Calf Bottles & Feeders: Practical Accessories for Milk Feeding

Calf Bottles & Feeders: Reliable Milk Supply from Day One

The first meal determines a calf's start in life. With the right calf bottle or feeding bucket, you ensure that the newborn takes in its colostrum quickly and without stress. Clean feeding equipment and a proper flow rate also prevent the calf from choking or getting milk into its lungs.

Essential Equipment for Calf Feeding

Feeding equipment must be practical, tough, and easy to clean in daily farm work. Here is what matters:

• Feeding Buckets and Bottles: Bottles like the Speedy Feeder are ideal for the first few days. For later rearing in the hutch, sturdy feeding buckets with valves (e.g., the FixClip system) are perfect, as you can easily hang them on a gate.
• Teats in the Right Shape: A teat must stimulate the natural sucking reflex. Depending on the age and sucking strength of the calf, there are different models available – from soft latex for weak calves to bite-resistant rubber.
• Drenchers for Emergencies: If a calf is too weak to drink on its own, a drencher (a bottle with a flexible stomach tube) saves lives. It allows you to deliver vital colostrum or electrolytes directly into the stomach.

Frequently Asked Questions

How often should I replace the calf teats?
Teats should be checked regularly. As soon as the material becomes porous, shows small cracks, or the hole is enlarged by chewing, the teat must be changed immediately. Bacteria quickly gather in cracks, and a hole that is too large causes the calf to drink the milk too hastily.

How do I use a drencher correctly?
A drencher is only used on calves that have no sucking reflex. The flexible tube is carefully pushed over the mouth and into the esophagus. Important: The calf's head must be held in a natural position so that the tube does not accidentally slip into the windpipe.