Completely new, need some help with bottle feeding

[Anonymous]

Hi,

We just got a 4 day old black Angus. He was born healthy but couldn't nurse because of swollen teats, he has been bottle feeding for a couple days now. The people who owned him previously didn't have time to feed him, and we were looking for a pasture pal for my pony that is alone right now due to the other horse at a trainer. This is my frist time to ever deal with cows because I have always had horses, and I have to clue what to do. I will have to bottle feed the calf for a while I assume, but how many times a day, and what does it require to raise a bottle calf? Anything will help! Thanks!

Abby

[email protected]

 

[Anonymous]

You will need at least one 50# bag of high quality milk replacer and 50# bag of gugh quality calf starter grain. Feed twice a day in the amount indicated on the milk replacer bag. You will need to feed milk replacer until the calf is eating a minimum of 2# a day of calf starter but at least 8 weeks. After the first week or so, start providing a high quality hay preferably grass, along with the grain. Don't try to scrimp on the milk replacer or the calf starter. This is the most vitale time in the calves life, without getting off to a good start it will never amount to it's potential. A high quality milk replacer consists primarily of milk and/or milk by-products, not soy, etc. The two cardianl sins in raising a bottle calf are over feeding and using sub-standard milk replacer and grain. Good Luck

dunmovin farms

> Hi,

> We just got a 4 day old black
> Angus. He was born healthy but
> couldn't nurse because of swollen
> teats, he has been bottle feeding
> for a couple days now. The people
> who owned him previously didn't
> have time to feed him, and we were
> looking for a pasture pal for my
> pony that is alone right now due
> to the other horse at a trainer.
> This is my frist time to ever deal
> with cows because I have always
> had horses, and I have to clue
> what to do. I will have to bottle
> feed the calf for a while I
> assume, but how many times a day,
> and what does it require to raise
> a bottle calf? Anything will help!
> Thanks!

> Abby

 

[Anonymous]

Thank you sooo much, I really appretiate it!

> You will need at least one 50# bag
> of high quality milk replacer and
> 50# bag of gugh quality calf
> starter grain. Feed twice a day in
> the amount indicated on the milk
> replacer bag. You will need to
> feed milk replacer until the calf
> is eating a minimum of 2# a day of
> calf starter but at least 8 weeks.
> After the first week or so, start
> providing a high quality hay
> preferably grass, along with the
> grain. Don't try to scrimp on the
> milk replacer or the calf starter.
> This is the most vitale time in
> the calves life, without getting
> off to a good start it will never
> amount to it's potential. A high
> quality milk replacer consists
> primarily of milk and/or milk
> by-products, not soy, etc. The two
> cardianl sins in raising a bottle
> calf are over feeding and using
> sub-standard milk replacer and
> grain. Good Luck

> dunmovin farms

 

[Anonymous]

I'm totally ignorant on the subject, but an experienced rancher told me to use a plastic soda bottle with a goat/sheep nipple for feeding milk to a calf.