Manningskyler9
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Registered: 11-2014
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PLEASE HELP
So i am getting a veal calf to raise for FFA. I have alot of experience with them but have never actually raised one myself. I have a few questions...
1) Can i give a calf goat milk replacer?
1b)If the answer was yes, is it better for them than regular calf milk replacer?
2) Can i feed a calf colostrum even tho they are a week old?
2b) Will it make them healthier?
3) any other good tips for keeping a good healthy calf and things i should avoid or follow???
thank you in advance
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5/11/2014, 5:08
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Buckeye
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Registered: 03-2005
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Re: PLEASE HELP
You are going to raise this calf for veal? Veal has a strict diet and drug program.
The proper definition of colostrum is milk from the first milking of a cow. Anything there after is transition milk or milk. Calves completely lose the ability to absorb antibodies, from colostrum within 24 hrs of birth.
--- Buckeye seems like a one man wrecking crew out to rid the world of injustice. ----- Mayjay
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5/11/2014, 13:25
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Barry99
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Re: PLEASE HELP
I would suggest that you look up calf rearing programs on the internet. Using goats milk as a replacement for standard cows milk replacer. I have not used it so i cannot give advice about if it is better my feeling would be that it would be more expensive to use.
Every calf requires colostrum in the first days of life i have continued to feed colostrum till they are 3 weeks of age. I usually stop feeding it when i run out of stored colostrum.the important thing is not to switch back and forth between different milk as this can cause nutritional scours. Colostrum has a higher nutriional and energy content than ordinary milk.
The important thing with young animals is to keep them warm and dry with clean bedding a source of water and roughage to develop help develop the rumen. Have a regular consistent routine of feeding times and quantity fed. You said you are rearing a veal calf . My understanding of a veal calf is that they are milk reared and killed at a young age if this is your intention roughage in take can be limited by milk intake volume allowance.
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5/11/2014, 21:03
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AmandaS101
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Registered: 07-2013
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Re:
I have a cousin that uses goat milk to feed to veal calves. She says that the bull calves do really well on it.
We used to keep all the bull calves and raise them until about 6-8 months. We fed them milk until they were sold, and they grew very well. After three month on whole milk they were fed diluted milk (75% milk/25% water). We always kept fresh water and hay available, plus grain 2x day and some corn after 3 months. We had to quit since we were getting a surplus of heifers and running short of space.
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6/11/2014, 18:40
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Blackwalnut
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Re: PLEASE HELP
Milk and grain no hay probably won't drink any water in winter wean at about 2.5 months unless you have cheap milk available
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7/11/2014, 1:23
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Blackwalnut
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Re: PLEASE HELP
Milk and grain no hay probably won't drink any water in winter wean at about 2.5 months unless you have cheap milk available
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7/11/2014, 1:26
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