How to Wean a Bottle Fed Calf

Commercial dairies bottle feed baby calves, because the mothers are busy milking.

When a mother cow's milk begins drying up, she naturally weans her baby off by kicking it in the head whenever it tries to nurse. If you have a baby calf that you've been bottle feeding and you're wondering how to wean it, consider the fingers-in-the-bucket method. This method allows for a natural transition from bottle nursing to bucket drinking. The baby calf needs to be taught where the new source of liquid is and he won't learn this without your help.

Things You'll Need

• 2-gallon bucket
• Bucket holder

Instructions

1. Fill the bottle that you've using to feed the baby calf with the amount of milk you've been feeding.

2. Pour this amount into a 2-gallon plastic or metal bucket.

3. Set the bucket in a bucket holder and place your pointer, middle and index fingers into the calf's mouth. Don't worry, calves don't have upper teeth and so he won't bite your fingers. He will suck on them, because your fingers simulate the bottle nipple.

4. Lower your hand down into the bucket of milk while the calf sucks on your fingers. Move slowly so he follows your hand down into the milk. As the calf sucks on your fingers, he will begin to suck milk into his mouth. Hold your hand up enough to keep the baby calf from submerging his nostrils in the milk. He may pull away a few times, but keep leading him back until he gets the hang of it.

5. Allow the calf to suck on your fingers until he drinks all of the milk in the bucket. Each time you feed him in the bucket, gradually pull your fingers out of his mouth until he drinks without assistance.

Tips & Warnings

• It can take a few days to fully wean a calf off the bottle and onto a bucket.

• Don't put your fingers too far back in the calf's mouth, because he does have top and bottom molars which can pinch your fingertips.