Just wondering (calf first eating)

[MikeJoel]

When does a calf normally start actually eating ANY hay or grain.

I ask because I thought it was common with dairy calves to start on the 4th week.
Our calf (which we have kept in with the cow) is already starting. She's coming up on her second week.
Was milking the cow this morning and watched the calf eat some hay. I thought before she was just playing, copying the cow, but she was really eating it.

I know keeping the calf with the cow will usually get the calf going sooner but didnt think that soon.

Mike

 

[jw]

Probably a little varience with each cow, but mine often start eating or nibbling at the early ages. They still take their milk, but they learn to eat the grass.

 

[Alice]

As a rule of thumb, I put a little bit of calf feed in their feed buckets when I put them in their pen/hutch. A lot of times they'll start nosing around in their feed by the 3rd day they are exposed to it...and I LOVE seeing that!

Alice

 

[milkmaid]

Calves on the cow will start eating a lot sooner than calves on a bottle. Mine start ~a week or so of age. Sooner in the summer than the winter, since my hay feeders are a bit high for baby calves. LOL.

 

[Workinonit Farm]

Within a week or two, my calves start nibbling at the hay and grass. Not uncommon to see the calves laying in the hay by their mother's heads with the calves eating the hay as well.

Bottle calves I've had have taken longer to get them started on hay/grass/feed.

The babies will learn from mom, I believe that is why calves on their mothers may start sooner.

Katherine

 

[ctlbaron]

I usually notice them eating a little within 10 days of age.

 

[dun]

On the cow they're cheweing their cud at 10-14 days, bottle calves take a couple of days longer

dun

 

[msscamp]

When does a calf normally start actually eating ANY hay or grain.

Mike

I've seen calves mouthing hay at 3-4 days old, they are usually nibbling it by a week, eating pretty good by a couple of weeks, and getting crowded through the bunks around a month old.