We have a female twin we've had to bottle feed because Mom rejected at birth. We did not know she (the female twin) existed until a day later when she appeared with the rest of the herd. I assume she did not get colostrum. Twice now when we've tried to introduce calf starter, she got scours within a day or so. She is now 3 months old and needs to be weaned from the bottle I guess. She eats hay and grass, but can I put her immediately on stocker chow creep feed and skip calf starter altogether?
Trying to Wean from Bottle--Problem w/Scours
- Thread starter bgail
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regolith
Well-known member
I don't know your starter/creep feeds but at that age if she's otherwise ready for weaning (good size, developed rumen... she should have lost that frail leggy look of the young calf) then yes, you can skip the calf starter and wean her. It would be better to get her eating the new feed before cutting the milk.
Something not right about her scouring on the starter... it shouldn't cause that basically. Did you only try one brand or different types? Introduce it slowly? It usually takes them a while to get into it but obviously *if* she ate huge amounts of a feed she was unfamiliar with that could cause scours; I've never seen it happen with calf starter.
Something not right about her scouring on the starter... it shouldn't cause that basically. Did you only try one brand or different types? Introduce it slowly? It usually takes them a while to get into it but obviously *if* she ate huge amounts of a feed she was unfamiliar with that could cause scours; I've never seen it happen with calf starter.
Gleedaniel13
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There should really be an alternative food for the calf before cutting milk so that feeding is continuously.
backhoeboogie
Well-known member
Twin heifers tend to be highly fertile, from my experience. I like them. They calve every 10 1/2 months. None of my twins have ever had a set of twins of their own. But they spit out the calves. Something for you to think about.
When you start to wean, get an almanac and wean when the signs are in the knees. May 21 was a good date. Start by cutting her feeding to once a day on the bottle when the signs are in the knees. Then wean her completely the next time the signs are right.
Texas PawPaw introduced me to Braden bottles this year. They work well for getting calves to start on grain. Probably a little late for you but think about it next time you do this.
If the calf is taking in plenty of water, I would not be concerned so much with scours provided they are not pure liquid.
Is she with other cattle?
When you start to wean, get an almanac and wean when the signs are in the knees. May 21 was a good date. Start by cutting her feeding to once a day on the bottle when the signs are in the knees. Then wean her completely the next time the signs are right.
Texas PawPaw introduced me to Braden bottles this year. They work well for getting calves to start on grain. Probably a little late for you but think about it next time you do this.
If the calf is taking in plenty of water, I would not be concerned so much with scours provided they are not pure liquid.
Is she with other cattle?
Lucky_P
Well-known member
I start making calf-starter available from Day 1, and cram a handful in their mouth after every feeding, or any time I pass by the pen/stall. They really need the grain to get the rumen jump-started. Once they're eating 1.5-2 lb per day, I just stop the bottle and bump the grain ration up pretty quickly. Usually managed to wean most of mine by 4 wks, but some hung out 'til 6 weeks.
Yeah, she may be eating grass and hay, but at this age, she's not getting much from it. Dairy replacement raisers are currently not even allowing access to hay/grass prior to 8-12 weeks of age; the starter rations do a much better job of getting rumen papillae developed and functioning. If you stop feeding the bottle and she won't eat a grower ration, grass/hay alone will give you a stunted, pot-bellied thing. Bet on it.
Yeah, she may be eating grass and hay, but at this age, she's not getting much from it. Dairy replacement raisers are currently not even allowing access to hay/grass prior to 8-12 weeks of age; the starter rations do a much better job of getting rumen papillae developed and functioning. If you stop feeding the bottle and she won't eat a grower ration, grass/hay alone will give you a stunted, pot-bellied thing. Bet on it.
