|
MN | I bought a Biotic calf feeder - a very simple computerized feeder that will feed approximately one pint at a time - the cost is considerably less than a DeLaval (around $2000 to get started with 25 tags). We've run through one batch of calves (holstein bull calves from Wisconsin, shipped 5 hours and then put on the feeder so should have been a high risk group). We lost one calf from dehydration about a week into feeding the group and lost one other calf to a respiratory infection. We are in MN and had gotten in late October and put into a cold shed so were concerned about cold freezing the machine so did wean at about 5 weeks. My overall opinion is that 25 would be the max I would want on one nipple with this particular set-up - the one pint at a time may be a limiting factor as I set up the machine for 8 to 10 feedings a day so the calves could visit often and would 'kill time' sucking the nipple. I probably would like to have been able to set up to feed like a quart at a time, but less often, but not possible with this particular set-up. Overall very impressed with how this worked - I work full-time off the farm (this is actually Mrs. Geargrinder responding) and take care of all baby livestock at our house. Calves seemed very healthy for the situation they came from and into - I weight taped a couple when they came in and came in with about 85 pound average incoming weight and when we weaned at 5 weeks of age I weight taped again and were at about 125-130 pounds if I remember correctly - I think about 20 pounds heavier than feeding in our other methods (I've done both nipples on barrels in groups and individual pens in sheds with pails). I was really happy with the fact that I didn't have to be there 12 hours apart, the calves were being fed, but don't take from this that this is a hands off method - you still have to be out there checking to see who ate, getting those up to the machine who didn't visit as often as I thought they should (some were kind of lazy). I went through a lot less medication (we usually use SMZ tabs one or two a day for a couple weeks) - this time I used probably 30 tablets total for the whole group- I'd give if I thought someone looked a little bit off. The calves picked up on eating feed quite quickly and drinking water from the automatic waterer. We have quite a bit of space allotted for the calves but this just happened to be the way the building was laid out. We bought this machine from a local family who had two machines they had run a group or two of calves on and they were very helpful with questions. I would like to get another group going on the machine, but weather is too cold for the machine in our particular building and we need to build a small heated room to hold the machine and part of the feeder station. The feeder station was a bit wide for our calves so 2 would try to get in at a time causing the tag reader to get a little confused, but we inserted a small plastic lumber gate into the station and that allowed only enough room for one at a time. The web site for the calf feeder is www.biotic.com (I think) - its not a fancy web site as the gentleman who makes these is from France I think but lives in Tennessee. If you have questions, I'd be glad to answer them for you. I'm not sure if the email is good in our profile as we recently switched email service, but just put down your information on here and I can get my email address to you if it doesn't work. | |
|
Computerized/Automatic Calf Feeders
