Bottle Baby Advice Needed!

M.L. McKnight

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That cup makes a tad over two quarts. If she will eat it, I'd say feed it. I know some who feed 4gal a day and have heard of some feeding ONLY one bottle a day for 8 weeks then putting the calves on full feed. (*I don't agree with the last one I mentioned.) I believe in feeding my calves well to ensure that their digestive tract develops fully.

My bull calf began eating feed and hay when he was 1 1/2 days old, drank water like a big cow and took two bottles a day like a champ! He got up to 7 1/2 bottles a day (plus feed and hay) then I tapered them off to wean him. I weaned him starting last week and take him a couple of bottles with warm water in the morning, I tried 'cold turkey' but he pitched a fit and took off after the chickens! The warm water makes him think he is getting something good and ensures that he minds his P's and Q's.
 

SCLeppyLvr

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Good Morning! So update is she drinks two 32 qt bottles a day, I have been offering calf starter and she does eat it but not all of it, we give a scoop that measures 1 3/4 c. twice a day but there is usually leftover from the last scoop in her feeder. we just keep her feeder full of alfalfa hay so she can eat what she likes. I know she at least gets her head in there because she has flakes on her head all the time. she doesn't seem to drink much water, I have only a 2 1/2 gal bucket in her pen (to try and keep track) and she hasn't even emptied it once yet. We try to show her and hand feed her some. I try to get her to suck on my hand while bringing her to it and she backs off as soon as she gets close. should I be worried? also she is very ready for her bottles each feeding, is she getting enough to eat?
 

SCLeppyLvr

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Good Morning! So update is she drinks two 32 qt bottles a day, I have been offering calf starter and she does eat it but not all of it, we give a scoop that measures 1 3/4 c. twice a day but there is usually leftover from the last scoop in her feeder. we just keep her feeder full of alfalfa hay so she can eat what she likes. I know she at least gets her head in there because she has flakes on her head all the time. she doesn't seem to drink much water, I have only a 2 1/2 gal bucket in her pen (to try and keep track) and she hasn't even emptied it once yet. We try to show her and hand feed her some. I try to get her to suck on my hand while bringing her to it and she backs off as soon as she gets close. should I be worried? also she is very ready for her bottles each feeding, is she getting enough to eat?


I meant 2 2qt. bottles not 32 qt bottles :)
 

M.L. McKnight

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If she wasn't getting enough feed then there wouldn't be anything left in her bowl and she'd bawl. If she sucks on your hand it won't hurt anything, just be careful that she doesn't do it for too long or you'll end up with sore fingers. When she starts butting I suggest that you keep your fingers clear of her mouth, I had three bottle calves that I fed in the same pen and those rascals stayed attacked to my fingers! It got to the point where my knuckles and hands looked like I'd been spending the day in the boxing ring instead of around the farm.

Give her a salt block if you'd like her to drink more. Or you could give her a bottle or two of water, most babies learn by watching and she may not have the concept of drinking water from a bucket down quite yet.
 

SCLeppyLvr

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Does anyone think she would learn from watching our sheep? I could put the sheep trough next to her water bucket. Although I gave a slat/mineral lick last night, and today when I went out the water level in the bucket was lower. I also gave her a 2 qt bottle of water last night and tonight after the regular bottle. She was full of piss and vinegar this evening running around bucking and kicking her little legs! LOL it was very funny.
 

M.L. McKnight

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It sounds like what you are doing is working. Any calf that is bucking and kicking is feeling alright.
 

jhm47

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Let's say she weighs 150 lbs. If she's drinking two - two quart bottles of milk daily, that's four pints of liquid, along with whatever water she's drinking. If she needs more liquid, she'll drink more water. Calves seem to know when they need water, salt, mineral, whatever. Just let her self regulate, and she'll be fine. I have raised thousands of calves and never had to train one how to drink water. They figure it out quickly when they need to. FYI---she'll begin to drink more as her intake of starter/hay increases.
 

SCLeppyLvr

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so she's still on 1.75 c starter twice a day, what should I bump her to without making her sick?
 

jhm47

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She should be able to eat a quart at this age. They usually don't overeat at this age, especially when they are getting milk.
 

SCLeppyLvr

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Here she is three weeks post arrival. She is about 5 weeks old now. Maybe closer to Six weeks.
 

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