# Fact or fiction????



## F457 (Apr 21, 2011)

We bought 3 bottle jerseys bull calves and have read many confusing internet articles about their care. Should 4 day old calves be given water, hay, grain, calf starter in addition to the milk replacer? If so, what would be the appreciate amounts of each? Your assistance in clarifying this would be greatly appreciated!


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## neener92 (Apr 21, 2011)

I've given mine a small bucket of water available at all times, but they usually don't start drinking til they are 1 to 3 weeks old. I don't start giving hay or grain til they are about 3 to 4 weeks old. When they start eating hay I give it to them free choice, and grain is given two times a day, a small scoop works about 3 or 4 cups.


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## F457 (Apr 21, 2011)

92,

Thank You!

457


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## jhm47 (Apr 21, 2011)

In my experience, I would not let them have access to water till they are a couple weeks old.  I have had calves start drinking water and not drink enough milk to grow quickly.  This doesn't happen often, but it does happen.  They probably won't eat much hay or grain till nearly a month old.  Good luck!!!


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## she-earl (Apr 22, 2011)

We put water in front of our calves right away.  If they are a "sponge" type calf that will drink any amount of water that you give them, I would limit the amount of water.  We put calf starter grain in front of them at two - three days old.  We don't give them any hay until we begin weaning them at six-weeks-old.  Our newborn calves weigh around 100 lbs. and we give them two quarts of milk replacer twice a day.  When they are eating their grain well, we give them 2.5 pounds per feeding.  When I begin giving hay at six weeks, I gradually put hay in front of them.  They will then have free access to hay all the time.  Being that we are in spring and the grass is growing, you could put them on pasture instead of buying hay.


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## F457 (Apr 22, 2011)

Thank you for your responses.

She-earl,

When you say you gave calf-starter at 2-3 days old, how much did you give each calf? We bought a bag of calf-startena and it says to give 1 mg per pound of weight with 50 mg the min and 200 mg the max. Converting mgs to ounces you get: 50 mg = 0.001763 oz and 200 mg = 0.007054 oz. How does one measure out these small portions? When do you begin feeding grain (please define what constitutes grain) and how much?

Thank You for your time answering my questions.

457


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