Bottle Baby! I have questions!

[FutureFarmer]

Hello everyone!

I just got a 3 week old bottle beef heifer. The people i got her from said they that they were feeding her 2 times a day 2 pints each feeding of whole milk.

She is VERY active, playfull, etc. She did receive her colostrum too.

My questions are
is 2 pints enough??
Shouldnt i feed her 3 times a day?
Is whole milk good for her?
What other suppliments can i give her!?

And, i know this is going to sound weird but... Does anyone have pictures of what there stool should look like. Hers seems kinda runy!?

Also what meds. should i have on hand for a bottle calve?

Thanks in advance!

Devon

 

[milkmaid]

2 pints = 1 quart.

2 quarts of milk per day is insufficient for anything unless we're talking about a 40lb premie calf. I think the rule of thumb is to feed the calf around 10% of their body weight in milk each day; for instance a typical 80lb calf would need a gallon (8.8lbs) of milk daily.

No need to feed 3x/day. Twice a day is perfectly adequate. Yes whole milk is fine for her. Milk replacer might be cheaper though.

Offer her grain and hay in addition to her milk; she doesn't need anything else.

What meds... now that could be a 10 page response. I keep things on hand like electrolytes, probiotics, antibiotics, sulfas, vitamins, minerals, tubing equipment, IV sets, lactated ringers/IV fluids, etc. That's an accumulation of years of raising calves; you'd probably be fine if you just had a package of basic electrolytes and probiotics for if she starts to scour, and an antibiotic like oxytetracycline (ie Biomycin 200). Tape your vet's phone number to the fridge and you'll be set for whatever comes your way.

Best of luck with her!

 

[FutureFarmer]

Thanks Milkmaid!

I am trying to find pictures of calves stool, to compare it to her stool,.. to make sure it is normal.

Thanks, Devon

 

[milkmaid]

I don't have pics of normal vs. scours right now... would be a good thing to have, wouldn't it? What color/consistency is her manure? normal varies from animal to animal depending on how old and what their diet is.

 

[FutureFarmer]

It was brown with a yellowish tent to it.

Maybe starting scours.. (I hope not!)
Only 1 time since we got her today.

 

[FutureFarmer]

UPDATE!

She just went, and it was dark brown.

 

[angie1]

Her manure sounds normal to me.

For sure bump her up on the milk consumption, but do it slowly. Twice a day is adequate but I prefer 3 times a day, especially when increasing and to start with. You bump her too fast and you are going to have problems.

My milk replacer bag says 2 quarts twice daily for a 100 lb calf. = 4 pints a feeding, 8 pints a day. WHat I did with mine at that size is feed 3 pints 3 times a day for a total of 9 pints. I did not want any more going into their bellies at once. Then I went to 4 morning and night, 3 in the afternoon. With her only getting 2x2 you might want to do 3+2+3 at first. (Gosh I hope this not confusing, am working in pints so it should be fine).

Keep fresh calf starter and fresh water in front of her. Get her out in the sunshine. Get her a buddy if possible ~ she will perform better, you are insufficient company (not a judgement call, just as it is!).

Where are you getting whole milk? A dairy?

For meds is as mm says. And yes on the vets phone number.

 

[FutureFarmer]

No, the lady said just reg. milk as we would buy to drink.
So, milk from the store. (I asked her if formula would be better she said no.) This is the dairy owner that told me this.

So is the milk from a grocery store not good enough to feed her? :help:

As for getting a buddy. It's not possible. None in the area except a holstein heifer for $400.00. (inwhich i am not going to buy)

Would a small amout Gatorade be good for her to keep the electro. in her? I think will go buy formula tom. and start her on that. but how would it effect her since she is already on reg. milk?

Thanks everyone! I donot know what i would do without ya'll!! This is my FIRST bottle baby, i hope she works out well!

 

[angie1]

Holy Yesterday ~ store milk? I ration my children! :lol2:

Get her a GOOD quality milk replacer (20/20/20), made from cow milk not soy, and switch her right over. If it makes you feel vetter do half and half for a bit, but if you get good quality replacer, I would not worry about it.

Gatorade is fine if they are dehydrated, but it doesn't sound as though she is having any health issues so I would not worry about it. Just keep fresh water available to her.

Good Luck~ they can be some fun!

 

[FutureFarmer]

I thought the lady was crazy when she told me that :roll:

I will go to the feed store as soon as they open to get it. I cant say thank you enough for everyone on here that has helped me so far! :tiphat:

I hope im not being to much of a pain :lol:

What an experience this is, and it is just starting!

Again, Thank You!... :cboy:

 

[FutureFarmer]

Her stool is now dark green with a high stench and VERY runiey. Its 3:40am here, and she is still active and acting good besides her stool, going to the feed store when it opens at 9am. to get formula and maybe some meds and vitamins if she has the ruines.

Also, since her stool was so ruiney i did get some gatorade down her, i halfed it with water. :roll: but i do not think she liked it, b/c she drank only a small amount of it.

Alright back to bed for me!
Thanks, Devon

 

[spinandslide]

Ditto to MM and Angie... Dont get caught without meds..I did when my bottle calf got dreadfuly sick..I spent a good portion of my lunch hours and after work running around.

I give mine 4 pints twice daily, this is what was recomended to me by the milk replacer bag and my vets.

Runny and stinky arent always good...but its good shes acting normal still..
I might give her a round of eletrolytes(to prevent dehydration) and probotics, just to help her gut get back normal.

I had a SUPER hard time determining normal calf poop and abnormal poop..Normal reminds me of the contistency of porridge..abnormal...mine look like she was pooping colored water

 

[TexasBred]

No, the lady said just reg. milk as we would buy to drink.
So, milk from the store. (I asked her if formula would be better she said no.) This is the dairy owner that told me this.

So is the milk from a grocery store not good enough to feed her? :help:

As for getting a buddy. It's not possible. None in the area except a holstein heifer for $400.00. (inwhich i am not going to buy)

Would a small amout Gatorade be good for her to keep the electro. in her? I think will go buy formula tom. and start her on that. but how would it effect her since she is already on reg. milk?

Thanks everyone! I donot know what i would do without ya'll!! This is my FIRST bottle baby, i hope she works out well!

Your calf will starve to death on the milk we buy in the store. Everything good has been removed from it to make other good products. Its' basically white water with just a touch of fat is you're lucky. Get the calf on GOOD milk replacer. Feed him as many times per day as you want, as long as total amount fed doesn't exceed 1% of his body weight.

 

[FutureFarmer]

She is doing good.

I bought FRM milk replacer Yest. she ate 4 pints at both feedings. This morning her stool was very loose and tanish color, And she WOULD NOT drink her bottle of milk this morning. So i fixed her a bottle of "BounceBack" electrolyte supplement and she drank it down. (4 pints) then later on in the day i made her a bottle of milk (2 pints) to see if i could get her to drink some, she tasted it, and would not drink anymore. So i got worried that she might get dehydrated w/ the runs, and fixed her a 2 pint bottle of "BounceBack" Electrolyte Supplement, and she drank it down like she was starving. She played and played out in the yard from 5pm till now, chasing the ducks, running around. She is mooing like she is hungry but will not drink the milk. (her feeding times are 7am and 7pm) So i guess i will make her another bottle of the electrolyte supplement. I guess she does not like the milk, but why would she drink it the first day fine and now as soon as she tastes it she spits it back out.

Any Suggestions? I guess a new kind of milk replacer?

 

[angie1]

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=48675

 

[FutureFarmer]

Thanks Again Angie.

I guess i should of searched that question before asking. :cboy:


Devon

 

[angie1]

No problem.
Hope it helps.

 

[larryshoat]

In feeding cattle any time you need to make a change it should be done SLOWLY over a number of days . Lets think about this, you were feeding 2 quarts per day of milk that was probably 5% fat, then all in 1 day you started giving 4 quarts of milk that is 20% fat .That is not too much for a calf that age, but the change was too fast, she needs a little time to adjust .

How much and what kind of grain is she getting?

Larry

 

[angie1]

I think this is a first, but I have to disagree with Larry here :help: . I am of the same mind as TB on this one. The milk from the store does nothing good for her, is even bad for her. She needs to get off of it and onto MR ASAP. When switching from one MR to another, then switch slow. But from store milk to milk ~ just do it. I think 4 x 2 is not ideal. It is "adequate", but 3x3 would be best. She is getting smaller amounts, and getting more. Now we have confused you maybe ~ sorry. Anyone else have a thought on this?

 

[larryshoat]

I think this is a first, but I have to disagree with Larry here :help: .
Don't worry I'm still the worlds biggest "angie" fan .
I am of the same mind as TB on this one. The milk from the store does nothing good for her, is even bad for her. She needs to get off of it and onto MR ASAP. When switching from one MR to another, then switch slow. But from store milk to milk ~ just do it. I think 4 x 2 is not ideal. It is "adequate", but 3x3 would be best. She is getting smaller amounts, and getting more. Now we have confused you maybe ~ sorry. Anyone else have a thought on this?