the new calf (and problems with him)

Sadly, this one is not going to make it without a lot of TLC. He may or may not make it with it. Here the other thing. Every time I went out yesterday he was laying down. He is a baby, but still, I don't like the look of an animal always laying down, so every time I went out, I coaxed him to get up and walk around a little. I think maybe the whole going through auction and coming home in an open trailer (though it was a very warm day) overstressed an already not up to par animal.

This morning when I went out, he was down, breathing kind of hard, and I couldn't get him up. I had DH come out and give him a shot of penicillin, then I lifted his head and stuck the bottle in. He did actually suck. It was very slow, with resting, and trying again. I got, again, about a pint and a half down him, but he did seem to appreciate that.

Afterwards, he stood up, and he peed. Good, right?

If I can coax this baby to live, I will. If not, if won't be for lack of trying, anyway.

Thanks. I don't have electrolytes on hand. I've always thought it was better for a ruminant just to put milk in the tummy. (?)

What do his bowel movements look like Mary? He may reject milk for a reason. He sounds a lot like a little angus calf we brought home from the market last year. He too was skinny, big bellied, wouldn't drink milk unless I forced him to. The more he drank, the sicker he got. The vet finally came out and diagnosed him with rumen acidosis and said to take him off all milk and only feed him grain and hay and that he'd eventually eat enough of both to pull out of it. Someone here suggested feeding him scrambled eggs with yogurt. I did both (he LOVED the eggs and would devour them!) I also fed him bread by hand. He did pull through when I stopped the milk. The vet said it's not that uncommon as one might think.

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Interesting thought. Thanks, Dona. Right now, as I said, he is pretty much down. He's not nibbling anything today, so I figure whatever I can get in him is good.

Oh, his bowel movements are still very good. Though I have not seen him poop today, they were fine last night, and I did not see anything loose this morning.

Oh Mary that doesn't sound good - and I think Dona makes a very good point too in that reintroducing milk into the gut could cause acidosis. Also did you give him antibiotics (I think you said you did but can't find where I read it it's called going blind!) However, an AB targeting chest infections and pnuemonia will be a much better option.

Below is the link to a recent thread along similar lines in which reasons are given for the problems associated with bought-in calves. There is also a recipe for Electrolytes in there which you can make up yourself and are as good as anything you can buy.

3 sick Jersey bull calves.

I hope I've done that right.

Cheers,
Ronnie

Thanks, but I'm stumped on the first ingredient. How do you buy glucose? I assume you can't substitute sugar?
I wonder if powerade would work?
He does, this afternoon, have very loose stools, still breathing hard, but getting up and down. I gave him Biomycin first evening home, Pennicillin this morning.

Loose stools is one symptom of rumen acidosis caused by lactic acid in a calf. I'd seriously consider taking him off the milk. Feed him electrolytes, scrambled eggs, bread, calf manna or other sweet feed, and all the quality hay he wants to eat. Keep water in front of him at all times too. He sure sounds like my little guy. The problem is that secondary infections can set in and kill a calf with this condition.

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Mary, I'm sorry, I've been out all day. Glucose can be bought at your store or supermarket and is used by a lot of people as an energy restorer as it is the ownly sugar that can be absorbed directly into the bloodstream. In NZ it comes in a 400gm tub. I keep it permantly in the pantry for sick animals.

If his stools are changing, yes take him off milk immediately and give him electrolytes and fresh water if he wants it. Diito the rest of Dona's post.
I would recommend ringing your vet too for further advice and perhaps a stronger AB such as Engemycin.

Got to go, the day is running out but will check back later.

Cheers,
Ronnie

I was thinking the same thing Dona. If his rumen is already going well on hay and grass, introducing milk seemed like a bad idea. Usually if a calf is eating grass/hay well, they will do well with no interference. The ones that slide down hill in a hurry are the ones that won't take milk and won't eat hay or grain either. You can also upset a calf's rumen by forcing grain if they're not used to grain.

We used some stuff called Scour Stop and it has electrolytes in it and pro bios to get the rumen back in order. It works well on scouring calves. Good luck

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Thanks. I'm planning a run to TSC this morning, so I'll look for that name. I'll say I've learned something here. Honestly, I thought anything would do well on goat's milk, and certainly any ruminant. I actually bought him just to have something to put my milk into.

If the calf dies it will be from your killing him with kindness. Upon arrival he was eating and drinking. Yes he is thin but can recover from that on his own with feed. The main thing was he did not have scours and looked stronger in the picture than you perceived.

Each time you tried to force feed you are stressing an undernourished animal that lacks energy. Stop the milk, reintroduce the water and quality hay while introducing sweet feed, handle him only when necessary and call your vet to get whatever he will let you have to treat a weakened calf. Something like nuflor.

That calf has a lot of potential!

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The calf was dead this morning, so we are done here. Thanks to all who offered encouragement and advice.
mary

I'm sorry.

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Wow, what a bummer.

Sigh Calves, once they get stressed go down quick and you have to act quick to save them. Sorry you lost him.

__________________
"Be still sad heart, and cease repining. Behind the clouds, the sun is shining. Thy fate is the common fate of all. Into each life, a little rain must fall." -Longfellow

Mary,

I'm very sorry to hear of your loss. I've raised lots'o cows and calves over the years and it still breaks my heart to lose one.

Don't give up. You did everything possible to help the little one. Sometimes, stuff just happens.

Tom in TN

Thanks.

Sorry to hear that Mary - and as Tom says, don't give up.

Cheers,
Ronnie

I sold the two extra goats that I had planned on using for milk for him the day he died. But, I still have lots of milk canned that needs used. I may or may not try again with another animal. At this point, a bottle kid seems a lot less risky.

Bottle calves are harder. It helps to get one straight from a farm, not through a sale barn. You just never know what you're getting. The best bet is a dairy bull calf from the dairies if they've had colostrum. Don't give up. :-)

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"Be still sad heart, and cease repining. Behind the clouds, the sun is shining. Thy fate is the common fate of all. Into each life, a little rain must fall." -Longfellow