Poor little calf

topside1 · #21 10/23/10, 05:08 PM

Thanks Marc... Whenever I use a homemade electrolyte I add sure-gel type pectin to the mix, plus lots of crushed Vit c....3000mg....I know all about the groove, it falls into place and directs the milk into the proper chamber of the stomach. Don't see how the calf could loose it. When bottle feeding the nipple must be at belt level or lower. Any higher and the neck does not lock and thus milk ends up in the rumen and bacteria begins to grow.....Scours is next. Bottle nipple must be udder high, it's the natural position needed for success. This calf seems very salvageable to me. Ever think that the milk replacer is the problem? Marc is right on with everything he wrote....

thequeensblessing · #22 10/23/10, 07:59 PM

Thanks everyone. I'm trying to follow as many of your ideas as I can. I'm learning a lot!
Let me clarify a couple of things that I obviously didn't make very clear in my original post. We got the calf (an angus, not a jersey btw) at about a week or two of age, judging by the fact that he was already eating a little hay and grain, drinking water from a bucket and had no umbillical cord left attached. Of course, as was mentioned, he certainly could be older and had been struggling on his own and just looks younger because of his condition. That's a real possibility. Also, we fed him MR because it's all we had at the time. I just bought the Jersey milk cow a week after we brought the little calf home.
I appreciate everyone's suggestions. I've never dealt with this situation before, so I was/am clueless. (Ok, I'm learning quickly!) I've had calves scour before, sure, but we usually treat it with "Deliver", a calf scours product that contains psyllium seed husks that cause all fluids to gel in the intestines and cuts down on dehydration. That works great all by itself with viral scours and stress scours. A couple of days on electrolytes and "Deliver" usually clears it up. Then, if it's bacterial in nature, we use "Sustain III" boluses. They have a timed release over 72 hours, so you only need one bolus. I've never dealt with a situation like this.
I only fed him 1 quart of MR in the morning, and 1 quart at night. That's what we usually feed a jersey calf, so we figured it would be about right for an angus calf. Obviously not...
Then, we even let him suckle the jersey cow (she'll let anything suckle her) because we thought it would be more natural for him. We did this for 3 days. The sour-smelling milk just ran out of his back end. That's when we called the vet in.
So, as of today, he's taken a cooked egg (I had to hand feed it to him) and I managed to get him to drink a quart of electrolytes with a raw egg mixed into it from a bottle, and his yogurt. He has sipped on his water from the bucket too. Tonight, I noticed that he's cleaned up all his hay and about 1/2 of his grain. I'm feeding him calf starter, free choice. I hope that's ok?
The vet gave me a "kaopectate bolus", as he called it, and it's stopped the scouring. The calf is still weak but he's standing and nibbling. I only hope he eats enough to keep himself going.
I'd never heard of this rumen-drinker stuff (rumen acidosis). From what I've read, some calves have a genetic predisposition toward it? I just don't know. I don't understand it all, but I've got it to deal with. I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it for myself. I simply did everything for him that I'd ever done for any calf with scours, but nothing at all worked. I guess it's how we learn, eh? I'm just glad all you cow-people are here for me to learn from. Thank you all!

thequeensblessing · #23 10/23/10, 08:02 PM

Oh, and I like the idea of the pectin or gelatin in the liquid. I will have to try that. It's got to be cheaper than "Deliver". Probably works just as well too.
Also, if I have calf rennet on hand, would some of that hurt him?

Madsaw · #24 10/23/10, 09:40 PM

Lots of good ideas here. WHen I used eggs on calves I would mix them either with milk or electrolytes. Also I would add some corn syurp for a extra boost. Top Sides addvice is great.
Also I noticed you said you gave the calf just one Sustain III. The calf size boluses are one per 50 lbs. Most calves even if they are small at about 3-4 weeks should have atleast 2 boluses and maybe atleast a half of a third. From the take I get of how the calf has been. I would have used the SIII's along with a good antibiotic for pneumonia. Its a 2 sided appoarch that usally clears up any problems that occur with a scouring calf. Alot of times folks thinks a calf is just scouring but it also has a low grade infection setting into. When you relize what is going on the calf is in real tough shape.

What color is the calf's scours? Also does it look pot bellied?
Bob

thequeensblessing · #25 10/23/10, 09:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Madsaw

Lots of good ideas here. WHen I used eggs on calves I would mix them either with milk or electrolytes. Also I would add some corn syurp for a extra boost. Top Sides addvice is great.
Also I noticed you said you gave the calf just one Sustain III. The calf size boluses are one per 50 lbs. Most calves even if they are small at about 3-4 weeks should have atleast 2 boluses and maybe atleast a half of a third. From the take I get of how the calf has been. I would have used the SIII's along with a good antibiotic for pneumonia. Its a 2 sided appoarch that usally clears up any problems that occur with a scouring calf. Alot of times folks thinks a calf is just scouring but it also has a low grade infection setting into. When you relize what is going on the calf is in real tough shape.

What color is the calf's scours? Also does it look pot bellied?
Bob

Hi Bob. The calf scours were like sour milk, very white, opaque, and watery. Now, they are like whitish-gray clay, but I'm sure that's due to the kaopectate bolus the doc gave him. He isn't pot bellied. He's skin and bones basically.

thequeensblessing · #26 11/01/10, 08:07 AM

Just wanted to update everyone on this little angus calf. I followed most everyone's advice, especially the eggs and calf starter. There were a couple of "iffy" days where we didn't know if would make it or not, but after feeding him 4 eggs a day for two days, the difference in him was amazing! He started nibbling more grain on his own and drinking water regularly. Today, he's eating a flake of hay a day, and about a pint and a half of grain a day. He has more energy, a better looking coat, and his eyes are bright, and I can truly see the light at the end of the tunnel for him. He's looking really good, so I wanted to be sure and tell you all THANK YOU!!

nduetime · #27 11/01/10, 10:00 AM

[QUOTE=thequeensblessing;4727300]Today, he's eating a flake of hay a day, and about a pint and a half of grain a day. He has more energy, a better looking coat, and his eyes are bright, and I can truly see the light at the end of the tunnel for him. [QUOTE]

I am so glad for you and the little guy. great job!

Cheribelle · #28 11/02/10, 01:12 AM

Great job! I was afraid maybe he didn't get his colostrum....
I have lost a few for no other reason than that. So frustrating.