competitive bottle calf?

[Chris H]

Our boy has had a run of bad luck this year, losing a 4 year old & her twins to Hydrops, lost her 22 month old to calfhood diphtheria, and now a 2 year old to calving problems. This latest had a tail first presentation. The vet got his back legs up & the calf out alive but apparently something got torn inside the cow and she died a day later.
Her bull calf is started good on a bottle and at just a few days old now, he's starting to nibble on feed & hay. Has anyone fed an orphan enough to make a competitive feeder calf? How much milk did you pour in him?

 

[aprille218]

Yes but it is not cheap and you have to gradually increase the milk replacer. Never use the stuff that has soy protein in it it gives them diarrhea. The last one we raised was a heifer and at the peak was eating 2 bottles 4 times a day (so 4 gallons a day) plus all of the grass or hay she wanted and calf starter 2 times daily.

 

[Chris H]

whoa! You got a calf up to 4 gallons/day?
Our calf is 1 week today and he's getting a full bottle 2 times/day. No one's around to feed in the middle of the day. I put a little extra replacer in the bottle. He has fresh water, fresh calf feed, & hay available. He's fleshing up quickly. I was thinking I'd get him up to 2 bottles/feeding and free choice calf feed & hay. In the end, he probably won't make it for a feeder calf but he should grow on out to be a decent steer for next year.

 

[mwj]

Just look at any dairy female in the world and they are bottle or bucket raised!! The main thing is to NEVER SCRIMP ON QUALITY IN THE FEED! They have a small feed capacity and need all of the nutrition they can hold. They need good care but they can and will be good calves if you are not tempted to cut corners.

 

[Chris H]

Just look at any dairy female in the world and they are bottle or bucket raised!! The main thing is to NEVER SCRIMP ON QUALITY IN THE FEED! They have a small feed capacity and need all of the nutrition they can hold. They need good care but they can and will be good calves if you are not tempted to cut corners.

Dairy calves are fed per instructions on the feed bags, you'll never get a competitive beef feeder calf on those rations. Aprille pretty much gave me the answer on how much I could push this calf.