I have an embarrassing problem and need advise. I had a couple cows that had twins and would not accept the first calf born, only he second. Being my wife and I were going to be busy I paid a grandson to keep the calves until they were off milk replacer and I had a place to put them. I would pay also for calf starter. I never checked on the calves. Once they were off the milk replacer he put them in with a bunch of sheep and all starter and grain went to the sheep, calves were not agressive enough to get any grain so they basically lived on grass. I got them home now and they are eating grain. Any advise on how to get them going? I know I should have checked. thanks farmguy
stunted calves
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Caustic Burno
Well-known member
Never seen bottle calf grow off well.
I have found it cheaper to park a 22 bullet between their eyes versus the cost of " growing " them out.
I am losing money both ways just less if taken care of right off.
I have found it cheaper to park a 22 bullet between their eyes versus the cost of " growing " them out.
I am losing money both ways just less if taken care of right off.
Dave
Well-known member
Before I would put a 22 bullet between their eyes I would haul them to the sale. Especially a sale on the weekend. It always amazes me what some people will pay for a little stunted calf.
Dave said:
There you go! They don't know how old it is.
Caustic Burno said:
Stop it. I have 3 that I kept as replacements and you'd never know. Actually, 2 of them are currently raising heifers that are bigger than most of the steers - and I'm absolutely keeping them as replacements.
The money? Yeah, I spent a fortune on milk replacer but I'm pretty sure what I've made on their calves more than made up for it.
Buck Randall
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The mistake most people make with bottle feeding is skimping on the milk replacer. Yes, it's the most expensive feed they'll ever eat, but it's also the best rate of feed conversion they'll ever have. If you feed 2 quarts twice a day of cheap milk replacer and wean at 4 weeks you'll end up with a stunted calf that never pays for it. Pony up and feed them double that for 8 weeks and you'll end up with a calf that's grown well enough to pay some bills.
JMJ Farms
Well-known member
I've got a bottle heifer that is 4 months old. I'll take a pic of her tomorrow. She got three bottles a day and was started on calf starter at 6 weeks and has never lacked for anything and has grown very well. She is currently on 1 bottle a day until this bag of milk replacer runs out and then it's feed only. I think I fed her 4 bags total, so $200. I'm sure she would bring double that. Though it is aggravating to have to feed one three times a day. She will be kept for a replacement if she continues to grow at the rate that she has so far.
kenny thomas
Well-known member
Seen one sell today. Weighed 210 and brought $1.35 a lb. Looked terrible though.
SBMF 2015
Well-known member
JMJ Farms said:
What kind of milk replacer are you feeding? The good stuff I feed is $75 a bag.
Before my kids were old enough for 4H projects I would get calves started good for ten days / 2 wks then sell them. The bottle babies deserved someone with the extra time and I didn't want the headache.
Caustic Burno
Well-known member
TCRanch said:
The last I messed with last year had 150 in milk replacer in him and brought 140 bucks through the barn. Time and money I would have been ahead with a 22LR.
kenny thomas
Well-known member
The last I messed with last year had 150 in milk replacer in him and brought 140 bucks through the barn. Time and money I would have been ahead with a 22LR.
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But think of all the exercise you got and fun you had.
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But think of all the exercise you got and fun you had.
JMJ Farms
Well-known member
SBMF 2015 said:
FRM Milk Replacer. It comes out of the Flint River Mills plant in Bainbridge, GA. I'm not sure how widely it is distributed. I'm approx 2 hours from there so it may not be available in your area.
1982vett
Well-known member
Caustic Burno said:
:lol: Thought you'd know better...shoulda kept the $150 in your pocket and taken $140 at the sale barn before all the time and $$$ you invested.
I got my schooling on bottle calves way back in grade school. They not for me. If I come up with an orphan and it's strong enough for a sale barn, it goes to the first sale available. Tuesday, Wednesday, or Saturday if my neighbor doesn't have room on his nurse cow. Had some pretty weak ones I've given to a lady that takes on hard case stock. Haven't had to walk away from one in quite a while.
Caustic Burno
Well-known member
1982vett said:Caustic Burno said:
:lol: Thought you'd know better...shoulda kept the $150 in your pocket and taken $140 at the sale barn before all the time and $$$ you invested.
I got my schooling on bottle calves way back in grade school. They not for me. If I come up with an orphan and it's strong enough for a sale barn, it goes to the first sale available. Tuesday, Wednesday, or Saturday if my neighbor doesn't have room on his nurse cow. Had some pretty weak ones I've given to a lady that takes on hard case stock. Haven't had to walk away from one in quite a while.
I used to give them to a lady at church.
She had a couple of Jerseys she milked.
When her Jerseys aged out she didn't replace them.
JMJ Farms
Well-known member
Here's the pic I promised. Jolene. Born 4/9/20. Mama died when she was a week old. Been on the bottle ever since.
Down to one a day. Will wean completely this week.
Down to one a day. Will wean completely this week.
M.Magis
Well-known member
My sons 4H market steer was a bottle calf. He looks good now but sure wan't profitable. As for the calves already behind in growth, it may be best to cut your losses now. I have a "runt", dam was old and didn't provided enough milk for him to grow well. At around 8-9 months old I penned him with the 4H steer and fed him twice a day for 2-3 months. He still looked like crap, he just wouldn't grow. One day he got out with the other cows and I just left him there. He's not worth the feed.
TexasBred
Well-known member
Wife use to raise over 400 holstein calves a year and one year lost only 4. I just don't have the patience for it myself. These calves came off bottles at 6 weeks and calf starter had been made available to them since the first week in the pen. All the heifers eventually went into the milk herd and the bulls were sold at 16 months. None ever looked like bottle calves. Takes a special kind of person to raise baby calves on a bottle and I'm certainly not one of them.
JMJ Farms
Well-known member
Update on my 1/2 Brangus 1/2 Limosuin bottle calf.
I was asleep in recliner Monday night. Phone rang at 11:40 PM. Neighbor down the road.
He said "You got a black calf with an orange tag at your house?"
I said "Yea"
He said "Number 308?"
I said "309"
He said "Well guess what? She ain't at your house anymore!"
Short version. She was a mile down the road (a pretty busy highway even at night) They had gotten her out of the road and into a cotton field. I jumped up, fixed a bottle, and me and my two boys headed that way. Got her calmed down with the bottle but then we had to get her home. Wasn't gonna go 15 miles to get my gooseneck just for her so we decided to tie her legs and put her in the back of the truck. So we did. Brought her home and locked her in the barn for the night. Apparently something spooked her and she ran through a welded wire panel. Pulled out staples, broke wire, and bent panel. The panel was 10' away from where it started. She's never gotten out before but she made a heII of a first impression. Fixed the fence the next day and beefed it up even more. Should hold a brimmer bull now. Cows. Gotta love em bc they are a lot of trouble. But all is well that ends well.
I was asleep in recliner Monday night. Phone rang at 11:40 PM. Neighbor down the road.
He said "You got a black calf with an orange tag at your house?"
I said "Yea"
He said "Number 308?"
I said "309"
He said "Well guess what? She ain't at your house anymore!"
Short version. She was a mile down the road (a pretty busy highway even at night) They had gotten her out of the road and into a cotton field. I jumped up, fixed a bottle, and me and my two boys headed that way. Got her calmed down with the bottle but then we had to get her home. Wasn't gonna go 15 miles to get my gooseneck just for her so we decided to tie her legs and put her in the back of the truck. So we did. Brought her home and locked her in the barn for the night. Apparently something spooked her and she ran through a welded wire panel. Pulled out staples, broke wire, and bent panel. The panel was 10' away from where it started. She's never gotten out before but she made a heII of a first impression. Fixed the fence the next day and beefed it up even more. Should hold a brimmer bull now. Cows. Gotta love em bc they are a lot of trouble. But all is well that ends well.
Your calf looks great!! Also anyone who wants to shoot a calf, just so they don't have to take care of them. I will gladly take and raise the calf .. I have figured out how to make money raising bottle calves.
