Bottle Babies

[chippie]

There is a big price difference between cattle sold at a dispersal sale compared to a public auction.
I would think that you would know this.

 

[backhoeboogie]

This brings me back to that definition of insanity yet again.

How did that go?

 

[Gators Rule]

Alan didn't share his experience, he referenced heresay and then made absolute proclamations about what should be done.

My buddy Yanse runs a 2000 hd dairy in Pickton, TX and they bucket feed ALL the calves. Hes the one that taught me the method and has clearly raised a few more calves than Alans hereford friend. They house each calf in an igloo and bucket feed all calves from day 1. This is a highly professional operation. I would be inclined to think they're doing it in an acceptable manner.

Bottle feeding calves isn't wrong, its just unnecessary.

heresay means it is wrong? Isn't that what Yanse gave you initially? What makes his "advice" more credible than Alan's hereford neighbor? To you, Yanse certainly would seem to have creedence, but to a lot of others, he is just another dairy farmer. To Alan, his hereford neighbor may be highly regarded in their backyard....and give them more sound advice than anyone else. Could both be right? Yep, to some one would be correct, and to others the other. Point is, there is more than one way to skin a cat.

 

[Red Bull Breeder]

You folks are a wasting your time fussing with a fellar that has nothing else to do.

 

[Massey135]

Ain't that the truth. These dirt contractors been here all month and still can't get the shitt done right. :bang:

 

[Red Bull Breeder]

Might be the knuckle head they are working for.

 

[vclavin]

Thank heavens I don't raise hundreds on the bottle or bucket!!
The ones I have raised were mostly beef and last year 2 Jersey heifers. Bottles were used and they also received water bottles after their milk as it was really Hot and they were not drinking enough water on their own but would suck 2 quarts right down. Weaned them at 6 months... sorry, I still think a few weeks is not long enough. They learned to eat grain by placing it along the fence that they always walked by after their milk. They got the idea rapidly.
Good luck no matter which way you procede, just make sure they have sterile bottle/buckets and do not wash them with soap... vet told me it would cause scours as soap is difficult to remove from plastic. We used boiling water. Never had scours.
Valerie

 

[backhoeboogie]

Valerie I let mine go way behond the minimum as well. Never 6 months tho.

I know of nothing more profitable in commercial cattle than nurse cows. When I retire from my day job, I may run a dozen nurse cows myself.

 

[Alan]

I also bottle fed my ONLY bottle baby to 6 months, plus I really pushed the feed to her, she worked up to 4 bottles a day, plus some grain and free choice hay. Yes I know the profit went out the window, but is a pretty well bred replacement and i just a hobby guy and I reached my goal, I just AI'd her with the rest of my replacement heifers and by looking at the group you couldn't tell she was a bottle baby ..... Until I go into the heifer paddock and she won't move away from me.

 

[TexasBred]

Ain't that the truth. These dirt contractors been here all month and still can't get the shitt done right. :bang:

Do it yourself Mr. Instant Expert :banana:

 

[chippie]

Ain't that the truth. These dirt contractors been here all month and still can't get the shitt done right. :bang:

Do it yourself Mr. Instant Expert :banana:

He is too busy posting here and pushing a pencil ;-)

 

[vclavin]

Valerie I let mine go way behond the minimum as well. Never 6 months tho.

I know of nothing more profitable in commercial cattle than nurse cows. When I retire from my day job, I may run a dozen nurse cows myself.

Part of the 6 months was due to the youngest heifer needed to catch up with the older 2 girls which were technically weaned at 6 months and she at 5 months.
Milk bottle was 3 pints starting out and slowly dropped it to a pint and then replaced that with water so they were getting 5 pints of water via bottle when we cut them off. lol. Never knew the difference.
Valerie

 

[Massey135]

Ain't that the truth. These dirt contractors been here all month and still can't get the shitt done right. :bang:

Do it yourself Mr. Instant Expert :banana:

He is too busy posting here and pushing a pencil ;-)

And boy does it feel good in this AC! :banana: :banana: :banana: Now back to work, chippie, your breaks over.

 

[rnh1]

I would really like to know how long before swicthing to grain, about how many $ etc

 

[calfbuyer]

I know of nothing more profitable in commercial cattle than nurse cows. When I retire from my day job, I may run a dozen nurse cows myself.[/quote]

Back hoe, I couldn't agree more, last year, i raised a dozen calves off of 4 cows. I do the same i buy splits at the sale barn. It can be alot of work but it pays pretty good.

 

[chippie]

I would really like to know how long before swicthing to grain, about how many $ etc

We fed one bottle twice daily until the calf was between 3 to 4 months. During that time, it had fresh water available 24/7.
When it is a couple of weeks old, offer it a bit of creep feed by hand to let it get a taste for it. It should start showing an interest in it so you can start leaving a small amount in a feed tub. Just enough for the calf to clean up before it's next bottle.
You should also have a good quality hay that smells good available too.

You want the grain and hay available while the calf is still on the bottle. If you watch cows and calves. The calves will start grazing while still with their mother. We have a creep feeder and the calves learn to go in it and eat when they are a couple of months old. We put the feed in the feeder in the morning and they nibble during the day in between nursing their mother. They know what grain is and are eating well when it comes time to wean them.

The calves may not be interested in the feed at first, but they will get curious and start nibbling on it.

Some people take them off of the bottle sooner.

ETA: follow the directions on the milk replacer exactly. Do not dilute it. I know that some people also give bottles of water. I have never done that. When there is fresh water available, the calf will discover it and will learn to drink on it's own when thirsty.

 

[Massey135]

Wean calves as soon as they're eating 2lbs/day of a textured feed. 6-8 weeks max.

You never want hay available to pre ruminanting calves. It's also counterproductive to hitting the 2lb/day.

 

[calfbuyer]

You never want hay available to pre ruminanting calves. [/quote]

Why? I read a study that it is actually beneficial to their rumen development for them to consume some hay even though the rumen isn't fully functional. Also, how would you keep them from eating hay if they are with their mothers and there is free choice hay for the cows?

 

[backhoeboogie]

You never want hay available to pre ruminanting calves.

My nurse calves munch on hay right along side the nurse cows too. They start cutting grass at about a week old in the summer or fall or spring. It's never been an issue. They are no different than other natural calves on pasture.

 

[chippie]

You never want hay available to pre ruminanting calves.

My nurse calves munch on hay right along side the nurse cows too. They start cutting grass at about a week old in the summer or fall or spring. It's never been an issue. They are no different than other natural calves on pasture.

calfbuyer's post didn't work correctly. He was trying to quote Massey135 who told me that you shouldn't feed calves hay.

Wean calves as soon as they're eating 2lbs/day of a textured feed. 6-8 weeks max.

You never want hay available to pre ruminanting calves. It's also counterproductive to hitting the 2lb/day.