Bottle Calf

     Contrary to what you may have thought, you don't need a great deal of money or pasture to get started raising cattle. Not if you do it the bottle calf way. However, you may want to start with only two or three until you get the hang of it. Then why not consider a small start with a bottle calf or two. You will learn a great deal through trial and error at first. But in the end you may remain convinced that the ''bottle calf method" is by far the easiest, most economical and most educational way to get started in small scale cattle farming.

           Whenever possible you should buy a bottle calf directly from the original owner. You will also want to keep close contact with local dairies because some may sell part of calves at birth. Buying a bottle calf direct from a dairy is usually an advantage because most times the calf has been allowed to nurse for a few days, in which case it received a good dose colostrum or first milk that it needs for a good start in life.

     You can sometimes also purchase calves at feedlots, because some cows that are brought to the lots for fattening are pregnant, and the managers don't want to bother with baby calves. One thing to keep in mind about large feedlots though  is that a calf born in one of these huge "meat factories" may get very little care and not even a first feeding. You ask the manager or someone at his direction to notify you immediately when a calf is born.

     Another source for baby calves is your local livestock auction but some feel you should buy here only only if you have time, money and extra pens to gamble with. You never really know what you're getting when you buy an animal at the regular local auction. When buying at this type of sale you should try to arrive several hours before the bidding starts and don't buy any calf that you haven't checked close up first.

     What should you look for in a newborn bottle calf prospect as you carefully check it over?  Stand it up and run your hands over its entire body to check for swellings, enlarged bones, or deformities. Put an ear to the calf's rib cage to try to detect any respiratory problems. Check it's navel for signs of infection. As a final check, you may want to stand back and give the calf a once over to see if it's eyes are bright and clear with no clouds or white spots. Are it's ears up and alert, not drooped, its nose should be free of any discharge. Usually a healthy calf will also suck your finger, give it a the finger test. Is it lively? A sick or poor quality calf will usually appear overly docile.

     If weather warrants you should keep the new calf warm and dry. Don't expect an already stressed calf to ride several miles in the back of a pickup in cold or rainy weather and be in good health with the needed survival instincts. Some provision must be made for keeping the calf dry and warm from the time you buy it until you can get it home to a comfortable new draft-free pen.

     Upon arrival at the farm it is a good idea to immediately isolate the new calf from the rest of your herd. You may find it to be easier than you think to wipe out a large portion of an existing herd by bringing in a strange calf that harbors disease or germs.

     For early shelter a simple three sided lean to type will do to keep the new bottle baby out of the elements. For the first few days you will want to make sure the new baby is dry, warm, and comfortable. Plenty of warm straw bedding will do the trick or if extremely cold a heat lamp for extra coziness can be added.