on a double handfull of 16% protein coarse mix and dont feed any more till its cleaned the bucket. If you fill it right up you wont be able to see how much it has eaten and it may go stale before he finishes it, this will also restrict intakes.
