Calves drinking water (follow up ?)

[kaneranch]

I was reading the post about calves drinking water and it made me think of a follow up question. At what age do calves start to drink water? The reason for asking is that the pasture where I keep my cows doesn't have water so I have to use a water tank. The water tank is about two to three feet tall. Should I be nervous about the little babys not getting water, or are they to young to drink out of a tank. Thanks KR

 

[dun]

They'll start drinking water about the same time they start eating grass/hay. A couple of days to a week or so old. Don;t know if they need it, but they see the cows drinking so they want to do the same.

 

[msscamp]

I was reading the post about calves drinking water and it made me think of a follow up question. At what age do calves start to drink water? The reason for asking is that the pasture where I keep my cows doesn't have water so I have to use a water tank. The water tank is about two to three feet tall. Should I be nervous about the little babys not getting water, or are they to young to drink out of a tank. Thanks KR

No, they are not too young to drink out of a tank. As dun said, they start drinking water about the same time they start nibbling hay and feed. As for the tank, I've seen them stretch up on one leg to reach over the side and drink. I would imagine yours are doing the same thing.

 

[dcara]

With a 3ft high trough that is not full all the time it is possible for the water level to get low enough that a young calf cannot drink. To prevent this I build 1 foot high dirt ramp at the trough or set the trough into a 1 foot deep digout.

 

[kaneranch]

Thanks for all the info I usually try to keep full. They also have another little creek that is running now but it often drys up. Thanks KR