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How to Get a Bottle Calf to Drink Water

A bottle calf is an orphan raised by hand after its mother cow dies or rejects it. As with all bovines, the bottle calf must be weaned off milk, changing its beverage of choice to water. There is somewhat less stress on the rancher when weaning a bottle calf because the rancher won't have to deal with separation anxiety on the part of a mother cow, but there is just as much stress on the calf. However, following a careful regimen will go a long way to helping the calf transition from milk to water, and to adulthood.

Things You'll Need

Milk
Water
Milk replacer
Bottle
Bucket
Rubber glove

Instructions

- 1
  Start the weaning process when the bottle calf is about 3 months old. Get used to the fact that calves, like people, complain when their lifestyles are changed. Calves express their discontent with bleating noises.
- 2
  Begin diluting the 3 quarts or so of milk that you've been feeding the bottle calf each day. Start by mixing one part water or milk replacer to seven parts milk in the calf's morning and evening feeds. Gradually dilute the mix until it is 100 percent water or milk replacer.
- 3
  Adapt the bottle calf to drinking from a bucket instead of a bottle. Put a rubber glove on one of your hands and dip the glove in milk replacer. Stick a gloved finger in the bottle calf's mouth while placing a bucket of milk replacer under the calf. While the calf is suckling your finger, lower your arm to draw the calf toward the bucket, until the calf's muzzle is in the milk.
- 4
  Lead the now bucket-watered calf to the water source you provide for the rest of the herd, such as a trough. Allow the calf to adapt to its new water source.

Animals & Science