Replacement milk for calf

[coachg]

Didn't even have to put the teat in his mouth . As soon as he saw her he started nursing. After we let her out he followed her around waiting on a chance to get more . She butted him away a couple of times . Repeated at 12 and going to let him nurse again about 6. She has a heifer calf of her own that is about the same size . Going to start feeding the cow tomorrow to help her make enough milk for two .

 

[Mark Reynolds]

For all intents and purposes, the milk replacer is in suspended animation until it is reconstituted. I wouldn't have any concerns if it were 20 years old. Use it. Now if it were 50 years old.....maybe (formula might have improved) I'd be 'slightly' concerned.

 

[coachg]

Funny about this am . Feed mill has been closed for Labor Day so I got up early and was there this morning when it opened. Friend with the cow told me he didn't go to work till 8 so I was there at 7:30 , got the cow up , gave her some of the feed I bought this morning and got the calf headed towards the milk . Noticed he was not real hungry and then it dawned on me , my friends truck was gone . Called him and he said he fed the calf at 5:30 am before he left early for work .

 

[MurraysMutts]

I love it when a plan comes together!!

 

[coachg]

Best picture yet ! Cow is finally getting with the program. Been keeping the 2 calves in the lot and turning the cow out .

 

[Chapin81]

These were my bottle fed calves. I sold them as soon as the opportunity presented itself. Too much work and we can never get them to fully develop. Either the milk replacer I had available wasn't great or we did not give them enough milk. It was a bit of a headache.

 

[debbiea]

So sad anyone can see the poor babies were starving. Why didn't you get help from someone knowledgeable about milk replacer and a proper diet. Hopefully the buyer feed them.

 

[farmerjan]

Brahma influenced calves require a little more TLC to get them going as they are sometimes inclined to not want to take a bottle if they have been on a cow previously... same as brown swiss calves... but they definitely needed more to eat... people think that bottle calves are so simple yet they can be some of the hardest calves to raise if you are not quick to know problems before they get too far developed.
Don't know where you got them from but your listed area in your avatar makes me think that they are not a common breed to your area.... anything with "ears" is not very well received even here in Va... gotta go SOUTH for the ear influence to be appreciated and utilized in the hotter climate. Glad you sold them to someone who could hopefully better provide for their needs.

 

[Warren Allison]

Brahma influenced calves require a little more TLC to get them going as they are sometimes inclined to not want to take a bottle if they have been on a cow previously... same as brown swiss calves... but they definitely needed more to eat... people think that bottle calves are so simple yet they can be some of the hardest calves to raise if you are not quick to know problems before they get too far developed.
Don't know where you got them from but your listed area in your avatar makes me think that they are not a common breed to your area.... anything with "ears" is not very well received even here in Va... gotta go SOUTH for the ear influence to be appreciated and utilized in the hotter climate. Glad you sold them to someone who could hopefully better provide for their needs.

His ranch is in central America. Brahma type cattle are 97% of the available cattle there.

 

[farmerjan]

Sorry, I forgot that the ranch is not where they are listed.... so they should have had a much better handle on how to raise that sort of calf down there since it is the "common breed/type"... Thanks for the reminder @Warren Allison ... maybe they should change their avatar location listing...so people like me can remember better haha

 

[Chapin81]

So sad anyone can see the poor babies were starving. Why didn't you get help from someone knowledgeable about milk replacer and a proper diet. Hopefully the buyer feed them.

I've tried several milk replacers that were available and we didn't see a difference one replacer which is common down there has oxytetracycline added is this normal??? . The reason why I sold them was because we were approached by a woman who supposedly had a few dairy cows who thought they might be able to handle it. She showed up with her truck paid in cash and took them away. I never heard from her again. I'm sure the calves did ok.

 

[Chapin81]

Sorry, I forgot that the ranch is not where they are listed.... so they should have had a much better handle on how to raise that sort of calf down there since it is the "common breed/type"... Thanks for the reminder @Warren Allison ... maybe they should change their avatar location listing...so people like me can remember better haha

it's ok I live and work in nyc, but we have a cow calf operation in northwest Guatemala near the Mexican border. Still working out the kinks of our operation. As mentioned above I tried several milk replacers, I never saw adequate gains, milk replacer is expensive and I didn't see a difference from between the brands I tried. I sold them for the equivalent of $200 each.

 

[MurraysMutts]

it's ok I live and work in nyc, but we have a cow calf operation in northwest Guatemala near the Mexican border. Still working out the kinks of our operation. As mentioned above I tried several milk replacers, I never saw adequate gains, milk replacer is expensive and I didn't see a difference from between the brands I tried. I sold them for the equivalent of $200 each.

My bet would be not enough milk.
What do those babies weigh on average?
2 qts, twice a day is adequate. 2 qts, 3 times a day would be excellent.

That being said, bottle calves always seem to grow a bit slower no matter how ya do it. When they get started eating a quality feed combined with milk is when I've found em to real start taking off in growth!

I think you'd have been money ahead, to purchase a nurse cow or two. They ALWAYS do better on a cow

 

[farmerjan]

I think I helped create a monster in @MurraysMutts when he bought Bessie, and showed pics and I said she would make a good nurse cow and would probably be able to handle 2 or 3 calves... Now he wants everyone to get a nurse cow.....

 

[MurraysMutts]

I think I helped create a monster in @MurraysMutts when he bought Bessie, and showed pics and I said she would make a good nurse cow and would probably be able to handle 2 or 3 calves... Now he wants everyone to get a nurse cow.....

I'm still on the hunt for another as good as Bessie!
I'm thinking it may be IMPOSSIBLE

I have high hopes for her daughter that was sired by Richard the brangus tho


Seriously tho!
If calf prices are comparable in Guatemala. The nurse cows would make him more money than selling his babies to someone else that's gonna do the same thing!

 

[Chapin81]

My bet would be not enough milk.
What do those babies weigh on average?
2 qts, twice a day is adequate. 2 qts, 3 times a day would be excellent.

That being said, bottle calves always seem to grow a bit slower no matter how ya do it. When they get started eating a quality feed combined with milk is when I've found em to real start taking off in growth!

I think you'd have been money ahead, to purchase a nurse cow or two. They ALWAYS do better on a cow

the oldest one was about one month and weeks old. The youngest about two weeks old. We started out with 2qts per calf twice a day. Then after that we gave them 2qts three times a day. Never went over 6qts per day. The grass they fed on was avg it's not the highest quality grass to fatten up livestock.

 

[Travlr]

the oldest one was about one month and weeks old. The youngest about two weeks old. We started out with 2qts per calf twice a day. Then after that we gave them 2qts three times a day. Never went over 6qts per day. The grass they fed on was avg it's not the highest quality grass to fatten up livestock.

I don't know a lot about those kind of cattle... but it's always been my impression that they look skinny compared to European breeds. Less fat cover between the skin and muscle, as well as having thinner skin. The calves look healthy and vigorous. I'm not a guy that bottle feeds or grafts... but the calves looked fine to me.

 

[Allenw]

the oldest one was about one month and weeks old. The youngest about two weeks old. We started out with 2qts per calf twice a day. Then after that we gave them 2qts three times a day. Never went over 6qts per day. The grass they fed on was avg it's not the highest quality grass to fatten up livestock.

Bottle calves need some starter feed along with their milk, they just don't do well on milk replacer and grass.