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read post on bottle feeding---need help
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<blockquote data-quote="KNERSIE" data-source="post: 377386" data-attributes="member: 4353"><p>From my experience when I used to raise bottle calves for a living, you have to judge with your eye when a bottle calf is ready to be weaned rather than a magical number. I tried the 50 days milk then wean strategy that is so popular in dairies, but found that very few calves really take off and grow then.</p><p></p><p>What i found worked best, is continue with the 2l in the morning 2l in the evening regime untill their coat gets shiny from the calf starter/concentrates/grain mix or whatever you feed. For most calves its about 7-8 weeks, some shorter, but there will also be those that isn't ready by then. Once they reach this point, quit with one of the feedings and bottle feed 2l once a day, if you decide to feed morning only, stick to it, you can't change your mind as it is a recipe for scours. At this point you can add a sachet of Rumix to the milk replacer to help with its apetite to eat more of the ration.</p><p></p><p>Continue feeding once a day for about 2 weeks before taking the milk away completely. If you have about a 16-18% ration adlib and good quality free choice hay, your bottle calves will outgrow the bottom half of your suckling calves at 7 months of age. It is more expensive, but worth it. A stunted potbellied calf seldom developes into a keeper.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="KNERSIE, post: 377386, member: 4353"] From my experience when I used to raise bottle calves for a living, you have to judge with your eye when a bottle calf is ready to be weaned rather than a magical number. I tried the 50 days milk then wean strategy that is so popular in dairies, but found that very few calves really take off and grow then. What i found worked best, is continue with the 2l in the morning 2l in the evening regime untill their coat gets shiny from the calf starter/concentrates/grain mix or whatever you feed. For most calves its about 7-8 weeks, some shorter, but there will also be those that isn't ready by then. Once they reach this point, quit with one of the feedings and bottle feed 2l once a day, if you decide to feed morning only, stick to it, you can't change your mind as it is a recipe for scours. At this point you can add a sachet of Rumix to the milk replacer to help with its apetite to eat more of the ration. Continue feeding once a day for about 2 weeks before taking the milk away completely. If you have about a 16-18% ration adlib and good quality free choice hay, your bottle calves will outgrow the bottom half of your suckling calves at 7 months of age. It is more expensive, but worth it. A stunted potbellied calf seldom developes into a keeper. [/QUOTE]
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