Hi, I have a 3 week old calf that we have been bottle feeding since it was 2 days old. Never had any trouble with her and am even able to put her in the pasture with our other cattle where she can nurse/steal milk from the other mamas. She is all of a sudden not wanting to take the bottle and I have no clue what we need to do she's still thriving and doing well drinking water and nibbling at grains but I'm worried she isn't getting all the milk she still needs since she is refusing the bottle. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!
Help 3wk calf quit nursing bottle!
- Thread starter smalltown
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It's quite possible she's nursing enough from the other cows, she no longer needs/wants a bottle. Especially since she's still thriving and doing well.
Dsth
Well-known member
TC answered about the same as I. Had a 3 week old calf this year that her mom got mastitis and cow ended up going to the sale barn when vet said she would not respond well to treatment. calf was use to taking the bottle since cow's udder was swollen to the point that calf could not suck the first few days. calf sucked the bottle the first 2 days after cow left but no interest after it started robbing from other cows. calf is still doing fine and is now about 3 months old.
MurraysMutts
Well-known member
Yep!
What those guys said. ^^^
Take a few hours and relax and watch em. An ice cold coke and a smoke. See if u can see who shes stealing from.
My experience has been, sometimes they just take a break, for whatever reason. Sometimes after a day or 2 they come right back to the bottle. But not if they are getting it somewhere else.
What those guys said. ^^^
Take a few hours and relax and watch em. An ice cold coke and a smoke. See if u can see who shes stealing from.
My experience has been, sometimes they just take a break, for whatever reason. Sometimes after a day or 2 they come right back to the bottle. But not if they are getting it somewhere else.
smokey road cattle
Member
we have twins that do that all the time,mom want let both suck sometimes so we catch that one everyday and bottle feed,after several days it will come to the bottle on its own until it starts getting enough from stealing or mom finally accepts it. at that time its through with that bottle
Out of 3 sets of twins last year (hate twins!), one was essentially a bottle calf, even though the dam still took care of it - just wouldn't let it nurse - and it was always with his twin. So I bottle fed twice a day. Until he no longer wanted the bottle. Turns out, another cow adopted him and raised him along with her calf. The twist? Both mamas hung together and watched over the 3 calves.
