Post by DanMa on Jan 29, 2008 17:55:48 GMT -5
Well, me who originally wanted a goat or two and later wanted ONLY one cow with her calf how has 5 bovines here with 2 more on the way in utero . Recently came back from getting a 5 week old Jersey Bull calf. The original thought was to use him to replace Jake adopting Selden's methods for raising/using bulls because as some of you may recall my Jake takes on a completely [less than his usual sweetheart self] different personality when Fiolka is in heat to the point where it is scary. Now I'm thinking of just raising this little fellow for the freezer--[watch Fiolka and Camelia have bull calves next Fall, then I'll have a too much beef ].
Anyway, I need your expertise on the following:
(1) he was fed--free choice--dairy pellets, 24% protein they think , and 1/2 gal milk, twice daily + a little hay he munches on. I'm planning on just going with the milk and hay as I usually do. Also, this dairy had 1/2 Jersies and 1/2 shorthorns, I'm guessing he didn't get his mother's milk but milk in a bottle that was a mixture of all of the cows' milk. Might I expect scours or some other digestive problems as a result of his previous grain and mixed milk and the transition to Fiolka's milk which is 25-30% cream?.
Jake, Fiolka, and the calves all accepted the newcomer very nicely. It's probably the first time he has been groomed and licked over since birth. Fiolka stood by patiently while I tried to put a teat in his mouth which he kept in a few seconds and let go of. I tried squirting him on the lips with the milk but it didn't help.
2. 'Any advice for teaching him to nurse her rather than the bottle? It appears as though she will indeed let him nurse. The only question is he's been on the bottle so long how easily might he adapt? He's resting now, perhaps later this evening when he gets good and hungry he might "learn" to nurse???
3. He appears to have a bit of "dandruff", not much, on his coat from say the back his neck to the middle of his back then it stops. Is there anything to be wary of here?
I held him down in the back seat of the car for the entire 2 hour drive home. Most amusing was the look of other drivers when we were stopped in traffic in the city [100-thousand population] which is 2 miles from me. How nice that two inner city teen aged girls knew he was a calf [they squealed with delight] as compared to the people in my neighboring subdivision who call Animal Control frantic that there are "gigantic animals" in the woods--my cows grazing.
Anyway, I need your expertise on the following:
(1) he was fed--free choice--dairy pellets, 24% protein they think , and 1/2 gal milk, twice daily + a little hay he munches on. I'm planning on just going with the milk and hay as I usually do. Also, this dairy had 1/2 Jersies and 1/2 shorthorns, I'm guessing he didn't get his mother's milk but milk in a bottle that was a mixture of all of the cows' milk. Might I expect scours or some other digestive problems as a result of his previous grain and mixed milk and the transition to Fiolka's milk which is 25-30% cream?.
Jake, Fiolka, and the calves all accepted the newcomer very nicely. It's probably the first time he has been groomed and licked over since birth. Fiolka stood by patiently while I tried to put a teat in his mouth which he kept in a few seconds and let go of. I tried squirting him on the lips with the milk but it didn't help.
2. 'Any advice for teaching him to nurse her rather than the bottle? It appears as though she will indeed let him nurse. The only question is he's been on the bottle so long how easily might he adapt? He's resting now, perhaps later this evening when he gets good and hungry he might "learn" to nurse???
3. He appears to have a bit of "dandruff", not much, on his coat from say the back his neck to the middle of his back then it stops. Is there anything to be wary of here?
I held him down in the back seat of the car for the entire 2 hour drive home. Most amusing was the look of other drivers when we were stopped in traffic in the city [100-thousand population] which is 2 miles from me. How nice that two inner city teen aged girls knew he was a calf [they squealed with delight] as compared to the people in my neighboring subdivision who call Animal Control frantic that there are "gigantic animals" in the woods--my cows grazing.