Bottle calf feeding grain ?

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cramz1973

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We raise beef cattle and never have had to raise any on bottles thankfully. But I recently purchased a couple heifer bottle calves they are now going on 4 weeks old and I am bottle feeding them Sav a calf replacer twice a day a full bottle each. They are now starting to eat some calf starter not much but more than they were a week ago. These calves are 1/2 dairy and 1/2 beef cross. I plan to keep the heifers and raise them up. My questions are do I need to increase the milk replacer they receive as they get bigger or just the grain? They have access to hay and grass. I read that they need to be eating 2% of their body weight in grain before weaned but after they are weaned how long do they continue on that much grain? My goal is to grow them up to be healthy cow and not potbellied. I planned to use them for breeding someday. Thanks any advice would be greatly appreciated.
 
cramz1973":6ahpkebu said:
We raise beef cattle and never have had to raise any on bottles thankfully. But I recently purchased a couple heifer bottle calves they are now going on 4 weeks old and I am bottle feeding them Sav a calf replacer twice a day a full bottle each. They are now starting to eat some calf starter not much but more than they were a week ago. These calves are 1/2 dairy and 1/2 beef cross. I plan to keep the heifers and raise them up. My questions are do I need to increase the milk replacer they receive as they get bigger or just the grain? They have access to hay and grass. I read that they need to be eating 2% of their body weight in grain before weaned but after they are weaned how long do they continue on that much grain? My goal is to grow them up to be healthy cow and not potbellied. I planned to use them for breeding someday. Thanks any advice would be greatly appreciated.

personally never used that milk replacer before nor would I. I do add more milk replacer as they get older but you gotta be careful they can scour or atleast that's what has happened to me. I raise bottle calves. I make sure they have QUALITY hay not just hay and good young tender grass to eat it also helps if they see other calves eat and learn from them. The scientific details such as percent of body weight I never really worried about that. I make sure they have good clean water changed daily dish washed and disinfected as well as there living areas. Keep good hay and some tender grass in their lot good milk and give a small dose of calf starter daily till I feel they are ready to take large amounts.
 
What brand do you use? We live in a small town and Sav A Calf is the only brand besides a Purina one that I was told wasn't as good as the Sav A Calf. I would have to travel 45 minutes to get another brand. What is wrong with that brand? Thank You.
 
At 4 weeks, they should be getting a 2 qt. bottle of milk replacer (ideally milk) twice a day. Gradually increase the amount up to three quarts. Use a milk replacer that is made with milk proteins, not soy. I give young calves access to grain free choice. Discard what they leave in the bucket (or give it to older calves). Craig
 
Thank you both for the info the Sav A Calf is made with milk proteins not soy so I should be good there. Thank for the info about increasing the milk replacer. I don't have the option of keeping grain free choice at this time. I have to feed them on a schedule. Thanks again!
 
After they are off the milk, they will need grain at an incraseing rate upto about 1 to 1 1/2% of they're weight till they're around 6 months old. That's how you avoid those potty looking calves.
 
dun thank you I was wonder how long they would need to be on that amount of grain.
 

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