# what to feed bucket calves



## mesa123 (Jan 15, 2009)

So, I'm new to raising calves. A neighbor brought over two Holstein bucket calves to get us started raising beef cattle. He told me to give them each a bottle of milk replacer twice a day. We've been doing that for over a week. They got diarrhea, so we're on day four of cutting the milk back and feeding electrolytes. The diarrhea is gone. But, the milk I got at my feed store was medicated. I went to a different feed store and they had three different types of medicated milk and one tiny bag of nonmedicated milk. So, I'd rather feed unmedicated just because I don't like the idea of feeding antibiotics willy-nilly. But, since the medicated powder seems much more readily available, I figure most people are buying the medicated kind. What do you all think? Do you feed medicated or nonmedicated milk to bucket calves?


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## arabian knight (Dec 19, 2005)

Well you also should be getting them on "Calf Starter" "Sweet Feed". And that roughage will help keep the scours at bay. and Hay also in front of them.
Even at one week old they should be at the very least nibbling on a grain mix sweet feed. Mine at age 5 days were already eating at least a handful of grain, and even picking on a good green grass hay or Alfalfa mix. 
And Non-Medicated Milk Replacer and Non-Medicated "Calf Starter" sweet feed, is all I ever get.


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## NICC08 (Jan 2, 2007)

1. Make sure you milk replacer uses milk proteins not plant proteins.

2. A hungry calf is a healthy calf. Don't over feed them.

3. Most medicated replacer don't have enough medecine in them to do any good.

4. Provide a quality calf starter from day one. When the calf eats 2lbs/day for a few days wean it.

5. No hay until weaned. Hay reduces rumen development.

Good Luck
NICC008


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## Anderson farms (Mar 26, 2007)

You might take a look at this thread. It goes over everything from what to feed and how to feed, when to wean, etc.

http://cattletoday.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=49811


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