How to Feed an Abandoned Calf

Calves may be abandoned by their mothers for a variety of reasons. Some cows will not mother calves that were interfered with by people, others will not nurse sick babies and some leave their offspring for no apparent reason beyond lack of maternal instinct. Abandoned calves can create problems if left alone within a herd. They may be injured by the cows, especially if they attempt to steal milk from other mothers. If a healthy calf has been abandoned, it can be raised by human handlers if it is provided the nutrients it needs.

Things You'll Need

  • Bottle feeder with nipple
  • Feeding tube (if necessary)
  • Colostrum
  • Milk formula
  • Solid feed concentrate
  • Fresh, dry hay
  • Feed buckets
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Instructions

    • 1

      Prepare colostrum in a feeding bottle with a teat or nipple before feeding the calf. Calves require two liters of colostrum within six hours after birth. Colostrum is the milk a cow produces immediately after she has calved, and it contains essential nutrients and antibiotics essential to the calf's health. The mother cow that abandoned the calf can be milked by hand to collect colostrum. If that is not possible, a colostrum substitute can be used.

    • 2

      Put the calf in a secure area that is clean and dry, such as a freshly bedded stall. Back the calf into a corner and stand over it, cupping your hand under its chin. Encourage the calf to nurse from the bottle by placing a finger dipped in milk in the calf's mouth. When it begins to suck, gently place the nipple of the feeder in the mouth and remove your finger. If necessary, a feeding tube may be used, but the calf must eventually be weaned from it and learn to eat on its own.

    • 3

      Establish a feeding schedule for the calf when it has drank the required amount of colostrum and will be fed milk instead. Feed milk by the bottle twice or three times a day. Ensure the milk is always at the same temperature for every feeding.

    • 4

      Provide fresh, dry hay for the calf when it is a day or two old. Slowly introduce solid feed concentrate formulated for young calves when the animal is a few days old. The concentrate can be diluted in milk. Abandoned calves will need more nutrients than calves raised by their mothers. Solid feed helps to provide this.

    • 5

      Teach the calf to drink on its own by providing milk in buckets instead of bottles. Encourage the calf to drink from the bucket by guiding its mouth to the bucket from the bottle during feeding, but take care to not get liquids near the nostrils where it could be inhaled.

    • 6

      Begin to wean the calf from milk at six weeks of age. Slowly reduce the amount of milk fed as solid feed and hay are increased to become the essential parts of the diet. Ensure that all solid feeds contain as much protein as the milk to keep the calf healthy. Consult with a veterinarian to determine the best feeds for your growing calf.