Raising Calf off Dam

Saffy · Post by **Saffy** » Fri Jan 15, 2010 10:00 am

Sorry Clive - 4 pints per feed for our dairy heifers, and bull calves also most beef crosses unless they were particularly huge when they would get 5 pints per feed. We fed twice a day as near to 12 hours apart as possible.

The coarse calf ration we used went in as soon as they left the cow, (usually the second day,) as did the hay but just a small hand full of each, so it didn't go off, plus a bucket of water, so they get used to drinking a little water before weaning as well.

We weaned at about 6 weeks as long as the calf was eating 2 and a half pounds of coarse calf ration a day, drinking the water and eating the hay. It was very rare that they weren't eating the right amount by then.

A Dexter would need to be eating less,not sure how much less though.

Stephanie

Broomcroft · Post by **Broomcroft** » Fri Jan 15, 2010 10:24 am

This is an Angus-Dexter but it is quite a small one, so I'm going to settle on 2 feeds a day of about 1.5 litres each. At the moment it is getting 0.5 litres, 4 times a day and is doing OK but is clearly hungry. I'll change the regime over a few days and then introduce some good creep feed which I'm going to go out and buy today.

Thanks again everyone.

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Broomcroft · Post by **Broomcroft** » Mon Jan 25, 2010 3:01 pm

Calf is now drinking 2.5 litres of milk a day and is looking very fit. Now trying to introduce creep feed but she's not very interested. Got any tips on how to get her to take the feed? Been trying for a week, not succeeding.

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Duncan MacIntyre · Post by **Duncan MacIntyre** » Mon Jan 25, 2010 3:25 pm

Intake of solid food begins very slowly. I have heard it suggested that a well known brand of breakfast cereal known as Kellogs Sugar Frosties springled on top of the coarse mix or nuts may help.

Duncan

Saffy · Post by **Saffy** » Mon Jan 25, 2010 6:09 pm

Not sure if it will work as well at this age, or with one fed on the bottle - we used bucket and started them with fingers. So anyway I would put some coarse mix on the palm of my hand, the calf would suck the fingers and I would use the fingers of the other hand to gradually post bits into its mouth. They sometimes spat it out but after that they usually kept on eating a little every day, as they were used to the taste.

Stephanie

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Broomcroft · Post by **Broomcroft** » Mon Jan 25, 2010 6:26 pm

Ah, so it isn't easy, so maybe I'm not doing too bad. I'll give the cornflakes idea a go Duncan, see what happens. Might try dipping my finger in molasses and then the creep feed to make a sort of lolly-pop.

I would quite like to raise calves, it's actually very rewarding. Perhaps that's the next project!

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Duncan MacIntyre · Post by **Duncan MacIntyre** » Mon Jan 25, 2010 6:33 pm

Clive,

Sugar Frosties, not Corn Flakes. I know which I prefer.

Duncan

Broomcroft · Post by **Broomcroft** » Mon Jan 25, 2010 6:56 pm

Well it's going to be Crunchy Nut tomorrow Duncan 'cause that's what I eat. But if she turns her nose up I'll go out and buy some Frosties. I'm sure with this little calf they will have to be Kellogs and not some cheap alternative ???

AlisonKirk · Post by **AlisonKirk** » Tue Jan 26, 2010 8:29 am

Clive

In 1989 we decided to start up a single suckling herd, and initially purchased 12 in-calf AAX heifers, but we needed 50. The only way we could afford to increase our herd was to purchase week old AA x Friesian heifer calves and bucket rear them. They were purchased via a reputable company, we never had any problems and they really did us proud.

Did you see the Jersey dairy farmer on TV this week....he's putting an Angus onto many of his Jersey cows & the calves will be bucket reared......he will be selling his beef to a niche market. I have heard Jersey beef is very good, so crossed with the Angus makes sense for him to increase his income.

Alison Kirk
Boram Dexters

Broomcroft · Post by **Broomcroft** » Tue Jan 26, 2010 9:39 am

Hi Alison

Yes, I've also been told that dairy type beef can be really exceptional as well, including Jersey. Met a guy at the market the other day who's customer had asked him to start using a dairy bull on his dairy or part dairy cows to get better tasting beef!

My little calf has started to take some creep this morning. I'll have to try and get a friend or two for her otherwise I'm going to have problems feeding her. Any breed not too big will do.

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Anna · Post by **Anna** » Tue Jan 26, 2010 10:22 am

AlisonKirk wrote:I have heard Jersey beef is very good, so crossed with the Angus makes sense for him to increase his income.

We have a dexter x jersey cross in the freezer and the beef is good and tender (I find it too tender), but not att all as good as the dexter beef we have had.

One dexter and one cross don´t make much of statistically satisfying results! But I am disappointed in the cross beef. Maybe the cross was too young to have develped taste and marbling? He was fat both internally and externally, but the was beef not very much marbled. He suckled until his last day, maybe that was not really good for him. He looked well to the eye, all these internal fat chocked me. The cross was 15 months, he was steered. The dexter heifer who produced beef from heaven was 18 months.

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Post by **Mark Bowles** » Wed Jan 27, 2010 11:15 pm

We have an AA x Jersey steer fostered onto a dexter who lost her calf at birth, he is about 8 months now and she is starting to kick him off. He has grown really well and looks good, i will send him off to market when he is ready as i prefere to eat and sell pure dexter.

Broomcroft · Post by **Broomcroft** » Thu Jan 28, 2010 9:45 am

The dexter cow that I am having problem with is probably part Jersey. Although registered and everything it is quite clear she has something in her background from the farm next door at some time in the past. Don't know what Jersey's are like except one I met that was mad, but this cow of mine would kill you when with calf and that will last for weeks not a day or two like the others, and she is really violent.

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Saffy · Post by **Saffy** » Thu Jan 28, 2010 10:43 am

I have had only one dealing with anything with any Jersey and it wasn't good.

My milking herd was Fresian but when one had a particularly difficult calving she was put to Jersey. The resulting heifer was amazingly pretty, black, huge eyes, long eye lashes, with a little bit of white on her udder and the switch of her tail, she had been bucket reared the same as all the others. However although I brought about 25 heifers into the herd every year without a problem, I couldn't milk her and neither could anyone else. So we decided to use her for suckling - she wouldn't have the calves either and wouldn't even have her own calf back!!! She was culled.

Stephanie

Broomcroft · Post by **Broomcroft** » Thu Jan 28, 2010 1:20 pm

I've got her in a pen with the calf, and up until about a week ago, if you went within 10 feet of that pen she will paw the whole lot up so both her and the calf were constantly standing in muck. I had to straw down after feeding the calf and run for it so she would stop before all the new straw was ruined :D. Can't wait to take her to the abattoir.