# How long do calves stay on bottles?



## jlgoinggreen (Oct 4, 2009)

Hi,
We are thinking of buying a couple of calves that are still on bottles. I was wondering what would be the best milk to give and how long do they stay on the bottles for?

I have a neighbor who is willing to sell me raw milk for $2 a gallon. Should I give this milk to a calf or do I pasteurize it or should I just buy a supplement?


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## topside1 (Sep 23, 2005)

Eight weeks at my place..


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## jlgoinggreen (Oct 4, 2009)

Hi topside1,
I was about to send you a pm. I was just reading the stickied post you started last year on this subject. What an awesome post! The only thing is the pics you added have been erased. What exactly is a milk bar and do you have a pic I can see?


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## TSYORK (Mar 16, 2006)

http://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html?pgguid=30e0780f-7b6a-11d5-a192-00b0d0204ae5

This is the one topside recommended to me. Good Luck.


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## jlgoinggreen (Oct 4, 2009)

TSYORK said:


> http://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html?pgguid=30e0780f-7b6a-11d5-a192-00b0d0204ae5
> 
> This is the one topside recommended to me. Good Luck.


Thanks.


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## topside1 (Sep 23, 2005)

this should help.


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## jlgoinggreen (Oct 4, 2009)

How adorable!!!! Thank you.


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## lotu (Dec 7, 2009)

Now is that calf bar only used after each of the calves are eating well or do you start them from day one on it? Do you have problems with the milk not getting distrubted equally?

Also i notice you guys run 5 all in a lot togther ....i always keep my calves seprated in fear of one making the other sick, do you have problems with that ? I have never raised more then twoat one time and plan on raising a few this summer. Does feeding 5 at a time have to do with time and maximizing profit?


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## DianeWV (Feb 1, 2007)

Just a note, throwing this out here. After the calves are milk fed, it is very important to immediately separate the calves for a short time period, so they do not suck on one another. Calves will suck on each others' navel, which might lead to hernia. This is something you want to avoid completely.


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## topside1 (Sep 23, 2005)

Lotu, the calves are sucking the bar from day one till day 120. Keep the same size calves together and each one should get the same amounts. Cross sucking is prevented because you leave the bar so they continue to suck the bar nipples and not each other....topside


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## Trisha in WA (Sep 28, 2005)

That milk bar is a fantastic invention! I used one this past year for the first time. Once I started to leave it with them for a few minutes after it was empty, I never again had problems with sucking each other.
One thing I will say though is that if you are only raising 2 calves on it, you might want to put some kind of arm over the top so that if they butt the one side it doesn't cock it off the rail (and crack it) Ask me how I know about that :-(
I plan on raising more calves and wouldn't want to do it without my milk bar.
Trisha
PS since I have a milk cow and lots of extra milk, I leave my calves on milk for up to 4 months old


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## myersfarm (Dec 24, 2004)

I have 8 old style MILK BARS I have had for 7 years....HAVE sold all kinds of calfs and in all those years only had 3 with lumps in the udder and one with a bad navel....

Yes i am lucky I leave the milk bars in the pens also except this year I am one short...after they get all the milk I just come back pour in a quart of water that washes them out...... and leave it in there they will suck it instead of anything else



do not leave the milk bars in the pens outside in a freezing rain it will freeze the nipples full of ice....with that kind of weather I just turn milk bars upside down

my milk bars were made by Braden industerirs and they lost the prodution rights from MIlk BAR in New Zealand now they are made by somebody else and are deeper and norrower then mine


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## lotu (Dec 7, 2009)

You dont bring the milk bars in after each feeding to clean?


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## topside1 (Sep 23, 2005)

Lotu, I rinse mine daily and clean/wash it weekly during cold/cool weather months. During the summer I may wash it every other day. I've only raised about 60 calves and never had an issue...Topside


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## KY Doug (Dec 1, 2008)

I keep my calves on a bottle for about 8 weeks. They get weened when they are eating about 2 pounds of feed a day. I never saw that milk bar before. Looks like a great idea. I'll have to find one before spring.

Doug


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## myersfarm (Dec 24, 2004)

NO I never clean my bars


Topside who told you about the MILK BARS.....

A lady from New Zeland told me about them and send me a picture of one


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## topside1 (Sep 23, 2005)

Mister Myers steered me towards the milkbar, money well spent that's for sure. For those of you that don't know Myersfarm rasies over 120 calves per year...Just imagine 120 calves being hand fed, your entire day would be spent bent over holding the bottle plus being butted into the next county...Got to brag about you farm TJM,,,,Love the bar...Topside


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## myersfarm (Dec 24, 2004)

I was not sure it was ME ...I remember telling somebody on Homesteady about them but did not remember it was you TOPSIDE..


I was told about them from MIDGE and you are right I just could not do what I do with out them


Clearify yes I raise that many but in groups of 25 to 30 what I can buy at the sale barn in one day.... 3 or 4 times a year and only do it 6 months of the year


I have 49 calves on milk now but next week will be down to 40 on milk almost time to buy some more

have 53 big ones and 11 weaned for one week


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## lotu (Dec 7, 2009)

Sorry to be asking so many questions but how high off the ground do you mount the bars?


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## myersfarm (Dec 24, 2004)

Topside's picture has it right you want the calfs to CROOK there neck to eat as the calfs need to close the U GROOVE IN THE THROAT AS THEY grow you can bring it up a little but I would think 24 inches from the bottom to the ground would be a guess...

..smaller calves and bigger calfs use the same height at my place never had it TOO LOW THEY CAN SUCK UPHILL


were you get in trouble is a calf that puts its forehead aganist the bar and sucks....with out the crook in neck...that calf will get sick fast..


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## myersfarm (Dec 24, 2004)

LOTU........IN Topside's photo the calf to the far left is what you want but the black right beside him is holding his head a little to high.......wonder if he ever got sick.....but Topside feeds goats milk so probably not


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## topside1 (Sep 23, 2005)

Lotu, Myersfarm is right the black ones head is high....That calf was a tall one as compared to the little Jerseys and it's head will be higher. If my memory serves me right the nipple should be 24 inches off the ground....TMJ I'm ready for a sale barn run whenever you are....I'm shooting for Christmas week, the 22nd....Topside


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## myersfarm (Dec 24, 2004)

around that time is always good time for buying calves they get cheaper


sorry will not be able to buy you that lunch then.....



not enough room at my house for more calves just yet


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## Gregg Alexander (Feb 18, 2007)

8 weeks is all period


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