Calf Help
 

My neighbor Farmer's cow had a Calf Mid-day Saturday. Saturday evening late the calf could barely stand and would try to get a Tit but would give out and go down. Well Sunday Morning I found the calf in a little pine thicket outside the fence where the Cow could not get to it. I moved the calf back inside the fence and helped it to its shakie legs and stepped way back and the Mother came over and licked it(she will not let you get within 20ft of her)---The calf again tried to suck with no luck while I was watching. About 2 hours later I checked on it and the Mom cow was about 1/4 mile away and the calf was back in the tree's. I called my neighbor and he came and got the cow in a stall and put the calf in with her. This morning she had pushed her way out and again was a 1/4 mile away so the farmer picked up the calf and carried to where she was and layed it down(I found out this when I called him later this morning). The calf was just shaking like it was freezing to death and it was around 50 degrees. I call the neighbor and he said the calf did not look like he was going to make it, so He gave it to me----If I wanted it because he was to busy to try and nurse it. We brought it in the house and wrapped it with a electric blanket. I went to Tractor Supply and bought a bottle and a bag of powdered milk---they said it was what the calf needed that has not been sucking on its mom. I had to slightly enlarge the nipple hole so a little of the milk would pour out because his sucking power was not getting any milk out the bottle. We have managed to get maybe 6 oz on milk in him today. He will stand on his own and will walk a few steps but again he is very shakie. My Wife Naturally wants to save him but he is not looking to good.. I tried to find a tube that I could run down his throat to inject milk into his stomack but can not find one anywhere. I thought maybe if I could get more in him he might perk up. Any advise? Thanks

Poor little guy, if he never had colostrum from the cow (first milk, thick and yellow, and has lots of good stuff for calves) he doesn't have a very good chance. Hard facts of farm life, but it doesn't make things any easier when you're trying to save one.

You need to go back to tractor supply and buy a tube feeder. You can find a video on YouTube that shows how to use one. The calf is probably too weak to suck.

You can buy some store bought colostrum. Maybe he will have a chance. Put the nipple in his mouth and squeeze his jaws together. You can get some down this way and maybe he will build up some strength to suck on his own. His odds are probably not good but it is possible. A tube feeder is great if you know how to use it and not get it into the lungs.

you need to get fluids in him asap. you need to use a tube feeder but make sure it goes in the stomach and not the lungs, do not let any liquid go down the tube until its in and you hear him breath through his nose, then let the fluids go down. get some electrolytes, and good quality milk replacer, at this point the colostrum is not going to do much. keep it warm and quiet and good luck.

tip from my vet and I have used it...if its going down the right place you can feel the ball on the end of the tube on the outside of his throat when it goes down...
straddle him,get him on his feet ,
bend his head up a bit ,insert tube,feel with other hand....
and don't feed too much....


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I got the Colostrum supplement. The helper said I need to feed him 2 bags of that. I just fed him and he sucked down about 6 oz. This is the first time he has sucked any to amount to anything.

Donna Tractor Supply did not have a tube, I checked the Vets office and another feed and grain store----no one has one. The farmer Just now called me and Said he did not think about it this morning but he has a tube that I could put down his throat and inject some milk-----LOL--After I took his half dead calf and been hunting a tube half the day.

Anyone give me a idea on how warm I should try to keep him? I got a heat lamp hanging over where he is laying but I do not have a idea if I should put it closer or farther away. Its around 90 degrees at the closest part of his body to the heat lamp and he is laying on some hay and Yes the lamp is very secure.

As long as it's over 60 degrees where he is, he's fine temperature-wise. I have seen tube feeders bring calves back from near-death. Local farmers used to come and get me to tube-feed their calves because they were afraid to try it, and I am not a real farmer. One time one of my bobby calves wasn't responding, we knew it was going to die, so my husband fashioned a tube feeder from a piece of hose and a funnel. The calf lived, and I was a believer. However, if the calf did not get any colostrum in the first 24 hours or so, it probably does not have much of a chance. Still, it never hurts to try.

You warm calves from the inside out meaning you get warm milk in them. 90 sounds too warm for me. If it is 50 outside and you keep him that warm with a lamp, you run the risk of respiratory problems.If you have him out of the wind and in a good bed of hay, he should be fine once he gets some warm milk in him. If he is drinking at all, I wouldn't risk the tube but just keep working with the bottle.

I was shocked--I just went and fed him again, but I only carried 5oz of the milk--he drank every bit of it and acted like he wanted more so we warmed up him 4 more oz and he drank all that too!! I made him get up and walk around which he stayed on his shakie leggs for about 5 minutes then he walked back in his little stable and layed back down slightly under the heat lamp. I told the wife if he was to die tonight at least he is warm and has some food in him.

The next time you feed take a damp WARM WASH CLOTH AND STIMULATE UNDER THE TAIL LIKE MOM WOULD LICK HIS BUT. Keep an eye on him and make sure his bowels are working.

His Bowls have been moving, He has pooped several times today--small amounts---once on the Wifes pants leg---LOL, she found out standing behind the back end--can be dangerous--LOL.

So the farmer doesn't have a stall that can hold a cow?

The cow is the best source of milk once you get the calf going. Do you have a place for the cow? The cow doesn't have anything else to do - why not have her feeding her calf?

The cow may not have anything else to do,
but it sounds like the Farmer does.

Good luck to the OP with this project.
The small feedings and done often have saved a few orphans for me.
Sometimes even ones that never got colostrum.

Dont give up. :)

You might keep a blanket on him to help keep him warm. Our DD blankets caves that are born in bad weather. It will help keep him warm and he won't have to burn as many calories.

This morning I warmed him up 1 cup of the milk and he sucked it all down, so I warmed him another cup and he sucked that down. Got to go back to Tractor Supply and get him some more milk. He stayed on his feet about 5 minutes walking around some. I hope he will get more steady on his feet soon----gotta give him some time.

DJ ---
He has a open shoot that he set-up to run the cows through/clamp and give them shots. He has No kind of shed, stalls or anything for the cows to get under when it rains. This calf was shaking yesterday morning alot---it was freezing, If we had of not taken it in It would have been out there in a bad thunderstorm last night and I have not checked my rain gauge but it was coming down so hard it sounded like hail on the roof---"Charlie" my wife named him was the only dry animal from out of the farmers pasture.

That "farmer" owes you a debt of gratitude. You cared when he did not.

+1

...or maybe he just owes you a calf! ;)

--The calf is Mine, he gave it to me and said to me over the phone "I hope it makes you a fine cow but I do not think he is going to make it" I quickly went and scooped this calf up and my Wife had the electric blanket bed waiting when I walked in. We had to try. Well he has lived a extra 24 hours and now he is eating good I feel. We are going to do what we can for Charlie. Trying to get Charlie's mother in that clamping shoot would probably be a pain in the butt. My wife and I are getting to old to be chasing a cow---LOL. The farmer is to busy getting is 70 acres of tobacco fields ready and I would not want to be on his farm without him being there. The farmer bought all these cows at a auction and Charlie's mother seems to be on the wild side. You can not get close to her.


I Have never raised a calf so I got some questions. If Charlie continues getting better, Buying this powdered milk will get into some expence.

How long will he need to stay on it?
At what age can you wean him off the bottle and give him some "feed"? Can his milk be cut with regular milk from the grocery store in the future days?
When would he need to be wormed?
What else will I need to do?

Charlie and Us Thanks you for your Replies!

they need 6 months of milk, but nobody including myself can afford to buy that much milk. you can get him on milk pellets pretty quick and that helps, you can get him on sweetfeed after a bit and that will help. when he's eating solid food really good you can start backing off the milk. most people I know budget 2 bags of milk per animal.

Hopefully, some of the expert bottle-baby raisers here will chime in and share their good advice. I've never raised a bottle baby, but I do know that you need a first-rate milk replacer and here is one. Yes, it's expensive.

Land o' Lakes Cows Match (28% protein, 20% fat):

http://www.lolmilkreplacer.com/stell...p2-0155078.pdf

Best of luck with this baby, give us a photo or two when you have a chance!

Now that he's sucking you have to get more milk into him. One or two cups isn't going to cut it. Feed him those small amounts more often now to equal about a gallon in a day. He needs at minimum one gallon per day. After he's used to eating you'll give him about 2 quarts twice a day.

I'd think he's mighty dehydrated by now, I'd give him some water with electrolytes in it also to get him hydrated.

I agree with land of lakes being good milk replacer. Buy a 50 bag and if you mess with getting him to eat feed you can wean after one bag. First thing you are not feeding this calf enough. Did you read instructions on bag? I would be feeding 1.5-2 quarts twice a day. If a weak small calf, less and mjore often. a cup of milk to a calf is like you drinking a shot glass of water.

When I say getting the calf to eat feed, I don't just mean hay. Without milk a young growing calf will need a high energy, high protein feed. A good starter feed called calf mana here is rolled oats, steam flaked corn, pellets with molasses mixed in. After he is eating that graduallly switch to a 16% or so protein complete feed.

Also I hate to be the bearer of bad news but be prepared for this calf to possibly get pneumonia from having milk squeezed down his throat. They often will aspirate the milk into their lungs when they have that done to them. That's why it's so important to have a feeding tube on hand to get milk safely into a non sucking calf. If he gets pneumonia it is survivable if you recognize it for what it is quickly and get him on a good (from the vet is preferable) antibiotic immediately. And they stop sucking well when they get sick so you may need that feeding tube after all.

Sick newborn calves are a challenge to raise and there is a learning curve to it.

Fire-Man, while those of us here can try to advise you about caring for Charlie, your best source of information will be a large animal vet who deals with cattle in your area! Bottle babies can be very fragile and your vet can assist you more promptly than any of us here can.

Thanks for your info. I admit I do not know how much to feed him. Yesterday we had a time getting a ounce in him in the beginning, so when he latch on and sucked down that 9oz we were happy. This morning not knowing how much he would drink I mixed him a cup and he sucked it down, then another cup right after that. Then a Couple hours later he drank another cup. We will be giving him alot more----we were thinking we did not want him to over do it--drink to much. So we will try to get a gallon in him today. Thanks

[QUOTE=Fire-Man;6506734]Thanks for your info. I admit I do not know how much to feed him. Yesterday we had a time getting a ounce in him in the beginning, so when he latch on and sucked down that 9oz we were happy. This morning not knowing how much he would drink I mixed him a cup and he sucked it down, then another cup right after that. Then a Couple hours later he drank another cup. We will be giving him alot more----we were thinking we did not want him to over do it--drink to much. So we will try to get a gallon in him today. Thanks[/QUOT



A hungry calf is a healthy calf!!! Increse the milk replacer gradually and do not feed over the amount recomended on the bag. Weigh the little fellow so you are aware of the amount you need to feed. If you keep him a little hungry there is less chance of scours which can be deadly in a short time. Sounds like you are having fun and the calf has gained a new lease on life:happy:

Maybe being in isolation from other cattle will actually help this one that didn't get colostrum. No other calves = less exposure to bugs??

Agree with others that the calf needs more milk overall, but sounds like those frequent 1-cup feedings were just the ticket for such a weak calf. There has definitely been improvement.

Just be cautious as you increase the amount per feeding.

I personally don't agree with that old adage. We always end up feeding more than the amounts recommended. The calves just grow better. The trick is to work up very slowly to the amount you wish to feed.

We've also raised many calves directly on their Jersey mamas. They were fat healthy things with all that milk. No scours. They were never hungry. They knew how to eat normally and stop when they were full.

Sparkie as to your experience it is very true. With calf raisers that are NEW to the game it is much better to be cautious. It is very hard to undo a mistake after it is made. Mothers milk from the mother is by far the best since the temp is always correct the mix ratio is perfect and is ready when needed!

He has been drinking/sucking alot better the last 24 hours but seems to Not be getting any stronger---He will walk around a little but I see no improvement. Fixing to go see if he will drink some more and tuck him in for the night.

You are doing a good job Fire Man and what is needed. Hang in there.

I understand the farmer doesn't have time, but I was wondering why he couldn't loan the cow to FireMan, or let Fireman come over and try to get the calf onto the cow.

Maybe he's already sold the cow.

But apparently there is a lack of facilities. You would think there'd be a pen he collects them in before running them through the chute, and some temporary shelter could be made.

Oh well.....

DJ, I agree with your sentiments.
It is always the *best* when a cow can raise the calf herself.
Sometimes a good bit of persuasion will get them to learn how to mother.

We have seen it numerous times in this forum that folks go into cattle w/o having proper facilities.
It makes the simplest treatments virtually impossible.

Stories like this are a lesson for all of us, I guess.

I am still rooting for the OP.
Calf is still alive and sucking after 4 days, so far.

There is a little corral before the chute, but you got to keep in mind the cow is some what wild. He had her in this corral the day after the calf was born with the calf. I went walking close to the corral and the cow went crazy trying to figure a way to get out----all this with the calf laying in the middle---I backed away quick because I felt she would step on him---she did run into the chute area but was being ruff with the bars. So how could I get her to help me out with him---she would kill him. If you put her in the clamp you could probably milk her but she would be kicking her feet because of a person being so close. I just see no safe way for the calf to deal with her. If she had of been friendly the farmer could have helped charlie the first day. For what ever reason he has been to weak from the beginning. He will probably die, but I promice you if he does he will die warm and with all the milk we can get in him. He just drank a few more ounces, he took a pee and took a poop. I can not afford to spend hundreds and hundreds to put him in the Hospital with IV's etc to try to save him.

One other thing I meant to mention---his eyes look some what "cloudy" I feel sure he can see some but we are thinking his eye sight is not good.

Pics of Charlie

Recently I put out a plea for help for a friends calf. We lost that battle. As I posted in that tread. That calf was a different circumstance than I was use to. We raise mostly sheep we have bottle calves and have had a few cows so I will share what we do. I have tube sheep and 1 calf. With a hypodermic baby I bring them in my house I have a back porch that allow me to do that. That way they are close to me so I can watch everything. I try to mimic mother as much as possible. A baby will at first eat small amounts often then gradually build up over the course of days a very cold baby doesn't nurse well you have to get that temp up. Usually I hold a lamb but a calf I just sit and rub. The other thing we have had great success with is in milk replacer we put 1 and 1/2 cc of red cell into a full 2 qt bottle every day. It has lots of iron also selinum and copper so with sheep I have to be more careful only 1 or 2 bottles. Copper can be toxic to sheep but we are in a copper deficient area. Anything sick here gets Red Cell it is a horse product at TSC. It will last for ever. For a calf we always give 3 feedings a day for the 1 month but afternoon is only a qt. There is a product called goat serum that you can give if baby hasn't had colostrum it has all the antibody's that the colostrum has. but you give it in a shot. These directions are more for what we do for a calf. We always for a weak animal give small frequent feedings till they are up and steady then raise the amount and less feedings. Mothers always lick there young to stimulate circulation so I rub the baby often. Pretty soon I usually have a bouncing baby that we house close to the house for more convince. IMO red cell is a life saver. I would much rather mother would take care of there babies and for that reason we lamb in May and have much better success. Good Luck with your calf.

What breed calf is that from pic it look real small to me. Also we put the red cell in every bottle. Lack of selinum will make for a very weak baby.

Fire-man,
Being a bottle calf raiser for many years, my kids have always been the local off-bearer for local farmers to get a orphan calf raised in my area. We've raised probably 40 or more calves under these kinds of circumstances as well as hundreds of bottle calves from local dairys and salebarns.

If I'm doing my figuring correctly, your calf was about 30-36 hours old before it got something to eat. At that age, colostrum could be of little or no value. That being said, you might not see the effects of this until it's a few months old. I've got an angus heifer at the house now that was fit as a fiddle raised on my jersey cow but has went downhill with joint probs for the last few days something fierce. Once and if they start this it's best to let them go. Many a good calf raiser has pumped more antibiotics and paid vet bills for far more than the calf's worth and still lose the calf.

I'm not suggesting this will happen to you but I'm saying it could happen to you.

On the issue of the calf not thriving and not being too active, give it a little time. After all, it's a newborn baby. Within a week or so you should see it begin to get more active. If it's peeing and pooping you're getting liquid into it's system and that's a good thing.

Also, if you're getting the calf to nurse the bottle nipple at all I'd personally recommend you stop tubing the calf. If it will nurse any at all (even if you have to cut the bottle nipple hole open big enough to be considered a highway) I'd let it suck it's own milk instead of tubing it.

Asperating that stuff down it's lungs will almost always cause pnuemonia and that's another opportunity for death in a baby calf.

It would be far better to give it several small drinks a day than try to satisfy yourself it's full in one shot. If it will drink half a pint or so before giving out just feed it more often. A calf has to work up to needing 2 qts 2X per day.

Francismilker
I have not Tube fed Charlie at all--Could not find a Tube in my area. He was about 42 hours old when we got him. He was somewhat limp and shaking badly from being cold. It took several hours before we got any decent amount(few ounces) of milk in him.

Nezill
I have no idea what breed he is---The only thing I can say is his mother is the average size cow like I am use to seeing. I have seen cows that were monster looking in my life but rarely.

Here is Charlies update this morning. I got a warm rag and wiped him and cleaned him up---made/helped him get up and he walked around a little then went back and layed in the hay like you seen the pic of him. I gave him his bottle and he drank a quart(the bottle had more than a quart, but he did not want anymore), which I was proud he drank what he did. BUT he does not seem to have improved any of moving around on his feet. He moved better 24 hours after his birth than he does now at 4 days old.

Thanks again EVERYONE!!