Bottle Fed Calves

[n i c c i]

I'm not sure to what extent of this is true but i've heard that bottle feeding a calf can stunt it's growth.

As any animal that doesn't have a mother usually doesn't grow as quickly as one that does. I was just wondering because if i were to buy a couple cheap cross bred bottle started heifer calves i want to use them for breeding and their offspring for beef.

I've seen lambs and goats severly stunted by bottle feeding and i don't exactly want to be buying heifers that are likely to have calving problems.

 

[ctlbaron]

It is true that some bottle calves can turn out smaller than those fed by mama. Certainly mama can supply a better quality product than any milk replacer on the market. But, I have several cows that were bottle raised. They are as good as they come. It depends on the quality of milk replacer, calf starter and the care that is given to them until they are weaned. Most dairys keep their heifers for replacements. They are bottle fed most of the time so that the cow can get back in the milk line within two weeks. Most of the time sooner. You can raise good quality heifers on the bottle if you take good care of them right and give them a good medicated milk replacer, high quality calf starter and fresh water from day one. Most of them will have a little hay belly until they are a few months old but that goes away when they begin to consume enough grain and hay. You can do it, go for it.

 

[sidney411]

It all depends on the quality of care given to the bottle calf. I have a set of twins that I bottle fed one and momma has the other one. I guarantee the one I bottle fed is heavier and bigger bodied then the one on momma. She was the smaller twin to start with too. It all depends.

 

[Victoria]

I agree with the other two comments. Some people with orphans don't give them good enough quality milk, don't keep them on milk long enough and don't give them the care that is required to produce a healthy calf. A calf that is left in a stall with no contact other than a bottle shoved through the slats won't do well even if the feeding program is right.
I was really proud of my bottle baby this year. She is on her second calf and had one of our biggest heifers - 668 pounds. She is a Charolais/Angus/Hereford cross and is not our largest cow (the Hereford really comes out in her) and was bred Angus. So orphans can grow up to do great things.

 

[Cheyenne]

I purchased two Holstein Freemartin calves in April for a 4-H project for my son. They were 64 lbs. and 54lbs. when purchased. I kept them on replacer and fed them by bottle for 4 months. Fed high quality replacer, calf starter and feed. They are now as tall as my charlois x bull who was born in March, and are around 450-500 lbs. each. Not a great rate of gain at around 2 lbs/day but they are good looking calves. Always get comments on them from people who saw them when I got them home.

So I agree with good feed and TLC bottle calves can do very well. Good Luck to you.

 

[Rookie]

Ya need be lookin at it this way nicci. Nearly every Holstein ya ever seen was a bottle baby. Most probably only stayin on the bottle 8 weeks. Least that's how it be with us and all the dairys we deal with. Milk replacer be expensive and bottle feedin be a pain. The less time spent there the better. Ours be on full ration 0f calf starter and hay when they turn 2 months. Do just nicely too.

george