My daughter is wanting to begin a bucket Calf project, I am relatively new to the livestock lifestyle and I am wondering what is the best way of acquiring the calf and assuring myself of getting a good quality calf too.
Bucket Calves
- Thread starter skippy18
- Start date
THe way I see it you have three choices:
1. Go to the sale barn - not my favourite method.
2. Find a buyer and ask him to get you one - this can work if the buyer is a good guy.
3. Get in the truck and go for a drive. Stop in at every farm that you see cattle at. Watch out for dogs! Most folks will not throw you off the place and they will most likely be able to steer you in the right direction.
In the end, pail bunters come at irregulr times - cow dies, cow will not accept calf and so on. Lots of folks will let the calf go for a price - that price YOU have to determine.
If you lived close to me last summer you could have had your pick of two - now they are in the calf pen with the others - eating hay and corn. Pail bunters are a pain for those who handle cattle in larger numbers - so I would have been happy to see them go.
Good luck
Bez
1. Go to the sale barn - not my favourite method.
2. Find a buyer and ask him to get you one - this can work if the buyer is a good guy.
3. Get in the truck and go for a drive. Stop in at every farm that you see cattle at. Watch out for dogs! Most folks will not throw you off the place and they will most likely be able to steer you in the right direction.
In the end, pail bunters come at irregulr times - cow dies, cow will not accept calf and so on. Lots of folks will let the calf go for a price - that price YOU have to determine.
If you lived close to me last summer you could have had your pick of two - now they are in the calf pen with the others - eating hay and corn. Pail bunters are a pain for those who handle cattle in larger numbers - so I would have been happy to see them go.
Good luck
Bez
TheBullLady
Well-known member
Get one straight from a farm or ranch. If you don't have any close, or you don't know anyone to ask, try a local feed store. They may know someone that has an orphan.. especially if they're selling them milk replacer.
BottleRanch
Member
I raise about five or six bottle calves every year and I will buy in the summer from the sale barn. Then when calving season comes around I tell all the farmers that come in our feed store that if they have any orphan calves that I am always ready for them.
jerry27150
Well-known member
sale barn is the best bet, just give a shot when you get them home
Medic24
Well-known member
dairy is usually a ready supply of bull calves, just respect any signs that they may have placed out there, as in Bio-secure areas. Don't pass them without being invited, especially after you have been to several other farms!
Our secure area starts just behind the house, and no one, I mean no one is invited theree without checking with us first.
Our secure area starts just behind the house, and no one, I mean no one is invited theree without checking with us first.
