Weaning bottle-fed calves

[Anonymous]

I've been bottle-feeding my 4-week-old calf since birth, and have been trying to introduce calf starter (sweet feed) and hay along with the milk replacer for the last couple of weeks. She won't eat anything unless I hand feed her (not even water from the bucket!), at which time she'll eat quite a few handfuls of grain or bunches of hay from the palm of my hand. She can't seem to get the hang of eating "down" instead of "up", and I guess she's just plain spoiled. Any suggestions? I need for her to get independent so we can return her to the farm (she's living in our backyard in the suburbs right now!).

Thanks

 

[la4angus]

Quit feeding her out of your hand, Show her wher the feed bunk is and let
her smell the feed. If she doesn't eat in a day or so she is as nutty as one of the guests on this board.

If she is a pet I don't know what to do.

 

[Terri]

asdf

 

[Terri]

Sorry, my 3 yr old beat me to the keyboard.

Put the feed out and let her be. A few missed meal cramps will teach her more than you fussing over her. Also, if you take her back to the farm, she will learn by watching the other cows.