Day old holstein bull calves....

[Daisy452]

Ok Im wanting to raise a holstein bull calf for my fair next may, he will be entered under baby beef, or a veal calf. he will be 5 months old at the fair, and when i get him he is one day old.

I want to hear what you guys feed and how much for how long? I have watched my friends raise them and i have a prettty good idea on how to raise them, but I want different opinions.

Is goat milk better than replacement milk? What grains are better to feed? When do I introduce hay or grain? Do I wait to give the calf water until its five days old? What shots do they need? Over eating? B-12? Can I put mashed potatoes in the milk to fatten him faster?

Is it alright if the calf is penned near or in with a goat?

What is your suggestion on how many times a day to feed? Do you feed every 4 hours on the day olds? until they are a week old? Then down to three times a day then to two? HOw many bottles should I feed up too? They have to be on atleast one bottle at fair. So, weaning them is out of the question.

Any advice is helpful. :cboy: :banana: :tiphat: :wave:

 

[hillsdown]

The first thing you NEED to do is ensure that your calf gets colostrum. As much as it wants the first feeding and then a minimum of three more feedings of at least 4 pints of colostrum. Therefore if you are taking him home at a day old make sure that the colostrum comes with you to feed him.

You can start him out on three pints twice a day or 2 pints three times a day and increase by a pint each feeding when he can handle it. The key to bottle feeding and getting the frame on them is to give as much milk as they can handle as soon as they can handle it. Provide fresh good leafy hay at all times and an 18% dairy calf starter ration. He will not drink water until he is a few weeks old so you don't have to worry about that for a while and then have fresh water available at all times. If you use milk replacer get a minimum of 20-20-20 .Five months is a long time to feed so be prepared to spend some big bucks at around 80 dollars a bag. My last calf cost $640.00 on replacer alone. See if you can by milk from a dairy every couple of days, it might be cheaper.

Make a deal before the calf is even born from a reputable "breeder" so that they ensure your little guy gets all that is required as soon as he is born ie. iodining the naval, give it a "calf guard" and "collimune" like product which you can buy ahead of time and give it to the breeder so they can give it to the calf as soon as it is born....

By yourself a good book on raising Holstein bottle calves; I am sure they are out there.

 

[Daisy452]

Thank you,

I know about all the colstrum and all that (Plus Ive rasied three show steers so I know some about cattle) (I just want to expand my knowledge), the only thing Im really worried about is putting weight on him. Would fresh goat milk be as good as the 20-20-20? What about putting mashed potatoes in the milk?

We don't have a dairy ration feed out here. But Ive found a really good feed that works just as well. Showmaster calf grower. ever heard of it? What do you think of it?

Im may be penning him with another calf, holding the calf for a friend. Do you recommend it? I know the claves like to suck on each other and drink each others pee. Should I separete them? But it would improve feeding by getting them to compete.

I already know the breeder and we are pretty good friends, he raises some of the nices calves out there, and he also took us through his dairy to show us "newbies" what they actually do. We werent allowed anywhere near the cattle though, it was to keep germs and so on off.

 

[Chaty]

I have fed goats milk to my bull calf and its added weight to him with no problem...never heard of the mashed potatoes before. I dont think that would be good for their rumen as its not really working that well till later. Lots of starch in my opinion. I would do the goats milk if you have access to it. I feed mine 3 times a day with a bottle and he does get creep feed free choice and hay also and water. He didnt want water till about 2 or 3 weeks old and I gave him his first in a bottle. Yep make sure he has had all of his shots and colostrum before you take him home.