# How do you bottle feed a calf?



## Bleenie (Mar 16, 2010)

We have raised calves in the past and done well, of course had some losses too.

We recently got 3 calves from the auction. 
1 brown swiss is 2 weeks old
1 holstien is 4 days old
1 Ayeshire(?) is 5 days old

The BS has refused a bottle since day 1 and has been being tube fed after constant failed tries at the bottle and bucket, we are still trying though.

The H has become lethargic and blah the last couple days. he was doing amazing to begin.

The A has been and still is doing wonderful.

We are feeding them 2x's a day but they seem hungry so we are upping it to 3x's for a couple weeks.  

*What are your methods for bottle feeding?* We are planning on switching them to a bucket after a couple weeks and still working on switching the BS to a bucket, he's a real pain in the butt though.


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## jhm47 (Mar 16, 2010)

What and how much are you feeding?  If you're feeding a good quality milk replacer, you should be feeding 2 quarts per calf, twice a day.  Any more than that and you'll be risking an outbreak of scours.  

The Swiss is 2 weeks old.  He's been used to different surroundings, and possibly another method of feeding.  Is it possible that he was on a cow for two weeks?  If so, he'll be hard to get started on a bottle, but if he gets hungry enough, he'll come around.  Let him get really  hungry for a day or so, and stop tubing him.  I'll bet he learns quickly when he gets hungry enough.  Just be sure that you don't try to "make up" for the feedings he missed.  Keep him on the 2 qts, 2X a day schedule.

The Holstein might be coming down with scours from his change of venue.  You might start him on an electrolyte solution for a couple days.  

Whatever happens, good luck!


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## Bleenie (Mar 16, 2010)

Thier poo is still a healthy consistiency so no scours.  We got the Brown Swiss when he was a couple days old and he had Obviously eaten from momma before he came to the auction.  He went crazy when we let him in the field with our heifers but they refused him.

We also tried starving him for a day and he still wouldnt take the bottle OR bucket! I have no idea what else to do for him but try to find someone with a nanny cow or something.


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## john in wa (Mar 17, 2010)

its to bad your on the other side of the mountain. if it was closer i would toss him on my cow. she will take anything that is strong enough to nurse. I just bought a holstein bull calf i tried to bottle feed and he wouldn't have anything to do with it. after 2 days i put him on my nurse cow.   the next day he was up and running and playing. I tried the bottle and bucket feeding he wouldn't take either one.  Just maybe a nurse cow is your answer. good luck


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## Imissmygirls (Mar 18, 2010)

Swiss are notorious for this problem.


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## Beekissed (Mar 18, 2010)

You could try syringing some replacement into the BS.  This way he gets a taste of the food and it stimulates his sucking/swallowing instinct more than just filling his tummy with a tube. 

 I did this for a little Jersey I had that wouldn't nurse and it only took two days of this before he was up and nursing from his foster mom.


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## Bleenie (Mar 20, 2010)

sorry its taken me a while to update..

We sold the Ayshire & Holstien to a really nice couple that wanted some pets to eat down thier pastures. very happy with that outcome...if they don't band Owen we might get ahold of them to use him for breeding later on. He's just beautiful.

Phillip FINALLY found a nurse cow. A local working farm/museum was happy to help and he was up and jumping around the next morning. they are still going to try to bottle or bucket train him so they can work him off mom when he gets to drinking too much(they have kids thru there all the time that get to milk the cow). I don't know if he'll take either but i REALLY hope the little brat does. They're letting him have his momma for about 3 months totally free of charge too. They did have to re-name him T-Bone, so the kids understand thats where food came from way back in western times. 

I don't think i will EVER get a Brown Swiss again, Phillip was too much of a pain in the butt.

Thank you all for the help


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## aggieterpkatie (Mar 20, 2010)

Bleenie said:
			
		

> We sold the Ayshire & Holstien to a really nice couple that wanted some pets to eat down thier pastures. very happy with that outcome...if they don't band Owen we might get ahold of them to use him for breeding later on. He's just beautiful.


If they don't band him they're gonna have a nasty bull on their hands before too long.  :/   A bull is NO pet!


Glad everything worked out!


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## cw (Mar 21, 2010)

have you tried the bucket just to see if he will take to the bucket better then the bottle?  when you teach them to drink from the bucket do stick the 2 fingers in there mouth to teack how to drink from it?


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## Bleenie (Mar 23, 2010)

I think they said they were going to band them so no breeding. oh well..we have enough cows as it is, lol.

I have to get Phillip Banded. He's doing well with his nurse momma but we gotta get it done soon.


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## gates (Apr 20, 2010)

Just be sure that you don't try to "make up" for the feedings he missed.Read the cleveland  launcher iron review. One of the famous Golf brands


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## rater (May 7, 2010)

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## clarmayfarm (May 10, 2010)

Hello from Virginia...

Oftentimes, calves may not get the colostrum they need from mama. Even at two weeks old, this can affect their appetite and health.

A couple of thoughts:

If you tube the calf regularly, coat the tube with AI lube or olive oil, this prevents bruising and injury for repeated tubings.

We will let the calf go hungry or without for one feeding. They will not die, and often are very hungry the next day. It jumpstarts them.

More often is better...a calf in nature nurses 10-50 times per day. Maybe 2 quarts 3x daily? Or one quart 4-5 times each day.

Swiss are HORRIBLE, especially once they have drunk off their mamas!

beth


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