coughing calf

[Anderson farms]

One of my little guys has started to cough. Not a whole lot but 3 or 4 times after I feed them. Should I give him some penicillan? We put a light on them and my wife made a calf coat for him and we put it on tonight. He is still eating fine. Thanks for any help

[topside1]

AF, you obviously love these new calves. My advice is to only give antibiotics when the animal is suffering from a fever otherwise what's the point. Take it's temp. from time to time over the next couple of day and then act from your findings. It will be easy to tell if the calf is becoming ill.

[mpillow]

If its barn cough...goodluck! its hard on them. I used oxitet? on mine and it still died last Spring along w/ resorb my supplier replaced for free w/ jersey cross.
Mine that died was a bottle sipper and that's bad usually...long hard suckers are healthy.
Plain gelatin 1oz in a bottle works good for poopies from antibiotic if you cant get resorb... aliitle salt and molasses along w/ gelatin.

I paid 1.39 for 4 1oz packets of gelatin last week for new calf that had poops from milk switch (cow to goat) used over 4 feedings....he's happy and healthy!

[topside1]

AF, these are the same calves we forumed about a week ago? 5-6 weeks old?

[Anderson farms]

Ya topside they are. I knew I was taking a chance getting them in the fall but wanted to be able to put them on pasture in the spring. I will have to take his temp. He didn't cough today when I fed him but I didn't have alot of time in the barn had to let chickens out and feed the other cattle.

[dcross]

If he's on the bottle, make sure the nipple is only giving him milk when he works for it. Otherwise it could be getting into his lungs.