tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9027191706980748713.post2493828092443366285..comments2023-09-29T18:37:14.377+10:00Comments on Eight Acres: Bottle feeding a calfUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9027191706980748713.post-82809353965708766102012-07-05T11:19:45.412+10:002012-07-05T11:19:45.412+10:00We leave our jersey calves on our cows and they ha...We leave our jersey calves on our cows and they have never had scours. For the first month they are together all the time, cows getting milked 2/day. At a month old we separate them at night and cows are milk in the morning. At two months they get to nurse after morning milking and after evening milking. Our nine month old calf still nurses occasionally and never has a problem. By a month old the cows milk has adjusted to the amount that the calves need, we still bring in at least two gallons/milking/cow, which is the normal amount she would produce for her calf(engorgement has work its way out, just like in a human lactation cycle). <br /><br />We have never had a problem with them being unfriendly and untamed either,(we feed square bales and spend quite a bit of time with them, we also have a barn so we can get them in and play with the calves after they are first born, also known as imprinting). <br />We have to be careful because they love to be brushed and scratched and think they can fit into your lap (which tends to be an even bigger issue with our Highlanders, who we milk too). We often joke that they should wear signs that say "Warning, I may lick you to death" They flock to the gate, pushing and shoving to get their morning scratches. This spring we bought a two year jersey and it took about a month but she has figured out the program and is friendly now, not as tame as the others, yet.<br /><br />Our cows get a token amount of grain when milking, its all pasture for them (no spray alfalfa/upland mix in the winter months)<br /><br />Molly is a beautiful cow, she looks a bit like our Caroline :)Megan @ Purple Dancing Dahliashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09589793024632933098noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9027191706980748713.post-52361107594133605232012-06-28T15:17:02.987+10:002012-06-28T15:17:02.987+10:00We are ranch hands on an enormous working ranch in...We are ranch hands on an enormous working ranch in the Pacific Northwest. I get to deal with all the 'leppies' or orphan calves. THere are about 30 or so a year I have to put on a bottle. Most of them do like your Trevor...they fight it for a couple of days until they are hungry enough to take a bottle. Only if they are very poor or dehydrated do I worry, then I use a gastric tube to feed them. Sounds like you are doin great with yours! My own calves I halter break early and share milk with mama like you are doing with Molly. Good luck! THey are pretty girls!peteyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04842363901612535790noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9027191706980748713.post-1950667462687189632011-08-16T11:57:25.034+10:002011-08-16T11:57:25.034+10:00Sounds stressful! I always wondered about how it w...Sounds stressful! I always wondered about how it works when calves are left with there mums, since dairy cows do produce so much now. Interesting.<br /><br />My only tip for getting calves to feed (which you probably already know), is to put your index finger and middle finger upside down in their mouth so you can pull them by their top teeth and, once they start sucking on your fingers, guide the teat in between your two fingers into their mouth).Emmahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10894865592266996002noreply@blogger.com