# Bottle calf



## txcatlady (Sep 26, 2013)

When one of my cows calved, she moved her with rest of cows and we shut the pasture off. 5 days later husband found twin. Moved calf out of pasture. Mom let it suck for 10 minutes and that was it. We have her in stock pen and bottle feed her. She has been a bottle for 2 weeks now. Four feedings a day. My daughter has some nurse cows and is willing to share a jersey. I want to do it but husband doesn't and he would have to haul it. I feed at 6:00 am and rush home after school to feed her. Trying to get her on sweet treat horse but she doesn't really want it. Does anyone see the advantages that I do of borrowing this cow. Rich milk could give her ecoli so would have to limit for the first few days to let her tummy adjust


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## jeff47041 (Jan 5, 2013)

My opinion. You've already got her used to the milk replacer, why switch now? We only feed our bottle calves twice a day, 6 AM & 6 PM. We get them on feed as soon as we can, but I think 2 weeks is a little too soon. 
We bottle feed one bag of replacement and then they are weaned, so by the time you get through 1/3 or 1/2 of the bag, get her started on the sweet feed.


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## cowboyhermit (Nov 10, 2012)

I'm a bit confused, are you saying a few day old calf survived for 5 days without feeding? Because that doesn't seem right. 

Regardless, if it's on the bottle now I would say it's a toss up. Calves are worth a lot of money in this neck of the woods (Canada) right now and people are willing to pay decent money for even the little guys so I assuming you are looking to get the best price. If you intend to keep it for a breeding animal then without question putting it on a nurse cow will give a healthier animal. Economically you will also likely be better off, unless you decide to just get it healthy enough to sell. I am always surprised at the people who are willing to buy baby calves, they really have to work and/or have cheap resources to make a buck raising them.

I think jeff47041 makes a really good point though, if you go with milk replacer you really want to get them off of it as soon as possible.


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## gardenshepherd (Dec 11, 2013)

In our neck of the woods ,we feed calves twice a day. Also our farmers wouldn't breed from twins, cant remember why my son said not to, I think it was something to so with they are harder to get in calf but then that is a commercial herd.


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## txcatlady (Sep 26, 2013)

If the twins are opposite sex the are infertile. These are both females. Due to scours we are going to cut back on feeding. I will have to buy another bag of milk replacer. Maybe she will start eating feed better. I plan to keep both of the heifers at this point unless they don't grow right. Thanks for responses. We will cut out some of milk. They are a little over 3 weeks old.


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## cowboyhermit (Nov 10, 2012)

With mixed sex twins in cattle, somewhere around 9 in 10 of the females will be freemartins (completely infertile), usually the male is unaffected for the most part. 

Good luck with the little girl.


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## txcatlady (Sep 26, 2013)

Finally talked my DH into weaning my bottle baby. She did not grow well and was prepared to sell her. We will see how she grows on creep. She is eating it some now. Put other calves in pen with her to wean also. She has been in pasture so not happy being in the trap. Plan to cut down to one bottle a day until bag of milk replacer is gone and then no more. I have 150.00 tied up in her right now. Hope she grows well on creep!


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