Post by simplynaturalfarm on May 25, 2011 12:03:30 GMT -5
Well, thought I would mention the amount of milk being taken by my wee little 1/2 dexter calf - everybody seems incredulous at the piggish amounts of milk Lannie's calf took at a week after calving. . . talks about calves not able to keep even lower producing cows empty at 4 weeks of age LOL
Here we are 2 weeks today after calving and my wee little calf out of my 8-900lb cross cow is getting 3 gallons per day. That is his limit, it is the point at which he will stop eating and then come for a neck rub (DH couldn't believe this til he bottle fed this morning and said Dydee stopped drinking and then just leaned his neck on Dh's leg until DH scratched it LOL). He gets 2 bottles morning, 2 noon, 2 night until I have a need for the milk. . . Or if it gets frozen accidentally, tastes off from grass, mastitic etc. LOL And until I get my cheese cultures here to make cheese, I don't need as much milk as we are bringing in.
I know the majority of people here say 1 gallon tops for their dairy calves (I'm not talking dexters). I said 1.5-2 gallons as per recommendations from universities and dairies who have milk to spare and find superior growth and health from 2 gallons full fat milk. After seeing Rosalind's comment about giving 4 gallons to calves, and after seeing Dydee act completely famished STILL after 1.5-2 gallons per day, I thought I would up it to see how much milk a 75lb dexter crpss calf was willing to drink and if he would EVER stop drinking.
Yes, everybody says they will bloat, founder, scour etc, but I was watching him like a hawk. Never has he scoured or done anything but look like a butterball. Since upping from 2 to 3 gallons 4 days ago, the little guy has gained almost twice as much weight daily! No wonder the mama raised calves are so big!
Yes he is spoiled - we go out and collect eggs at noon and it takes all of 10 minutes to give him a noon meal so I don't care. I would skip it if I was in a rush. He gets a full 2 bottles if he is willing to drink it, but he often refuses the last pint in the bottle.
Heather
Here we are 2 weeks today after calving and my wee little calf out of my 8-900lb cross cow is getting 3 gallons per day. That is his limit, it is the point at which he will stop eating and then come for a neck rub (DH couldn't believe this til he bottle fed this morning and said Dydee stopped drinking and then just leaned his neck on Dh's leg until DH scratched it LOL). He gets 2 bottles morning, 2 noon, 2 night until I have a need for the milk. . . Or if it gets frozen accidentally, tastes off from grass, mastitic etc. LOL And until I get my cheese cultures here to make cheese, I don't need as much milk as we are bringing in.
I know the majority of people here say 1 gallon tops for their dairy calves (I'm not talking dexters). I said 1.5-2 gallons as per recommendations from universities and dairies who have milk to spare and find superior growth and health from 2 gallons full fat milk. After seeing Rosalind's comment about giving 4 gallons to calves, and after seeing Dydee act completely famished STILL after 1.5-2 gallons per day, I thought I would up it to see how much milk a 75lb dexter crpss calf was willing to drink and if he would EVER stop drinking.
Yes, everybody says they will bloat, founder, scour etc, but I was watching him like a hawk. Never has he scoured or done anything but look like a butterball. Since upping from 2 to 3 gallons 4 days ago, the little guy has gained almost twice as much weight daily! No wonder the mama raised calves are so big!
Yes he is spoiled - we go out and collect eggs at noon and it takes all of 10 minutes to give him a noon meal so I don't care. I would skip it if I was in a rush. He gets a full 2 bottles if he is willing to drink it, but he often refuses the last pint in the bottle.
Heather