bottle calves for newbies
- Thread starter milkmaid
- Start date
Help Support CattleToday:
Dixieangus
Well-known member
And when they start eating the calf starter you take them off the bottle...
Dixieangus
Well-known member
Thanks that answers my question
I know that keeping them on grain AND increasing it as they grow is common sense, but I've seen too many calves that when they're weaned are kicked out on pasture with no supplement. Makes for some pretty crappy looking calves without much grow in them.
rulintheroost
Member
- Joined
- Apr 25, 2009
- Messages
- 22
- Reaction score
- 0
Hello,
I have been posting lately about a cow that was prolapsing..she gave birth on Sunday 4/26, all seemed fine after the
birth baby nursed and all, then yesterday 4/28 mom had a complete uterine prolapse and had to be put down.
Does anyone have any ideas on getting baby to accept the bottle? I have the 20-20 milk replacer. I have only been able
to get small squirts in her mouth since yesterday, she tries push the bottle out with her tongue every time. As of now I have
been going out at least every couple hours to try to get something into her. She sure is a strong booger..LOL
I know it takes work, but what is a realistic time frame for her to take the bottle before she is in danger?
Thanks for any and all assistance
Rulintheroost
Jen
I have been posting lately about a cow that was prolapsing..she gave birth on Sunday 4/26, all seemed fine after the
birth baby nursed and all, then yesterday 4/28 mom had a complete uterine prolapse and had to be put down.
Does anyone have any ideas on getting baby to accept the bottle? I have the 20-20 milk replacer. I have only been able
to get small squirts in her mouth since yesterday, she tries push the bottle out with her tongue every time. As of now I have
been going out at least every couple hours to try to get something into her. She sure is a strong booger..LOL
I know it takes work, but what is a realistic time frame for her to take the bottle before she is in danger?
Thanks for any and all assistance
Rulintheroost
Jen
DavisBeefmasters
Well-known member
Jen,
Get that little bugger backed into a corner, straddle her with your legs (1 leg in front of the chest and 1 leg behind the front legs) -- get the bottle in the mouth and lock your hand on the jaw... now, as you're wrestling... take a warm rag and wipe the little backside just like momma would have done.
If that doesn't work -- use both hands at the front and squeeze the nipple inside the mouth with one of your hands and have the jaws clenched around the nipple with the other to get her started.
Try this for a little bit...
...then get someone to help you tube the calf (insert a tube either through the nostril or mouth into the stomach and you feed through the tube directly), but you MUST know what you're doing to make sure you get the liquid into the stomach instead of the lungs...
Best of luck -- get some liquid into that calf fast or she will dehydrate and no longer have the ability to fight you which may be too late.
Get that little bugger backed into a corner, straddle her with your legs (1 leg in front of the chest and 1 leg behind the front legs) -- get the bottle in the mouth and lock your hand on the jaw... now, as you're wrestling... take a warm rag and wipe the little backside just like momma would have done.
If that doesn't work -- use both hands at the front and squeeze the nipple inside the mouth with one of your hands and have the jaws clenched around the nipple with the other to get her started.
Try this for a little bit...
...then get someone to help you tube the calf (insert a tube either through the nostril or mouth into the stomach and you feed through the tube directly), but you MUST know what you're doing to make sure you get the liquid into the stomach instead of the lungs...
Best of luck -- get some liquid into that calf fast or she will dehydrate and no longer have the ability to fight you which may be too late.
regolith
Well-known member
eta - cross-posted, but I think we essentially say the same thing. So you get it twice:
I think MM covers method of starting a calf at the beginning of this thread, but just in case...
First couple of times feeding a calf you need to straddle its neck, so you've got full control of the head. Holding the bottle with one hand, give it a taste of the milk with the other then use that hand to clamp the calf's mouth shut over the teat.
She may well sulk and try to pull back, but she shouldn't be able to push the teat out of her mouth. If she doesn't start sucking relax, both have a breather, try again with squirting the milk into her mouth first.
Typically, I offer the bottle to every calf shortly after separating from their mother and while most latch on straight away, it can take a few attempts before a *hungry* calf starts sucking the momma replacement. If I try three times and still no suckle (from a strong healthy calf) I presume it's not hungry and walk away... sometimes I'm wrong.
A new calf coming in with a full belly of colostrum - I wouldn't worry if it went 24 hours before accepting the next feed. Otherwise, twelve hours and if the calf still isn't sucking it's probably better to tube feed rather than leave her hungry.
Someone else may reccomend a shorter time. They're probably right.
I think MM covers method of starting a calf at the beginning of this thread, but just in case...
First couple of times feeding a calf you need to straddle its neck, so you've got full control of the head. Holding the bottle with one hand, give it a taste of the milk with the other then use that hand to clamp the calf's mouth shut over the teat.
She may well sulk and try to pull back, but she shouldn't be able to push the teat out of her mouth. If she doesn't start sucking relax, both have a breather, try again with squirting the milk into her mouth first.
Typically, I offer the bottle to every calf shortly after separating from their mother and while most latch on straight away, it can take a few attempts before a *hungry* calf starts sucking the momma replacement. If I try three times and still no suckle (from a strong healthy calf) I presume it's not hungry and walk away... sometimes I'm wrong.
A new calf coming in with a full belly of colostrum - I wouldn't worry if it went 24 hours before accepting the next feed. Otherwise, twelve hours and if the calf still isn't sucking it's probably better to tube feed rather than leave her hungry.
Someone else may reccomend a shorter time. They're probably right.
rulintheroost
Member
- Joined
- Apr 25, 2009
- Messages
- 22
- Reaction score
- 0
Hey Me Again,
Thanks for the posts!!! I figured out how to get her fed...get frustrated, straddle and lock em in with the knees and tell
them to eat or starve to death. I think I was being too gentle..No more Mrs nice girl.. :lol:
I have really learned so much from all of you thank you for everything.
She ate 2 pints at 3:30 and I will give her 1 more at about 8pm..I don't want to overload her system too much at once.
If you have anymore tips or suggestions to keep her strong, healthy and going for the long run, please let me know.
Thanks Again,
Rulintheroost
Jen
Thanks for the posts!!! I figured out how to get her fed...get frustrated, straddle and lock em in with the knees and tell
them to eat or starve to death. I think I was being too gentle..No more Mrs nice girl.. :lol:
I have really learned so much from all of you thank you for everything.
She ate 2 pints at 3:30 and I will give her 1 more at about 8pm..I don't want to overload her system too much at once.
If you have anymore tips or suggestions to keep her strong, healthy and going for the long run, please let me know.
Thanks Again,
Rulintheroost
Jen
rockridgecattle
Well-known member
Your doing good! And good call on feeding a little at a time, especially when a young calf has not had much in a 12 hour period
DavisBeefmasters
Well-known member
Excellent! Now that she knows you are the new milk momma she'll start bellerin' for ya... put a little calf starter or something in front of her too and plenty of fresh water.
Good work! :clap:
Good work! :clap:
m&kCattle
Well-known member
- Joined
- Dec 18, 2008
- Messages
- 78
- Reaction score
- 0
Also best milk is from the mother. If ya can ( sometimes this isn't an option ) I like to try to milk the mom to have milk for the calf. It can get a little western on some cows but worth the effort in my opinion. Also you can try a nurse cow to put the calf on. I also like to make sure I'm ready to tube them if they won't drink. It is very important to get it into them and some just won't take to a bottle right away.
Thank you for your great post. That helps us green horns out a bunch. Thanks milkmaid! Just had a cow reject her calf and I'm scrambling to save this little bugger. I'm sure i have made many mistakes but its not from lack of trying. People like you giving your knowledge out for free after hours of sweat, blood and the hard work is really appreciated.
lmp570
Well-known member
my 2 week old calf's mother wont let him nurse. hes not taking to the bottle very well with me holding it, so my question is... if i leave a bottle of milk replacer on a hanger, how long will it take for that milk to SPOIL???? hopefully this will only be a temporary fix but if i leave the milk out for a few hours w/o running the risk of making the calf sick?
God bless.
God bless.
Where were you a year ago when I was bottle feeding my first bull. I was successful though just treated him like my child sang to him and calmed him down and he took right to the bottle like you showed. Thanks for the info anyway. I have alot to learn dealing with two pregnant cows for the first time now. Little nervous about that any advice. Thanks Stormy
shorty
Well-known member
A good book for information on cattle is Storey's Guide to Raising Beef Cattle , my daughter gave one to me for christmas about ten years ago , it's a good book.
Well considering this is my first post I guess that would really make me a newbie.
Anyways I have two 2week old holstein bull calves that I bought at a sale barn. They were doing great for the first few days, but this morning they only drank half of a bottle then turned their nose up to it. I've only had them for 3 days and have never had calves before so any help would be appreciated. I was told that when they start getting diarhea to give them pepto so this morning was the first bottle with the pepto in it.
Anyways I have two 2week old holstein bull calves that I bought at a sale barn. They were doing great for the first few days, but this morning they only drank half of a bottle then turned their nose up to it. I've only had them for 3 days and have never had calves before so any help would be appreciated. I was told that when they start getting diarhea to give them pepto so this morning was the first bottle with the pepto in it.
shorty
Well-known member
Why did you add pepto to their milk , are you seeing signs of diarhea . They probably didn't take it all because they didn't like what you added to it . If you have signs of diarhea before you just do things on your own talk to a vet or at least get someone who knows something about calves to take a look at them . If you suspect problems it is aslo a good idea to check their temps .
