Bottle calf as 2026 show steer 🤔

[Taco-Bug]

Hi guys!
So I was thinking here soon I might get a bottle calf to raise as my 2026 show steer. My family has a really nice milking cow who can have her calf any day now and all her family members has had really high milk production (enough for two calf’s + milk for my family). Depending on her milk production I would have the calf on her milk out of a bottle. I was curious what all of your thoughts were on this idea. Money wise I’d generally be spending about the same amount, due to the money I save from not having to spend 2k on a full steer that would get put into the extra feed I would need for this calf as I would have him for longer. I did some research and it seems like all the calves that haven’t made weight were on formula instead of actual plane milk from a dairy cow.

As always tips and constructive criticism/feedback are always welcome! Have a wonderful day!

 

[M.Magis]

I think the biggest issue would be a very limited selection of calves to pick from. Just depends on the type you want, probably won’t find a lot of “clubby” type calves available as bottle calves, at least around here. My kids have each raised calves from the bottle, a nurse cow would certainly help. It takes a lot of milk replacer and grain to get bottle fed calves to reach their potential.

 

[TexasJerseyMilker]

Dairy show cattle are raised on bottles. I raise three jersey heifers on 1.5 gallons of my cow's milk a day (plus a little grain and hay) until they were over 8 months old and now they are fine and fat yearlings on grass. But it will be hard to find a black beef calf or any kind of calf for sale these days. Good luck

 

[Taco-Bug]

Dairy show cattle are raised on bottles. I raise three jersey heifers on 1.5 gallons of my cow's milk a day (plus a little grain and hay) until they were over 8 months old and now they are fine and fat yearlings on grass. But it will be hard to find a black beef calf or any kind of calf for sale these days. Good luck

Thanks a bunch for the info! Thankfully all the breeders around me are angus beef!

 

[CowsRcuddly]

Hi guys!
So I was thinking here soon I might get a bottle calf to raise as my 2026 show steer. My family has a really nice milking cow who can have her calf any day now and all her family members has had really high milk production (enough for two calf's + milk for my family). Depending on her milk production I would have the calf on her milk out of a bottle. I was curious what all of your thoughts were on this idea. Money wise I'd generally be spending about the same amount, due to the money I save from not having to spend 2k on a full steer that would get put into the extra feed I would need for this calf as I would have him for longer. I did some research and it seems like all the calves that haven't made weight were on formula instead of actual plane milk from a dairy cow.

As always tips and constructive criticism/feedback are always welcome! Have a wonderful day!

You should have found a bottle calf this spring. He is going to have to be 13-18 months old at your fair as a show calf. I have sold a twin Angus calf in the spring. The youth then shows that calf as a bucket/bottle calf at their coming fair. The following year, he becomes the kid's show steer. One year, said steer was champion Angus steer and Champion ADG steer.

 

[M.Magis]

You should have found a bottle calf this spring. He is going to have to be 13-18 months old at your fair as a show calf. I have sold a twin Angus calf in the spring. The youth then shows that calf as a bucket/bottle calf at their coming fair. The following year, he becomes the kid's show steer. One year, said steer was champion Angus steer and Champion ADG steer.

This thread is from April

 

[TexasJerseyMilker]

I raised my first 3 Jersey heifers on the Purina Feeds instructions. The required amounts of $24 a sack calf starter then the required amounts of calf feed then stocker grower, plus hay and milk three times a day. I had a lot into them when I sold them as ready to breed heifers.

This years crop just the calf starter then 2 lbs a day of stocker grower starting at 2 months, plus milk three times a day. They are just as well grown and fat on this as the Purina Feeds recommendation for a lot less money. I plan to show one of the heifers next year. Heifers are not auctioned off and slaughtered, so I can keep them for production and breed them.

 

[CowsRcuddly]

This thread is from April

Earlier the better. Our fair requires those bottle calves to be born before Mar 1, so the 4-Her has time to work with that calf as a bottle/bucket calf.