hand rearing angus calves?

Question

i know they are supposed to stay with their dams for 8-10 months and drink their milk, but i'm raising them by hand, and i was wondering how much milk they are supposed to get and for how long.

thanks but sorry i forgot to add i live on my parents dairy farm so the angus would be getting fresh cows milk, but i know angus get weaned later than holsteins so i just needed to know how much more or less milk they would get than dairy calves

Answer 1

We always raised them by bottle for 21 days, and then gradually dropped the bottles to feed Calf Manna along with a good calf feed and pasture/hay.
You will find the amount to feed on the bag of dry milk, or in the handouts they have at the feed store..It goes by weight, so varies with each calf.
If raised on fresh goats milk, they grow even better then if mamma was feeding them!

when feeding the packaged formula, it is important to NOT over feed them, as it brings on diarrhea (scours) quickly! Three smaller feedings is better than 2 larger feedings. Be sure to have scour remedy on hand, as when you need it is when the stores are closed.

Here is a helpful site> http://www.dairybusiness.com/northeast/Dec01/Dec01NEDBp24.htm

Large Breeds: Feed 2 quarts reconstituted liquid
milk replacer twice a day from four days old until
weaning.
Small Breeds: Feed 1.5 to 2 quarts reconstituted
liquid milk replacer twice a day from four days old
until weaning.
In extremely cold weather, it may be beneficial to
feed another feeding of calf milk replacer in the
middle of the day. Add 0.5 cup milk replacer
powder to 1 quart of 110 to 120° F. water, mix
and feed to one calf at mid-day.<< http://72.14.253.104/search?q=cache:I0x5TnCTr0cJ:www.ranch-way.com/images/E0080401/MAXICARE22-20NT.pdf+calf+milk+replacer+cups&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=8&client=firefox-a

Answer 2

I'm also hand raising some angus calves. I started off feeding them on a milk replacer mixing 100grams of powder for every litre of water. The milk replacer mixture is dependent on the brand and type you buy. I got my calves when they were roughly 3 weeks old and started them on around 2 litres a day. This was given in 4 feeds but the same amount of milk replacer could be given in 3. 9.00am - 750 mLs 1.00pm - 500mLs 4.00pm - 500mLs and 9.00pm 250mLs. After about 2 weeks I increased it so the total intake was 3 litres per day. Hay was supplied for them to eat and occasionally they would pick at it but not willing eat it. At feed times I would pick up handfulls of hay and put it in their mouths so they would eat it. At the moment they are about 8 weeks old and I just poor milk into a bucket and they drink from there instead of feeding from a bottle. There is lots of info on the internet about hand rearing which may or maynot be helpful. These are a few good sites i found. http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/html/ec/ec1418/
https://www.uky.edu/Ag/AnimalSciences/pubs/asc161.pdf
Email these people and they may also be able to help you. I just found it on the web http://www.angusauxiliary.com/sculpture.html.
I hope this has been some help to you. What I've found from past calves is its not always best to go with the recommended amounts of feed etc because like humans, calves also have individual needs and some may grow faster than others. Let me know how it turns out. If by some chance you need info on hand rasing ducklings, lambs, kittens or puppies send me an email, ill be happy to help.

Good luck

Hannah

Answer 3

OK first off I am no expert but when we had cattle they got at least a bottle-the big quart calf bottles-2x a day. Some got more just depended on the size and how much they would eat. After a few weeks they got it in a bucket and slowly weaned them off. The more milk the faster and bigger they'll get. They need fresh water at all times and we let them have grain-just typical calf feed- and hay between feedings when they were a couple weeks old. They oonly really need the first milk-colostrum-from the cow after that milk replacer if mixed properly should be fine.