trying to bottle feed a calf that won't accept the bottle

[UG]

We had a set of twins on Saturday. The mother only accepted one of the calves so we are trying to raise the other one with milk replacer until he is old enough to get by on pasture with the rest of the herd.

We've seen him try nursing dry cows; literally sucking on a dry teat so we know he knows how to suck. However, when try to get him to nurse a bottle with milk replacer he does everything he can to get the nipple out of his mouth. We had heard that sometimes calves will accept an artificial lamb nipple instead, but that hasn't worked either. So, up to now we are feeding him with a esophegeal tube... no fun for the calf or us.

Any suggestions on tips we should try?

 

[msscamp]

We had a set of twins on Saturday. The mother only accepted one of the calves so we are trying to raise the other one with milk replacer until he is old enough to get by on pasture with the rest of the herd.

We've seen him try nursing dry cows; literally sucking on a dry teat so we know he knows how to suck. However, when try to get him to nurse a bottle with milk replacer he does everything he can to get the nipple out of his mouth. We had heard that sometimes calves will accept an artificial lamb nipple instead, but that hasn't worked either. So, up to now we are feeding him with a esophegeal tube... no fun for the calf or us.

Any suggestions on tips we should try?

What type of nipple are you using? Calf nipples come in two different types up here; a long thick red one and a short thin black one (like a baby nipple almost). I would try the shorter one on a coke bottle to begiin with til he figures it out. Also, I have coated the nipple with molasses or karo syrup and it seems to help. Because of the tubing, his throat is probably sore and it may be painful for him to swallow. Check the hole and, if it's small, enlarge it enough so that when you stick the bottle in his mouth and raise it the milk will flow slowly. Put the nipple in his mouth, raise and lower so the milk flows, and, if you put one hand on the underside of his jaw, you can feel him swallow. Once he gets it figured out, switch to the larger nipple as I have had them suck the little nipple off the bottle. Don't mean to talk to you like a 2-year old, but I don't know what your experience level is, so felt it was best to cover everything. Mostly, don't lose patience. Rubber nipples don't feel or taste the same and it takes them a while to adjust sometimes.

 

[jt]

my experience has been... they either took the bottle pretty quick or if not quick... usually never... i have had some that i couldnt ever get to take a bottle... and you are right, tubing gets old.. fast... i have had some that i believe would rather starve to death than suck that bottle..

good luck

jt

 

[Gayle Hilgeman]

Hi,
I`m new on here.
To Get the calf to want to drink on a bottle you
have to not let him near the other cows and let him
go hungry for 1 meal and then he might drink only part
of the milk. and then you usally will take to the bottle.
I take one of the twins away and feed them on the bottle
every year.

 

[UG]

Hi,
I`m new on here.
To Get the calf to want to drink on a bottle you
have to not let him near the other cows and let him
go hungry for 1 meal and then he might drink only part
of the milk. and then you usally will take to the bottle.
I take one of the twins away and feed them on the bottle
every year.

Thanks. I just talked to a local dairy farmer that bottle feeds 125+ calves a year. They mentioned that whenever they have a stubborn one who won't accept the bottle, they'll skip that feeding rather than feeding the calf via the tube. They say that typically within a feeding or two the calf is hungry enough that he'll finally get serious about the bottle.

 

[milkmaid]

Thanks. I just talked to a local dairy farmer that bottle feeds 125+ calves a year. They mentioned that whenever they have a stubborn one who won't accept the bottle, they'll skip that feeding rather than feeding the calf via the tube. They say that typically within a feeding or two the calf is hungry enough that he'll finally get serious about the bottle.

That works all right with a healthy calf that's gotten some colostrum in him, but if the calf is sick or just "doesn't look right", I'll make sure I get milk in it one way or another. Those kind don't get to skip feedings. Just depends on the calf.

 

[shorty]

If the calf won't be drinking from a cow at all anymore try to to get it to drink from a bucket instead of a bottle , just put some milk on your finger and stick it in his mouth when he starts sucking good put his mouth in the bucket and he should start getting milk , it sometimes takes a few tries, once you get them on the bucketr it's a lot easier than botttle feeding. I only do this if there is no hope of having him drink from a cow again.