Bottle calf! Some say I'm crazy...

Help Support CattleToday:

Need more daylight.... lolz
He cleaned up the last 3 days of leftovers. Been cool, just above freezing for a couple days now. Moisture naturally mashed the feed. Guess he likes it that way. I'll give him 1 cup of starter and a quarter cup of manna tonight.
20201203_175041.jpg
 
Hes eating feed pretty good. About 3/4 pound a day.
Tonight I've given him just over half a pound. He went right to it after his bottle. Cleaned most of it up. Left the manna in the corner of his feeder.
I'll give him the same tmrw morning. This lil guy will be on feed only b4 I know it!!

O! I've also been changing water and rinsing his bucket frequently. Think I'll do every other day. Seems to prefer fresher water.

Anyone who likes bottle calves should check out calf notes . com
Lots of great info in one place there!
 
Hereford2 said:
What age do you wean your bottle calves at?
Click to expand...
The last one I weaned pretty late. I'd have to look but I know she went thru at least 5 bags of milk b4 I weaned her off of it. Shes the one I started this thread about. She was difficult to get started on feed compared to this lil bull calf. She was definitely a learning experience. I think shes about 15 months old now.

This calf is about a month and a half old I THINK. LOL
 
Ok, I'm just curious how young others weaned their calves, I used to feed calves milk for 5 months then I had to wean a calf at 3 months because he would bloat every time I gave him a bottle. It was weird because if I pushed on his flank he would air down. Now I wean my steer calves at 7 week's, but after what happened with this calf I'm thinking about weaning my other calf that is 5 weeks old, he is eating 4 pounds of grain a day and 1 bottle of milk.
 
Hereford2 said:
Ok, I'm just curious how young others weaned their calves, I used to feed calves milk for 5 months then I had to wean a calf at 3 months because he would bloat every time I gave him a bottle. It was weird because if I pushed on his flank he would air down. Now I wean my steer calves at 7 week's, but after what happened with this calf I'm thinking about weaning my other calf that is 5 weeks old, he is eating 4 pounds of grain a day and 1 bottle of milk.
Click to expand...
Check The Ingredients of Your Calf Milk Replacer...NOW! - The South Dakota Cowgirl https://thesouthdakotacowgirl.com/check-the-ingredients-of-your-calf-milk-replacer-now/

Very interesting read...
Lots of good info and great links to more good info. I love good info! Lol

I would think with 4 pounds of good feed a guy could wean easily! What's that calf weigh?
 
Several years ago I raised an orphan calf on the bottle. When the calf started taking the bottle well, I turned her out with the rest of the herd, and I would fix two bottles of milk and ride to the pasture on the four wheeler once the calf noticed me she came and I sit on the four wheeler and fed the calf. Pretty soon the calf paired up with some budies and soon both were sucking the same cow. At that time I quit the bottle feeding. I still have some of her heifers but lost her last winter. She became addicted to acorns and I have no pasture that does not have oak trees. Very light acorn crop this year.
 
Terrible picture here but anyway..20201213_084818.jpg20201213_084818.jpg
Shes in the quarantine trailer house for a bit.
Good appetite. Took a bottle last night and one this morning. She has been on a good amount of feed as evidenced by her poo. Lots of grain in it.
She weighs about 120 pounds. But most of it is fur I think. I hate to see hip bones like hers on a baby calf.
A bit worried giving her full milk right away but we will see how she does. She has water and feed available too. As well as that crummy crabgrass bedding. Lol
 
She may do better for you, if you split the amount of replacer into 3 feedings for the first week. It will help her put on weight faster with less chance of scours.
 
TCRanch said:
@MurraysMutts I also have a Dolly - her calves are named either Ken or Barbie;). Pic of her the day after she was weaned. Epic fluffy ears!View attachment 1150
Click to expand...
Love those fluffy ears!
Screenshot_20201213-202022_Gallery.jpg
Dont have this one anymore. Was just looking at the sale ticket yesterday. Should've kept her. She was a cutie.

Dolly is eating like a pig. Eats anything I put in front of her. Story was, shes 45 days old. Weighs 120. I think I'm gonna grain feed her in the mornings. And bottle her and grain her in the evenings. I guess we will see how it goes. She has obviously not been bottle fed b4, but takes a bottle with little fuss.

Willy is still on 2 bottles a day. Eating feed too. About 2 pounds a day plus a lil. He is doing great!

Hopefully Dolly comes along. She hasn't been fed correctly, but I'll work with her. I bet she does better with me taking care of her.

I'll give it a week or so b4 I put em together in the big pen.
 
Dolly is still eating like a pig! She ATTACKS the food bowl right after her nightly bottle. Shes a bit pot bellied, but I'm not sure if she actually is. Under all that fur, shes a bit thin.
(Crummy nighttime pic)
20201216_174931.jpg

Willy is getting along with the feed bowl as well.
(Another crummy dark picture) lolz
20201216_175442.jpg
 

Similar threads

ClinchValley86
Problematic Bottle Calf
Replies
8
Views
592
sunnyblueskies
sunnyblueskies
Maxrock2306
Bottle calf
2
Replies
33
Views
2K
50/50Farms
50/50Farms
coachg
Bottle feeding : how much
2
Replies
22
Views
674
Hereford2
H
coachg
New type of bottle
2
Replies
22
Views
1K
Double R Ranch
D
tom4018
Calf issues...
Replies
6
Views
338
gcreekrch
G

Latest posts

Top