Bottle calf

[Moody]

I'm new to cows and have never had a bottle calf. I see some on craigslist for 150-300. Then I saw a craiglslist ad that says "all my calves die from ecoli. You pay me, take calf, feed it for 3 days, it dies you dispose." Huh? People buy sick calves to slaughter when they die?

So how likely is it that a bottle calf will die? If I get one what are the chances it survives to be a productive cow? Is it 50% or even less? I hate to waste money on a bottle calf venture only to lose it to illness a few weeks into the game.

 

[WildRoseBeef]

No, people aren't buying sick calves to slaughter, it's an ad letting you know that the calf has the high chance of dying on you from an E.coli infection via serious scouring, and more than likely from bad management practices of not ensuring calves are getting colostrum on time. If you bought the calf, it's your problem to make sure it gets disposed of properly. A young calf is too thin to be of any value as far as meat (veal) is concerned (veal calves are those that are fed up to around 3 months of age), and certainly when it's sick and full of antibiotics no one would even consider eating it.

The most common illness a calf like that is going to die from is from scours, or severe diarrhea caused by a gut infection that often affects the intestines. If a calf doesn't get colostrum in time or is in an area where bacteria like E. coli prevail, the calf then is highly likely to get sick and die, and not grow to be a productive cow or steer you can slaughter for beef in a year or so. I can't tell you the percent, as there really is no percent value attached to this, but I can tell you to be careful and don't spend your money on a calf that even the seller says will most likely die on you. ESPECIALLY if you don't know what you're getting into or how to handle it!!

You're best bet is to get a healthy calf, preferably one that is almost ready to be weaned or is already weaned, to raise up to be a family milk cow. I know it's heart-breaking to see ads like this, but don't let your emotions get the better of you and your decisions in the long-run.

 

[Moody]

Okay thanks. I just couldn't figure out why someone would want to purchase a calf, feed it for three days and have to dispose of it.

I want a healthy calf. I wouldn't buy one of these posted that are going to die. I can't imagine anyone who would want to buy one. Maybe it is just an honest person tired of his calves dying.

 

[WildRoseBeef]

You never know with some people. Some put their hearts on their sleeves and spend the money to try to "save" those calves even though the previous owner already knows there's nothing else to be done for them. I don't get why anyone would buy one either, much less sell it so that it becomes someone else's problem. At least the guy is being honest and forthcoming about the issues he's been having.

 

[norseofcourse]

My guess is that ad was not from a seller, but a 'buyer beware' ad from a disgruntled/discouraged buyer who had a calf or calves die. The calf may have already been sick, or the buyer may not have had the knowledge/experience/supplies/mentoring/facilities to raise it. May or may not have called the vet in time. Really hard to tell anything - you're only getting one side, and not a very complete one at that.

 

[greybeard]

My guess is that ad was not from a seller, but a 'buyer beware' ad from a disgruntled/discouraged buyer who had a calf or calves die.

I too have seen these type "buyer beware" ads on CL. They usually are a result of buying from someone who has bought a bunch of calves very cheap, throws 'em in a little lot or into calf crates and quickly tries to 'flip' them on CL.