Raising a steer alone, by itself

[WI Dan]

I've got an opportunity to take on a rejected Angus bull calf. He's three days old, doesn't seem to be nursing in spite of the dams udder being huge. He's weak, but gotten about 2 quarts of colostrum today. He'll be castrated.

What I'm nervous about: he would be alone. By himself in our backyard until strong enough. Then move into a half-acre pen. But still alone. There's a bison herd here, if they like him, they could take him in, but usually those critters reject other breeds.

Is it wise/ethical/healthy to raise a steer without a herd?

 

[Tony in SD]

Happens all the time on hobby farms.

 

[T.R.K.]

The last bull calf Mother raised -bottle fed- alone became a handfull when he was almost full grown. He figured out the fences couldn't hold him and he would get out and come looking for us.

 

[SkipperII]

I have raised several steers, by themselves. The best idea is to handle them enough to make them safe/easy to handle, but don't make them a pet.

 

[MJMJ]

Get him a buddy. It can be done, but it can also go very bad. Every animal is different. Some simply don’t handle being alone well and will constantly be getting out. Being a bottle calf comes with its own potential issues, add that to being alone and it could become a major PITA at best, dangerous at worst.
Another thing, if he got his first colostrum at three days old, give it a couple more days before agreeing to anything, just to be sure he lives. They need colostrum within 24 hours, 12 is better. Anything after that is just food, without that early colostrum many never do well if they survive at all.

 

[rustred]

I've got an opportunity to take on a rejected Angus bull calf. He's three days old, doesn't seem to be nursing in spite of the dams udder being huge. He's weak, but gotten about 2 quarts of colostrum today. He'll be castrated.

What I'm nervous about: he would be alone. By himself in our backyard until strong enough. Then move into a half-acre pen. But still alone. There's a bison herd here, if they like him, they could take him in, but usually those critters reject other breeds.

Is it wise/ethical/healthy to raise a steer without a herd?

did he get his vitamins ? so now if he is not sucking u will have to bottle feed him milk replacer 3 times a day. keep feeding him dont rely on him sucking unless u actually see him getting his milk. as for the castrating, just simple and easy to use the ring and it can be done anytime now. i am sure he will be fine by himself. is this for beef or to sell later.?

 

[WI Dan]

I have raised several steers, by themselves. The best idea is to handle them enough to make them safe/easy to handle, but don't make them a pet.

That's our goal. I agree.
But, he would get A LOT of hands-on attention from my wife and daughters. That early imprinting may be his crutch.

 

[WI Dan]

Get him a buddy. It can be done, but it can also go very bad. Every animal is different. Some simply don’t handle being alone well and will constantly be getting out. Being a bottle calf comes with its own potential issues, add that to being alone and it could become a major PITA at best, dangerous at worst.
Another thing, if he got his first colostrum at three days old, give it a couple more days before agreeing to anything, just to be sure he lives. They need colostrum within 24 hours, 12 is better. Anything after that is just food, without that early colostrum many never do well if they survive at all.

Ugh...not sure. No one has seen him nurse, but he's been un-watched for two of those three days. His herd is off on a back forty and they don't get daily attention.

 

[WI Dan]

did he get his vitamins ? so now if he is not sucking u will have to bottle feed him milk replacer 3 times a day. keep feeding him dont rely on him sucking unless u actually see him getting his milk. as for the castrating, just simple and easy to use the ring and it can be done anytime now. i am sure he will be fine by himself. is this for beef or to sell later.?

He got something today, I'll ask the guy who have him colostrum.
This will be for beef, personal consumption.

 

[Hoenes]

He got something today, I'll ask the guy who have him colostrum.
This will be for beef, personal consumption.

I raised Angus steers for 4H when I was a kid. Always by themselves. Never any adverse effects. They got a lot of company though, rope halters and such, learning how to "lead" for the fall festival show. Had one stubborn character that had to learn to lead with the WD !

 

[jhwis]

I've got an opportunity to take on a rejected Angus bull calf. He's three days old, doesn't seem to be nursing in spite of the dams udder being huge. He's weak, but gotten about 2 quarts of colostrum today. He'll be castrated.

What I'm nervous about: he would be alone. By himself in our backyard until strong enough. Then move into a half-acre pen. But still alone. There's a bison herd here, if they like him, they could take him in, but usually those critters reject other breeds.

Is it wise/ethical/healthy to raise a steer without a herd?

It's easily done and not a problem. I recommend not giving him a name though.....

 

[caterpillar guy]

Naming is simple just name him a cut of beef. My wife was helping with some calves a few years ago. She wanted names and not ones she would miss them with so she named them all cuts of steak like Delmonico and T bone and such she was fine when we butchered them later. She does get attached to calves all the way up to butchering. Alone can have problems with wanting company even with lots of petting.

 

[Rich'sToys]

Naming is simple just name him a cut of beef. My wife was helping with some calves a few years ago. She wanted names and not ones she would miss them with so she named them all cuts of steak like Delmonico and T bone and such she was fine when we butchered them later. She does get attached to calves all the way up to butchering. Alone can have problems with wanting company even with lots of petting.

When I was a kid, we had a runt pig we raised up. We named him Bacon. Eventually he got butchered also. For some time after that, whenever Mom fixed a pork roast for supper, one of us would ask, "Is this Bacon?" The answer was always, "Yep!"

 

[miangus]

Naming is simple just name him a cut of beef. My wife was helping with some calves a few years ago. She wanted names and not ones she would miss them with so she named them all cuts of steak like Delmonico and T bone and such she was fine when we butchered them later. She does get attached to calves all the way up to butchering. Alone can have problems with wanting company even with lots of petting.

My second wife was a city girl. She called me at work one day and wanted to cook a roast. She said she looked in the freezer and could not find a roast to cook. I asked if she saw any packages labeled Chuck and she said yes, she had. I said you just throw old Chuck in the oven.

 

[David from Kansas]

I've got an opportunity to take on a rejected Angus bull calf. He's three days old, doesn't seem to be nursing in spite of the dams udder being huge. He's weak, but gotten about 2 quarts of colostrum today. He'll be castrated.

What I'm nervous about: he would be alone. By himself in our backyard until strong enough. Then move into a half-acre pen. But still alone. There's a bison herd here, if they like him, they could take him in, but usually those critters reject other breeds.

Is it wise/ethical/healthy to raise a steer without a herd?

A few years ago I raised an orphan calf to weaning age, gradually weaning him off the bottle an onto dry feed with grain. I named him "cheeseburger" and he was very tame and grew rapidly.

 

[Caryc]

Ol' Doc Pol says "Never turn your back on an Angus Bull".

 

[Tgrasher]

We have a dog that adopts our orphans.

 

[Caryc]

Just buy him a goldfish for a friend.

 

[MARK ROBKE]

If he did not get that colostrum with 12 hours of being born, I would not give him much chance of living, since you say he is weak now. Good luck, Mark.

 

[WI Dan]

I've got an opportunity to take on a rejected Angus bull calf. He's three days old, doesn't seem to be nursing in spite of the dams udder being huge. He's weak, but gotten about 2 quarts of colostrum today. He'll be castrated.

What I'm nervous about: he would be alone. By himself in our backyard until strong enough. Then move into a half-acre pen. But still alone. There's a bison herd here, if they like him, they could take him in, but usually those critters reject other breeds.

Is it wise/ethical/healthy to raise a steer without a herd?

Unfortunately, the calf died. It's too bad, his herd is otherwise very healthy and he has good genetics (part Waygu).

I appreciate all the responses. Your collective wisdom is why I asked!