Massey135
Well-known member
It's counterproductive to getting them off milk replacer, and on to full feed.
I have raised many succesfully. That doesn't make me an expert. I have not read any studies or research by any scientists and I don't claim to be a veteranarian. Now, with that disclaimer said, so I won't get dog-piled by some of the new experts that are showing up on this board, here is what has worked for us.rnh1":1zvo5jxq said:Who can advise on bottle feeding newborn calves? :dunce:
It's not unusual to see 3 week old calves begin to eat grass and begin to ruminate but don't expect much intake and not muck digestion of the hay. Just keep a good 18-20% protein calf starter in front of them from day one along with free choice water. Discard any leftover at the end of each day, wash the feed buckets and put new feed and water in them. They'll eventually begin to eat more and more. Old rule of thumb was to feed one 50 lb. bag of milk replacer and then wean. Still not a bad methoid. Good luck with your bottle babies.denvermartinfarms":eaiac85y said:I raise bottle calves for a decent amout of my living i buy all my calves at salebarns and wean 8 weaks after i buy them i feed 4 pints twice a day for 1 month then 3 twice a day for two weeks 2 pints twice a day for 1 week and then 2 once a day for a week. i get grain in there mouth in the first three days or less. fresh water two times a day and good hay all the time i keep one calf to a pen. when we wean them we deworm with cydectin injectible give type a and seven way blackleg ear tag and band. and don't ever let anyone tell you not to give a baby calf the better antibiotics like baytril or some of the others.
I sure don't want this to sound wrong but i was not really asking for opinions on my operation i have raised around a 750 bottle calves in the last 4 years and have only lost 7. i was just trying tell anyone that might be new to raising baby calves what has worked for me.TexasBred":36s2f1ly said:It's not unusual to see 3 week old calves begin to eat grass and begin to ruminate but don't expect much intake and not muck digestion of the hay. Just keep a good 18-20% protein calf starter in front of them from day one along with free choice water. Discard any leftover at the end of each day, wash the feed buckets and put new feed and water in them. They'll eventually begin to eat more and more. Old rule of thumb was to feed one 50 lb. bag of milk replacer and then wean. Still not a bad methoid. Good luck with your bottle babies.denvermartinfarms":36s2f1ly said:I raise bottle calves for a decent amout of my living i buy all my calves at salebarns and wean 8 weaks after i buy them i feed 4 pints twice a day for 1 month then 3 twice a day for two weeks 2 pints twice a day for 1 week and then 2 once a day for a week. i get grain in there mouth in the first three days or less. fresh water two times a day and good hay all the time i keep one calf to a pen. when we wean them we deworm with cydectin injectible give type a and seven way blackleg ear tag and band. and don't ever let anyone tell you not to give a baby calf the better antibiotics like baytril or some of the others.
Massey135":cgwxx9pf said:Welllll illll be.
For those that didn't pick it up, he said pre ruminating calves get ZERO nutrition from hay.
Now go ahead and tell the guest how many weeks 1 bag should last, TB...
I would prefer to use it. but i will say that i know alot of amish that do milk cows just to feed calves that have alot more sick and dead calves and calves that don't grow any better than mine or any others than not becuse of the milk of course but my point is if you know what you are doing they will do great with replacer.Massey135":28ysvuwm said:Everyone would prefer to use the whole milk - few have access to it.
denvermartinfarms":1j7nvgo9 said:I sure don't want this to sound wrong but i was not really asking for opinions on my operation i have raised around a 750 bottle calves in the last 4 years and have only lost 7. i was just trying tell anyone that might be new to raising baby calves what has worked for me.
thanks tb i did not mean to offend anyone i just didn't want everyone thinking i was new to this. the main reason i am on here is to try to help people that need information that i can help with.TexasBred":22ntncx7 said:denvermartinfarms":22ntncx7 said:I sure don't want this to sound wrong but i was not really asking for opinions on my operation i have raised around a 750 bottle calves in the last 4 years and have only lost 7. i was just trying tell anyone that might be new to raising baby calves what has worked for me.
Denver, then you're obviously doing pretty much everything right assuming the calves wean off looking the way you want and weigh what they should. And you're obviously starting out with healthy calves......Don't see a reason to change a thing. Keep up the good work.
denvermartinfarms":1kp1ddzh said:thanks tb i did not mean to offend anyone i just didn't want everyone thinking i was new to this. the main reason i am on here is to try to help people that need information that i can help with.