Lucky_P
Well-known member
Feeding milk replacer is the most expensive and labor-intensive part of raising 'em. I want 'em off the bottle ASAP... preferrably by 4 weeks, absolutely by 6 weeks. Don't think I ever fed one out to 8 weeks, much less 10.
Every time I would feed - or even just pass by the calves, I'd cram a handful of calf-starter ration in their mouths. When they're eating 1.5 lbs/day... you can stop the bottle and rapidly increase their grain ration intake.
Dairy heifer producers, anymore, are not allowing any hay or grazing before 8 weeks, some even later than that. Grain-based calf-starter rations actually do a better job of promoting rumen development than hay or grass - which they can't really digest - that's why a lot of bottle calves that are being allowed free choice hay or grass early on get that potbellied appearance - they've got a rumen full of roughage that they can't really digest - and it's 'diluting' out their overall nutritional intake - energy and protein-wise.
Every time I would feed - or even just pass by the calves, I'd cram a handful of calf-starter ration in their mouths. When they're eating 1.5 lbs/day... you can stop the bottle and rapidly increase their grain ration intake.
Dairy heifer producers, anymore, are not allowing any hay or grazing before 8 weeks, some even later than that. Grain-based calf-starter rations actually do a better job of promoting rumen development than hay or grass - which they can't really digest - that's why a lot of bottle calves that are being allowed free choice hay or grass early on get that potbellied appearance - they've got a rumen full of roughage that they can't really digest - and it's 'diluting' out their overall nutritional intake - energy and protein-wise.