Weaning bottle calf

[ksmit454]

About 11 weeks old. She's still getting 1 bottle AM, 1 bottle PM. And hay morning and night along with a bit of grazing through the day. I bought a bag of starter feed but since she is with the other cow/calf pairs, I have no way to give it to her... I wanted to start weaning soon because she's getting older, eating well, and I'm almost done with my second $75, 50lb bag of high quality milk replacer. Two things:
1) Do I buy another bag of milk replacer and feed that for a other month?
2) Do I begin weaning? Tips to start weaning? Cut back on amount? Cut back on formula to water ratio (give less formula but same amount of water)?

This is my first bottle calf. Thank you!

 

[Ky hills]

I never run my bottle calves with the cows and calves. I keep them separate for the reason of getting the bottle calves to eating feed. In order for them to do good they need to be on a ration with adequate protein and eating a decent amount of it before I wean. I am not sure if the calf will get what it needs just from pasture grazing at that young if an age. When we wean we will gradually cut back the amount of milk but still give the same amount of water, then go to once a day with only about half the milk formula for a few days.

 

[BFE]

You need to get her where you can feed her. Slip a halter on her while bottling, and get ready for tug of war! Or set up a small pen with a hot wire or creep gate opening and bottle her in there, plus leave the feed pan in there. She'll get used to being in there pretty quick, as it'll be a rewarding place to be. Then you can leave her with the rest of the herd.

 

[ksmit454]

I found a good set up so she can get her starter feed. How long until I can wean her off the bottle?

 

[BFE]

When she starts eating 2-3 pounds a day of feed, I would wean her to one bottle/day for a couple weeks and increase the feed at the same time. By that time she'll be up to 5-6# a day of feed, won't need the bottle anymore.

 

[ksmit454]

When she starts eating 2-3 pounds a day of feed, I would wean her to one bottle/day for a couple weeks and increase the feed at the same time. By that time she'll be up to 5-6# a day of feed, won't need the bottle anymore.

Great, thanks! Guess I'll buy another bag of milk replacer as I'm almost out.

 

[BFE]

Great, thanks! Guess I'll buy another bag of milk replacer as I'm almost out.

Some places carry 25# bags. If you buy a 50# bag and don't get through it all, put it in the freezer, it'll keep.

 

[ksmit454]

Some places carry 25# bags. If you buy a 50# bag and don't get through it all, put it in the freezer, it'll keep.

Good to know, thank you!

 

[farmerjan]

Yeah, we always keep some in the freezer.... and if you do vacuum packing... it can be sealed in a mylar bag that excludes air and keep it too.

 

[TCRanch]

What, wait! You wean 'em??? (she was on her 6th calf at the time)

 

[Hereford2]

Haha looks like one of my cows, she still thinks she needs the bottle if she sees it. Otherwise she respects my space.

 

[backhoeboogie]

No one has mentioned the almanac Always wean with the almanac Less problems Everything else has been said .

 

[ksmit454]

What, wait! You wean 'em??? (she was on her 6th calf at the time)

Oh I love that!!

 

[ksmit454]

No one has mentioned the almanac Always wean with the almanac Less problems Everything else has been said .

Yes I have heard about that. I'll have to look it up. Thanks!