bottle feeding?

[Castleman Creek]

How long does a calf stay on a bottle? :D

Thank You
Billy ;-)

 

[milkmaid]

Until they're eating >2% of their body weight in grain or >400 lbs and can be maintained on high quality hay.

I've seen them weaned at 5 weeks. I usually wean about 7 weeks. Other people can't seem to get them transitioned to grain early and keep them on a bottle about 16 weeks.

 

[skyhightree1]

How long does a calf stay on a bottle? :D

Thank You
Billy ;-)

Be sure to have something like calf developer on hand it seems to help them quite a bit. I generally smother the top layer with some molasses to get them curious and started or put some on a hand ful then let the calf lick it and eat it out my hand.

http://www.southernstates.com/catalog/p ... -50lb.aspx

 

[Lucky_P]

Bottle feeding is the most expensive and labor-intensive part of raising one. I always tried to get my steer calves weaned by 4 weeks, but would usually feed heifers out to at least 6; most dairy producers are now feeding heifers out to 8 weeks or so.
My rule of thumb was that once they were eating about 1.5 lbs of calf starter per day, I quit feeding a bottle and rapidly bumped their grain ration up to 5 lb/day as quick as they could handle it.
Having a good quality PALATABLE calf-starter ration is essential - gotta smell good, taste good to get 'em to eat it well. Every time I fed, or even passed by the pen, I'd cram a handful in their mouth. Usually changed it out and put 'fresh' feed in, daily; if they didn't eat it, I'd scoop it out and feed what they'd refused to an older calf.

 

[Castleman Creek]

This is all great info guys, thank you.
Have a great and safe Thanksgiving.

Billy