Bottle calves?

[Chic Rustler]

do you suppose it would make a difference if I got it straight from the dairy?

 

[Wannabefree]

They stand a better chance. Travel stresses all animals.

 

[sumi]

Make sure they get some colostrum first. The dairy farm won't use that milk, I don't think, so ask them for it, if they remove the calves shortly after birth. I used to work part-time on a dairy farm in my teens and I remember feeding each calf with it's mother's milk, a 2 litre bottle full, 3x a day, when they were young.

Raising calves yourself for the freezer is a great idea, but be prepared for anything beforehand, so you don't get caught out if something goes wrong. Have meds on hand, the right milk, feed, minerals, etc. Just in case.

 

[Chic Rustler]

sounds a little intimidating. I'm gonna keep researching before spring.

 

[CrealCritter]

CR I hope you don't mind me tagging along in your thread. I'm thinking the same... I would like to get 2 or 3 calf's but for meat. I know next to nothing about raising cows. I recently befriended a Amish man and he knows how to raise them. I would like to get two this spring and raise for slaughter. I believe I could get Black Angus calf's pretty easy around here since there are a lot of farms with them around. What is a fair price for a uncastrated Black Angus calf?

 

[Mini Horses]

MOST angus are not sold as calves. Primarily because they are put on the ground FOR raising meat to butcher or to feed lot size. They will be a lot more costly than a dairy, if you can find one.

One year I was at the state fair and saw THE largest Hereford bull I'd ever, ever seen. Talked to owner who raised them for meat & show Laughingly I ask him if he had any "rejects"? We both laughed at the term but, it's a fact that they sometimes have ones who are not up to their standards.

Find a breeder who just MIGHT have a calf that was orphaned, rejected, or had some minor defect that would preclude from herd life. Some do have/keep nurse cows for such things as rejected or orphaned but not all and they generally do not want the bottle feed chores.

ETA: others are right, dairy breeds take far longer to mature and do not have the meat to bone carcass you want. A good Boer meat goat will do better with live & packaged weight.

 

[cabinguy]

CR I hope you don't mind me tagging along in your thread. I'm thinking the same... I would like to get 2 or 3 calf's but for meat. I know next to nothing about raising cows. I recently befriended a Amish man and he knows how to raise them. I would like to get two this spring and raise for slaughter. I believe I could get Black Angus calf's pretty easy around here since there are a lot of farms with them around. What is a fair price for a uncastrated Black Angus calf?

Critter you can check your local AG paper for up to date market prices ( https://www.farmanddairy.com/markets/ohio ). Not sure why you want an intact bull calf they are unpredictable. Most homestead farmers in my area raise Herefords for meat Ive been told they are calmer than Angus.Ive been raising belted Galloways for meat they are smaller and better on grass however take 3 years start to finish wheres angus and herefords almost half that time. I have my last belted steer at an Amish farm as my small Jersey herd and two horses has taken over the pasture.