6 Holstein calves... a little help please.

[Irishred]

Ok, farm owners son (been helping his dad raise cattle all his life) went to the auction last night and bought 6 Holstein calves while he was there. I helped him unload them last night and they looked active and well OK. I will be feeding them once we get them all started on the bottles and knowing where the food comes from..

Is there anything special we need to get for them starting out this way? He has never bought bottle calves I don't think. Any suggestions are helpful.

 

[dun]

Keep them out of drafts but not closed up in abuilding, fresh water and an all milk milk replacer at least 20:20. Insure the bottles and nipples are kept clean and sanitary. Rinsing them with clorox every couple of feedings won;t hurt.

 

[dyates]

Often you will need an esophageal feeder on some calves until they learn to take the bottle. Takes a couple days or longer for some to take to the bottle. They must be tubed in the interim to maintain adequate intake of milk or replacer.

 

[Irishred]

Hi again,

thank you.

They are in a haybale pen in the open barn right now. They are on a good (medicated) milk replacer and have some starter feed and water available. I think they are about 3 weeks old and vary in size a little. Will try to get some pictures if I can get this migraine to go away (allergic to hay and was helping to set up the pen last night :shock:

They all ate 2 pints this morning. How often should I feed them? Have the next batch of milk ready.

Irish

 

[Rookie]

Hi again,

thank you.

They are in a haybale pen in the open barn right now. They are on a good (medicated) milk replacer and have some starter feed and water available. I think they are about 3 weeks old and vary in size a little. Will try to get some pictures if I can get this migraine to go away (allergic to hay and was helping to set up the pen last night :shock:

They all ate 2 pints this morning. How often should I feed them? Have the next batch of milk ready.

Irish

Ya calves should get 2 quarts each twice a day, preferably at as close ta 12 hr interval as ya can make it. Good luck.

 

[Irishred]

Thank you rookie, we didn't want to over feed them since they were probably without anything for a day or more. 2 pints eat 4 times a day for a couple days should be OK then. Then work them to the twice a day. I only have 3 bottles, but have gallon buckets for mixing.

Thank you again.

 

[hillsdown]

Increase their milk gradually so that they are getting at least 6 pints twice a day. If you are going to continue to bottle feed it is best to have them all in their own separate pen and then you can even set up holders to put the bottles in so they can all eat at once.

That is the way I prefer to do it each has their own pen/igloo ,and everyone gets a bottle at the same time ,put all 6 bottles in a wheel barrel and hall them out to the pens. Also you should get the bigger bottles not just the little two 4 pint ones they make them in six pints.

But, everything has been said , keep your bottles and nipples sanitary and your pens spotless , you should have healthy calves. Let them have fresh water ,leafy hay and calf starter available to them at all times so they can snack when ever they want.

 

[gg4rebels]

Irishred, this is what I did....

I bought two bottle calves when one was two mos old and the other was 5 days old. They are now 4 mos. and 2 mos. We kept them together in one stall in the barn. We would move them from stall to stall to let one dry out. The previous owner had the older calf eating calf starter (CS) and drinking milk replacer (MR) from a bucket. I would give the older calf 2 qts of quality MR (24% protein and 24% fat) in the bucket in the morning and evening. The younger calf got the same amount from a bottle. I also put CS, 18%, out free choice. They were slow to eat the CS. At first I would only give them hay on Monday, Wednesday and Friday evenings only. They would eat it before they would the CS. I wanted them to eat the CS first.

About a 6 weeks ago I took the older calf off milk completely and he would get 3 lb. CS in the am and again in the pm. Also, I found a cheaper feed store to buy MR but it is only 20%. I also gave the little one the same amount of CS. A month ago we put a fence around the barn so they could get some exercise. Until then they had been confined to the barn. About a month ago I took the little one off the bottle completely. He resisted drinking from the bucket at first but I knew he could because I had seen him drink water. He figured it out pretty quickly. A couple of weeks ago I eliminated the morning MR feeding. They now get about 4.5 lb of grain each in the morning and evening and can graze. I have started letting the older calf drink MR from the same bucket in the evening when I feed the little one simply because he is too strong for me to push away. He is very persistent. This week I cut out every other MR nightly feeding. I am really only still giving them MR because I have half a bag left.

We are going to start mixing in a heavy grain type feed with the CS I have left and then move them to is completely.

Hope this helps. These were the first calves I have ever had. It has been great!

 

[backhoeboogie]

Often you will need an esophageal feeder on some calves until they learn to take the bottle. Takes a couple days or longer for some to take to the bottle. They must be tubed in the interim to maintain adequate intake of milk or replacer.

I have never tubed one and hope I never have to. I have never lost one either in 35 years. Get a towel and rub the heck out of them if you have to. It stimulates them very much. You may have to force feed them. MilkMaid has a very good thread on this subject and I think it is over in health and nutrition.

I am not saying there is never a time to tube them. Just saying that it would be my very last resort and I have never gone there. I have only raised something in the proximity of 500 to 600 on bottles. I now use nurse cows instead.

 

[Irishred]

Thank you all for your responses.

This is a first adventure for both of us. He almost got 20 more but missed that sale trying to find my phone number. I'm kinda glad that he did miss it. We will have to talk a bit about getting more and set up for it as being trampled once these boys start putting on some pounds does not sound like fun. I want to see how these fair before we commit to more. I do know it is harder to feed all these guys than my not-so-little BB was (he is about 8 mo now) and I had to dig out my hiking boots for some feet protection.

What we have is a cement block barn that has a long single stall? area. There is a metal gate thing for the cows to stick their heads in and eat out of a trough. No windows only 2 small door openings in one end 3 garage door size openings at the other (note: there are no actual doors on these but the garage door ones have gates). It is dark in there. One of the garage doors opens into the smaller pen my BB is in and the other into the other larger pen. I am not sure this would work with nearly 30 calves.

The only problem I see with the 6 being kept together is stepping on each other especially over bottles. I would hate to do it with more.

Any suggestions for inexpensive pens that might only be used at bottle feeding? Or a bottle feeding system for them being penned together?

Thank you

 

[gg4rebels]

What about putting T-posts in the ground outside one of the doors and attaching cattle panels. You could probably attach a board at the top from which you could hang the bottle rack. This would be a good temporary solution and give them some outside time.

 

[shorty]

You say you have water available but you are still bottle feeding , sometimes they won't drink much out of the bucket when still on the bottle , I bucket train my calves when they are 4-5 days old , It makes it a lot easier at feeding time , when they are done drinking you wash their buckets and put clean water in until the next feeding, It's important to keep things clean . I like to have them in seperate pens so I can see how grain each one is eating , how much water they are drinking and what their poop looks like so you can catch scours early if you have any. We usually don't have much problem with scours but if we do we like to catch it right away . It's also best if the same person feeds and checks on them most of the time , because that way you will notice any change right away.

 

[Irishred]

gg,
that sounds interesting but I think he has decided against using the barn for now. It would take a bit to clean out and the ventilation isn't great, believe his dad reminded him of that. We may use a small area right by one of the big doors for shelter though. The Tpost idea sounds interesting, I will have to see about bottle holders - buying or making.

shorty, they are drinking the water, I have watched them do it even after having a bottle or the time between when I have goe to check my other calf and peek at them too.

Kinda new question, I am guessing the calves are 3 weeks old (maybe younger but not older) how long should they be fed bottles?

Currently they are getting 2pts each 4 times a day (8pts) and have water and starter feed. I plan to change that to 3pts am and pm and 2pts mid day on Sunday. I may need to increase at that point though as a couple of them seem hungrier than that. maybe 3pts 3 times a day (9pts)? Then see about weaning out the middle feeding. Approximately what amount should they be drinking in a month, 6 pts am and pm (12 pts) seems like a lot?

Getting them on the starter grain is relatively easy. They eat it right off my fingers and I think all have nibbled out of the bucket. When would be a good time to start decreasing the milk and increasing the grain? and what type of schedule for that? I was thinking (based on what I have read here) that 8-9 weeks of bottle then wean and to grain only by 12 weeks, would that be right or to short as I could have my numbers off.

Thank you again and again....

 

[hillsdown]

Approximately what amount should they be drinking in a month, 6 pts am and pm (12 pts) seems like a lot?

I go by the rule give them as much as they can handle as soon as they can handle it and when they peak keep them there for a few weeks and gradually back them off while they increase their grain intake. Think about weening around the three month mark but that is not set in stone you must go on how each calf is performing at that time.

My last bottle calf was getting 8 pints three times a day and believe me she could had more.Here is a link she is beef but I used the same principals on her as I did all my Holstein heifers.
viewtopic.php?f=8&t=47425&hilit=+hey+angie


But when I was feeding 50 at a time (and around 120 a year 98% Holstein replacement heifers) the most they would get was 6 pints twice a day unlimited grain, hay and fresh water. You also need to do what is best for your own schedule.

 

[angie1]

I am understanding thaat they are in a dark enclosed area. That would be the very first thing I would change ~ as soon as today. They need to have outside access. Nothing will encourage illness faster than being locked up in a dark building. If I could not give them indoor/outdoor access, I would have them outside only. Both is best ~ a 3 sided structure is good too.

Edit ~ Sorry, just reread yours, and see that you are not using the barn after all. Where you are thinking on putting them ~ they can be outside then?

I agree with you as far as hold off on getting more, but if your buddy does that make sure he seperates them from this group.

Increase milk consumption SLOWLY. I fed 3 pints 3 times a day, but not everybody has time for that. I also encourage bottle feeding only ~ not bucket and there are physical reasons for this. It really is what is best for the calf regardless of how a gazillion holstiens are raised in dairys everyday.

Good Luck!!!!

 

[TexasBred]

Angie I haven't researched it but I would still bet that there are 50 or more calves raised on bottles for every one taught to drink out of a bucket. Just what I observe in my travels. Good advice. :clap:

 

[chippie]

My BIL has a dairy. He has his bottle calves in a large pen with a 3 sided shed for protection from the elements. For feeding he has a set up where each calf goes into a chute (can't think of a better word right now) and the bottles hang on a 2 x 6 board. The calves can't get to their neighbor's bottle and the set up keeps them from fighting over the bottles.

It looks sort of like this. The blue things are the bottles. (I am not very good with Paint.)

http://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html?PGGUID=0039ac8f-d523-4627-8119-095ee23d9fbf

It would be easier if you buy enough bottles for each calf. Good luck!

PS. If they are bull calves. The sooner you castrate them, the easier it is on them.

 

[Irishred]

Thank you all for your responses.

Chippie, that sure looks interesting. (I know, paint is a pain but my kids like it) Yes a bottle for each would be a lot easier and I will see about hitting him up for more and possibly the bigger ones.

The schedule of 4 times a day is a bit taxing with school starting in full round with the kids and all but knowing the calves had probably been without for a good day at the auction, I figured it was better for a couple days. 3 times will be easier but handling the bottles will be difficult unless we get more/bigger bottles. I was not to far off on the feeding but need to plan on more than the 12 pts a day most likely and should be weaned around Christmas.

I noticed when I was out just a bit ago that a couple of them appear to have dry umbilical cords still, does this mean they are younger than I think they are? Maybe a week not 2-3 as I was thinking by size? I tried to get a couple pictures but my batteries were dead on my camera, will get some shortly.

Angie, no they are not in the dank barn but in the 2-story roof and frame hay and tractor barn with a square bale mini corral about 15x15, a bit small I think but stacked 4 tall on the west side they have good shade. I did rake it out today and put a light layer of hay in the floor. I am not sure about where they will go as they have the need to move more. My BB calf is in a small field with plenty of grazing, walking, play room but not much for shelter. The small shed of the scale and load corral is all and that does not do much to block the west afternoon sun or blustery winds in the cold/rain except for one really. Will have to talk to the son about setting something set up I guess.

Batteries are charged so I'm going to snap a couple pictures...

 

[Irishred]

our little herd of boys...

Our dog that is momma to everything and the calf haypen

(BTW, I think they are already steers except the human one here :lol2: )
They got ear tags 1-6 and we are calling them their name in spanish for the kids. Cannot recognize any by sight yet except 6 because he is the smallest.
uno, dos and tres with the 8yo

cinco, tres, cuatro and sies (2 pics)

dos

And not to be left out my BB and the 8yo.

 

[bigbull338]

those are some good looking calves.better watch #1 he has a dirty tail.he might get the scours.