So You Want to Buy a Bottle Calf? Read This First!

We moved to our property and immediately started buying animals. Knowing we would have to fulfill the requirements for ag exemption on our property, we were on the lookout for some cattle. We found some calves reasonably priced. We could afford to get bottle calves but would I have the time? 4 children under 6 was a lot to care for already. PLUS, bottle calves. PLUS, a new still packed up home. PLUS, a piece of land and a lifestyle I know nothing about.

It came down to 1 weaned calf or 2 bottle calves. Big decision. 4 young children, homeschooling, Mr. Smash has a 40+ hr/week job off the farm, we just moved in, and we know nothing. Why in the world would we get a bottle fed calf let alone 2?!

So we got 2 bottle fed calves. Our homeschool demands are still pretty low. 1/2 of our children will remember this time. I've never done it and would like to try. It was either now or not until A1 is atleast 15, and that's a long time. It was a great decision and I wouldn't have changed a single minute! Bottle feeding a 3 day old calf is almost up there with nursing your own child. They are just so sweet and so dependent on you and they'll let you know how much they love you. And they grow to be huge and you know that YOU helped grow that animal. But they don't all end up with a happily ever after.


Babies are meant to be raised by their mommas. PERIOD. I understand that sometimes cows die during birth and there is still a calf that needs to be raised. I also understand that the production demands of large scale dairies depend on ALL of the milk from their cows, so there will be no sharing with a calf. These things will produce a bottle calf. If you want to be one of the ones who raise one of these calves then that is great! It is a very rewarding experience. It can also be very heartbreaking. Here are some tips, do's and don'ts, and a bit of caution.


1. Where are you buying your calf? It is very difficult to find a full beef bottle calf. It is possible but difficult. Your best option is a dairy breed. Jersey and Holstein bull calves are extremely easy to by. Dairies are always looking to sell their babies, and don't let anyone tell you dairy breeds make bad meat. Jersey meat is AMAZING! So marbled and tender!!!  You can also find dairy heifer bottle calves as well. The good thing about raising a bottle heifer is you get to keep her! She can be a great calf grower for you in the future. Some find it very hard to raise a calf on a bottle and then eat it. If this is you then get a heifer!
  Places like craigslist, facebook, and even auction barns are some places you can find bottle babies. Unless you personally know the farmer, you will never know what you're gonna get. Just come to terms with that.


2. You need to feed them something. The options vary from raw goat milk and raw cow milk to whole milk from the grocery store and formula from the feed store. The ultimate best would be milk from the calf's momma. Anything after that is equal game. A few words of caution and wisdom. If feeding raw milk make sure the donor is healthy. If feeding formula/replacer be absolutely POSITIVE there is NO SOY product in the ingredients. Soy is not easily digested by ruminants and can cause nutrient absorbancy problems along with an array of other issues. Stay consistent. Too much change in milk can be very bad.



3. When feeding your bottle calf, HOLD ON! These little boogers nudge so hard they'll knock ya on your butt. You will need a giant 2 quart bottle to feed with. The nipple doubles as a teething toy for human babies. You may need to open the hole just a bit because some places sell them without the hole. Make sure the milk is very very very warm. At least 100 degrees. Remember your mimicking a momma cow. Find a system. 1-2 qts 2-3 times per day. I've successfully had a 2x/day regimen. I know people who prefer 3x/day. They need milk for at least 8 weeks. Some bucket train their calves. With our next one I may go that route, but for your first one, do the bottle. It's fun!


4. Get familiar with the term "scours". A fancy word for diarrhea really. Calves on milk  will have a typical "baby" poop. It's soft a yellowish. With scours it is more watery. When you go shopping lift up that baby's tail and see if there are any remains. Look around their living quarters. Even better, wait until you see it poop before you take it home. That way you know if you are about to spend a few hundred $ on a calf that will need some extra attention as soon as you get home. MANY things can cause a calf to scour. Change in milk, feed, and environment. Bacterial and viral infections like e.coli and coccidiosis. <--- a lot can be spread to other animals on your property so take caution of which boots and gloves you use and even which animals are allowed to come in close proximity to your scouring calf. Some are even contagious to humans so wash your hands!


5. So, what do you do about scours? There are so many options from home remedies to vet assistance. The first thing is to replace what is being lost. HYDRATE HYDRATE HYDRATE! There are many electrolyte formulas out there; re-sorb, bounce back, deliver are a few. Even gatorade when you're in a pinch will do. I've found the absolute best thing to hydrate a calf is iv fluids. YIKES! That's a vet trip. You're right, it is. You don't have to do it, but it's the best way. The other ways have worked for us at times too, but nothing beats fluids directly and constantly into the body. Then what about the nutrients that are lost? Adding a SAFE raw egg and plain yogurt to the bottle does some good things. The egg amps up the protein, and the yogurt helps replace the bacteria that was not only lost during the bouts of diarrhea but also gives probiotics that they aren't getting from momma's milk.
   Next, stop the scours. Some use Kao-pectate, also known as pepto-bismol. Both do great. If you are crunchy, a blend of peppermint oil and ginger tea internally would be an option. We have used crushed activated charcoal in the bottle also. There are scour boluses available which is basically a giant sulphur pill. This also comes in a paste form that's a bit easier to administer. Both can be bought at your feed store.
  What is causing the scours? This can be a little tricky because a blood test may be needed to find your answer. By the time you get the results back it could be too late. A fecal can be done by your vet as well to rule out parasite issues. A good brainstorm of outside factors would help. Really though, you may never find your answer. You must decide how important it is to you. And, you must keep reading.

4. Shelter. Little calfy will need somewhere to be. Having grass available to sniff out is a GREAT place to be. Some say keep them penned for atleast 2 weeks. This could be beneficial as to make sure nothing the calf brings home can infect your other animals. It also keeps them in a "safe" place; like kids, they need boundaries. Others allow them to have pasture available alongside other animals. Often a calf can go downhill just from being buddy sour. Cows, no matter how young, are herd animals and they need other animal contact. If you aren't comfortable with having them around your other animals make sure the calf is in a spot where it can see you and interact with you regularly.
   The temperature in the shelter needs to be no less than 50 degrees for a healthy calf. A struggling calf needs to be much warmer than that. I've had many a calf in my bathtub because of freezing temps. If a calf gets too cold they can't digest their meals. If you find your calf has gotten too cold, warm it up first then feed. NEVER feed a cold calf!!!

5. Make a decision before you buy the calf about protocol. Bottle calves can range anywhere from $150-$400. Know that a down calf can easily cost you $200 more in treatments and vet bills. Will you go to the vet or will you treat from home? I would suggest getting everything you may possibly need BEFORE you bring the calf home. When a calf starts scouring you can lose them in a blink of an eye and there won't be time to run to your local feed store, so be prepared.

This is just a quick run through. Please don't let it scare you! Bottle feeding a calf is so much fun and you will remember it forever! But it can end badly and I want you to know that going in.

If you do have a problem with your calf, there are so many ways to treat but I have only 1 definite demand. Do NOT call the one who sold you the calf and jump down their throat about selling a sickly!  There are way too many variables that come into play, and when you pay that money you take the chance.

Do you want to know how you can buy a bottle calf and lessen your chances of it going down? Purchase 1 that's already a month old. The difference between 5 days and 4 weeks is tremendous! The digestive system is already well on it's way to developing and calfy should be nibbling on grass by then too.


 There is much more and no amount of reading can do what experience will. Good luck! Let me know if you have any questions. And if any of my experienced followers feel I forgot something and need to add it, comment below!