Miniature Jersey Calf - Emergency!

[dezeeuwgoats]

I have been taking care of a miniature jersey bull. It was a week old when we started - and they were feeding it four times a day, 3/4 bottle full.

I mentioned I thought that was an awful lot - but since the calf was doing well, no runs or anything - just let it go.

I brought the calf home - and cut it back to three feedings a day a few days ago. This afternoon he didn't look so good. Went to feed him dinner and he's got the runs - bad.

Feed stores are closed now. I do have Albon. Friends are due back late Saturday evening or Sunday morning. I'd really hate to lose the calf while they are gone.

niki

[dezeeuwgoats]

I should mention that it was 109 today - HOT. I'm worried about dehydration with the heat, and needing to cut back on his milk. He's been getting raw goat's milk.

niki

[Up North]

Seems like too much milk for a miniature jersey calf, but i guess you allready figured that out. Definately need to keep him hydrated. Water and electrolytes would be good. If you cannot get this, you could try water with one package of Jello in it, or water with Karo light corn syrup to tide him over till you get electrolytes.
Else search back over two weeks of threads - this topic was recently discussed at length. On the advice of a smart fellow, we recently saved an animal by using Gatorade from a convenience store to provide electrolytes & water. This was a Sunday morning deal and no feed stores were open here either.

[dezeeuwgoats]

Thanks for replying so late! The little fellow weighs around 50lbs. I did do a search before I posted, and made the homemade electrolyte solution. He happily guzzled it down. He's had two quarts of it.

I also gave him some B-complex via injection, as well as dosing him with Albon. Sure hope I didn't screw up there.

I know nothing about cows/calves - just bought our first steer @ 650llbs! This little guy's momma died of milk fever - and his owner's are out of town. I've only got till Sunday - but with this heat - I'm not sure what to do. He's kind of wobbly, and his skin is definately not springing back like it should. He does drink from the trough - I've seen him do it. I just find it odd that they could feed him so much and not have problems, and then him have trouble here, even though I cut him back a bit.

Is a gallon of electrolytes enough to keep him alive? Enough fluid, I mean, to rehydrate him from the diarrhea? When my children had the runs - we had to give them tiny amounts - in order not to overstimulate them to go again - are calves like this? Or are two half gallon feedings better?

Niki

[dezeeuwgoats]

Saw the poop today - a liquid, mucousy(?)-looking, yellow - not bright, kind of dull brownish yellow.

He drank his electrolytes - the whole two quarts, with an egg added in. This is the baking soda, salt, corn syrup recipe. He was drinking from the trough when I came out to feed this morning.

Should I feed some kaopectate or pepto? Should I continue with the Albon? I do have some powdered yogurt culture in the freezer - should I add a touch of that into his electrolytes? I DID have kefir grains and kept a gallon going, but dh accidently fed it to the pigs.......Now that stuff cured every sick animal I've ever had!

Sorry so many questions - I don't want to overdue it on him as he is a miniature. BUT I don't want to leave anything out either. I'm also VERY concerned with the heat, and should I feed some of these electrolytes mid day - or take the little booger in the house where it isn't 115 degrees?

I know there have been other posts about this - and I'm reading them, but I do appreciate hearing back as it is a miniature, and it isn't mine, and the temperatures here are so hot. Maybe those things don't add up to a whole lot of different advice, but if so - someone please spell it out to me! I have never raised a calf before.

Niki

[Up North]

Niki- 4 feedings a day of ONE PINT each of electrolyte solution until he straightens out scours, then gradually start mixing in milk till back to normal. In addition to this, provide clean, fresh water free choice at all times. That's best I can tell you for a 50 lb calf. In future, it helps greatly to put weight of animal with original ???. Miniature means different things to different people.
Sorry, too preachy, LOL. The owners who overfed him did the damage. The stress of moving him pushed him over the edge. Keep him in shade.
If it's tooo hot, perhaps you could set up a household fan 2-3 feet from his pen for cooling? Just shut off at night if temp goes below 80F or he'll get pnemonia.Keep at 'er!!!!
If he survives diarreha and you have given medications of an antibiotic nature, you may have to put the "good" bacteria back into his stomach so he can digest milk again. This is done by feeding a serving of Dannon Yogurt.
Use a syringe and pump it onto back of his tongue if needed to get him to swallow it. Best Luck.....

[dezeeuwgoats]

Thanks Up North! I do appreciate it. Yes, this little guy is a registered, miniature jersey - didn't even consider that people might think I just meant small.....got to get more specific.

Is Albon an antibiotic? Never mind, I'll just give 'em the good bacteria anyway so I guess it doesn't really matter. I sure have been wishing for my kefir - I've fed it to sick animals of different species and it sure does the trick. Something like 38 different strains of good bacteria in it.

His poops appear a bit better, not water, a bit more pasty. The heat is hard on him, though. His skin is springing back so at least he is hydrated. Told his owners what is going on - they'll be back in the morning, so I'll be taking him home tomorrow. Sure hope the move back doesn't do him in. I'll print this out so they can read it too.

thanks again for everything!
Niki DeZeeuw

[dezeeuwgoats]

Just did the evening feeding - his breathing is labored - he's up though, and at the water trough. Gave him another dose of the Albon.

His poo is bright yellow. Didn't see any puddles, or droppings, just stuck to his tail.

Niki

[Up North]

Originally Posted by dezeeuwgoats

Just did the evening feeding - his breathing is labored - he's up though, and at the water trough. Gave him another dose of the Albon.

His poo is bright yellow. Didn't see any puddles, or droppings, just stuck to his tail.

Niki

Sticky or pudding consistency is good - shows improvement.
The Yogurt would be a food source at this point as well. If breathing is labored stand ready to treat for Pnemonia. I know people associate Pnemonia with cold and damp, not the burning up heat you have their --but-- it is the drastic swings in temperature that bring it on. i don't know much about AZ, but doesn't it cool down 3-6 AM? Any temp swing of 35-50 degrees in a 24 hour period can induce pnemonia, especially in an animal with such small body mass.
You're a trooper NIKI, Y'all can babysit my critters anytime, LOL.

[dezeeuwgoats]

Spoke to my friend late yesterday - so she knows about the calf. I guess she's never had a calf NOT scour - so didn't thing much of it? I sure am glad I have the good folks here to (Up North!) to talk to, and the archives at my fingertips. Even if calves I buy do scour, at least I will know how to do my best by them.

He's still drinking alright - got an egg, and some yogurt this morning.....Does this even sound like a COW I'm feeding? LOL

Should I bring the Albon home with him to finish the course? And is the fifteen ml enough of a dose? I got the dosage off the internet, and had to divide a bunch of times to get it down.... http://www.fda.gov/cvm/FOI/3402.htm Scroll down to get to the information I used (four oz to 600lbs).

thanks
Niki

[dezeeuwgoats]

Oh, and thanks a bunch for the vote of confidence, UpNorth!

Niki

[Up North]

Niki- Not familiar with Albon, sorry. For calves we use either LA-200 or pennicillin. LA-200 at 2ml, then wait 48 hours and repeat.OR, NOT and, Pennicillin once daily for 3-4 days see bottle label for, dosage. Cut in half amount given for 100 LB. of body weight.
These treatments are for bugs causing bad scours or if Pnemonia is issue.
Regards that, did his heavy labored breathing cease when it cooled down at night, or continue at all times? If the latter, probably treat as above for pnemonia to be safe. You will have to make that call. If you treat with these antibiotics, repeat yogurt dosage day 2& 4, day 5 or 6 if needed.
Hope this weekend doesn't sour you on cattle for good, LOL.
If scours have cleared, start adding milk to his feedings. Gradually increase percentage of milk starting at 25% milk, then go forward as long as he is not reverting to scours. Good Luck.

[dezeeuwgoats]

Printing this off as I write - to hand to my friend when she picks up the calf. The calf is breathing heavy all the time, but I thought it was having a hard time regulating body temperature, due to the hydration issue. He's pretty much standing at the water trough a good portion of the time, maybe I put too much salt in the electrolytes? I followed the recipe here - but he is awful little - don't know if that would change the salt/water ratios. I think he should be treated, just to be safe, because I don't think the hydration is the issue (pinch test is normal). Thanks for mentioning it.

I've gotta get him home - as I think she's got both of those antibiotics, and I have neither. I've got Nuflor - but it is pretty expensive, and a painful injection to boot. If a cheaper antibiotic will work I'd rather use it. The Nuflor clears up pneumonia in my goats when nothing else works, so I'm actually using it off label. I hear you on the temperature change causing pneumonia - my worst cases are in August, when the temps can vary widely, and the monsoons bring moisture into the air. Goat's can give up and die pretty quick.

thanks;
niki