randiliana
Well-known member
Here are 3 of our bottle/orphan calves. They are the bigger ones, and also pretty much the older ones.
First of course is Scrubby. She never had a mama, unless you count me. She was a backwards baby, and it took us a couple days to get her on her feet. But as you can see, once we got her up she never looked back.
Then is this little steer. His mama got sick on us this summer and we had to put her down. He looked pretty poorly when we brought him in, but has really picked up in the couple months he has been in on grain.
And finally, this last calf is the father in law's. Her mama was 16 this year, and just did not have what it took to raise another baby. We pulled the calf at about 2 months and it has been on grain since.
As you can see, it is possible for the bottle/orphan calves to do quite well. I suppose it would be possible for them to do AS well as the calves on a cow, but I think it would take a LOT of groceries to get them there. As it is I would say it is costing us pretty close to what a cow would cost to summer to raise these calves.
First of course is Scrubby. She never had a mama, unless you count me. She was a backwards baby, and it took us a couple days to get her on her feet. But as you can see, once we got her up she never looked back.
Then is this little steer. His mama got sick on us this summer and we had to put her down. He looked pretty poorly when we brought him in, but has really picked up in the couple months he has been in on grain.
And finally, this last calf is the father in law's. Her mama was 16 this year, and just did not have what it took to raise another baby. We pulled the calf at about 2 months and it has been on grain since.
As you can see, it is possible for the bottle/orphan calves to do quite well. I suppose it would be possible for them to do AS well as the calves on a cow, but I think it would take a LOT of groceries to get them there. As it is I would say it is costing us pretty close to what a cow would cost to summer to raise these calves.
