and basic info of bottle raising:
Bottle Calf
What to feed:
You will want to use a CALF milk replacer, not kid or lamb or even multi-species, spend the money and get the Calf replacer. I also HIGHLY recommend staying away from any type of Soy product. EVERY SINGLE CALF I have seen on soy based milk end up with scours, and scours BAD. Look for real milk protein, not soy protein. I will only cost you a couple dollars more, but save you quite a bit in trouble and medication costs.
You will need a bottle. I sugggest a 2 quart bottle with a snap on nipple. You can get the screw on nipples, but these will collapse easily, leading to a frustrated calf, sucking air and possibly ending up with bloat. (Bloat=BAD BAD BAD)
Newborn (never been on mother):
If you calf has not had the chance to nurse the mother, you need to get some colostrum ASAP. Get fresh, real colostrum if possible. If you cant get the fresh, then try for frozen. I like to offer a quart every 4 hours for the first day. If all else fails or if you are short on time, get the powdered colostrum and follow the directions on the pack. You NEED to get them this colostrum, so its a good idea to keep some frozen or powdered colostrum on hand, if you have a pregnant cow.
To start a newborn after it has recieved colostrum:
day 1: use the powdered milk at only half strength.(if you "recipe" calls for 1/2 cup of powder for 1 quart water, then you will use 1/4 cup powder and the full one quart of water. Feed one quart of HALF STRENGTH milk, in the am, and again in the PM. I usually offer a water bottle at noon.
Day 2: use milk at half strength. offer 1 quart at am, noon, and pm.
Day 3: use full strength milk. offer 1 quart at am, water bottle at noon, and 1 quart full strength milk at pm (you will use full strength milk from here on out, unless there is runny poop)
Day 4:Offer 1 and 1/2 quarts at the am feeding and 1 quart in the pm
Day 5: offer 1 1/2 quarts at the am and pm feeding
Day 6: same as day 5
Day 7: offer 2 quarts in the am and 1 1/2 in the pm
day 8: same as day 7
day 9: offer 2 quarts in the am and in the pm
day 10: same as day 9
Day 11: continue with 2 quart bottles in the am and pm, start offering calf starter grain (just leave it out for them) and a little hay. You can also put them out a small bucket of water to play in. Your calf may only play with it for now, that is ok. In a week or two, if the poops still look good, start giving more time on pasture. If its spring time, be very careful about pasture. A couple hours of pasture time is enough at first, and it's better to have afternoon turn out than early am turnout. Slowly build them up to being out all day (add an hour as day)
I like to start them on a bucket as soon as possible (I usually do it at day 14). Getting your calf to drink out of a bucket teaches them that a bucket has FOOD and thus, they will begin to eat grain sooner and grower better (plus its sooooo much easier on YOU!). Its easy to train them to a bucket. Pour the milk into the bucket, and let the calf suck your fingers. While the calf is sucking your fingers, drop your hand into the bucket, submerging it into the milk. As it sucks your fingers, the calf will accidently draw some milk into its mouth, and should start drinking readily. If the calf doesnt suck your fingers, try floating the nipple in the bucket.
Older calves:
To make the switch from one replacer to another, mix the two types equally for a day, then 3/4 new mix 1/4 old mix for a day , then go to the full strength of new mix. This method would include taking an older calf off the mother. If you cannot milk the mother and get raw cow's milk, you can buy some regular (not the lowfat) milk at the grocery store to serve as the "old mix".
If you cannot use any of the old mix to switch them over, use the same method as for the newborns (above)
Older calves are harder. Many of them will not want to take the nipple. If they refuse the nipple, I will offer them a bucket first, and if that doesnt work, I will resort to more drastic measures. Position the calf so its rear end is in a corner, and then straddle it, with its ribs between your knees. Now, be prepared, because any healthy calf worth its salt is going to fight you.
Now, once you straddling the cornered calf, and the calf has realized that he is too little to be a rodeo bull, get the bottle and stuff the nipple in its mouth. Hold its little head up, rub the throat, stick your finger in the corner of its mouth and tickle it a little. If after about 5 minutes, the calf doesnt drink, just walk away and leave it alone for about 6 hours. (provided that this is a healthy calf). In six hours, repeat. If the calf still doesnt eat for you, you will need to call for some reinforcements.
Once your calf is drinking the milk:
Be firm! Do not tolerate head butting. Yes, its cute now. But, trust me, 1100 pounds from now, it will not be cute nor will it be easy to stop. If your calf is drinking the bottle or the bucket and headbutts......take the milk away for a few minutes. They will be frustrated at first, but will quickly learn that this instinct must be controled or the food goes away.
Put the halter on your calf as soon as you can. Choose a place to feed your calf, and halter and lead them to this place for each feeding. Let your calf drag a lead rope for a day or two, the stepping on it will help them learn to "give" to pressure.
Mother cows will kick a misbehaving calf. I dont like to kick, but then again I am not a cow. I will however, give a swift and prompt thump on the backside of any calf that moves to kick me. Teach manners now
If you intend to milk your calf, handle her udder area each time you feed her, and do it from day one. Dont wait until she is full grown and already calved to reach down there and yank on her nipples. How would YOU feel about that?
ALWAYS react promptly to any loose bowel movements. Read the page on SCOURS for more information.
We read so much useful info on here, we knew we had to join.
