3 week old calf poobing like dog, normal?

ufo_chris · #1 04/24/12, 01:16 PM

K, got a 3 week highland calf. He didn't eat off Mom at first so I bottle fed him colostrum I had frozen, and then MR the 2nd day, 3rd day he was stronger and sucking on her. I still fed him a small small ,weak bottle 1x a day ,just to make sure because she is old and has a bad lopsided udder. (I know ,you'll say cull her) He's only sucking on 2 quarters and I don't know how great they are.
Anyways, he seemed to be getting enough,would see him nursing but not all the time like he wasn't getting enough.
Cut him back to small weak bottle every 2 days.
Now I noticed his poo is like a dogs, firm turd ,really dark almost black.
I'm thinking this is a sign he's not getting enough milk? Or is it normal for his age?
He grazes with her , also eats a small amount of pellets, very small.
I know it's better than runny, but want to make sure.
Is he old enough to digest the grass and get energy off it yet?
Thanks so much,
Chris

goodhors · #2 04/24/12, 08:27 PM

I am going to say he needs more liquid milk or milk replacer. I would not water it down when I give him a bottle.

Our bottle babies don't eat grass, don't want to eat solid food in the form of pellets at only 3 weeks. Actually they not much for eating until closer to 2 months!

Baby calf should have a "sloppy" poop, not runny or hard if he is getting enough liquid, enough food. Straining to pass hard poops could hurt him.

You probably should get the cow up, to check her and her milk production. She may have other problems started that you haven't noticed yet. Mastitis? Calf sounds like he is not getting enough to eat, even if she let him nurse before. He may be trying to nurse on the bad quarters, gives up, gets tired, with no milk reward. For sure I would be adding MR to his daily feeding until his poops are more normal and possible cow udder problems have been checked out.

ufo_chris · #3 04/25/12, 01:25 AM

Thanks Goodhors.
The Cow is 13 yrs old, probably had Mastidis years ago before I got her. I had the vet look at her last year cause she has 2 huge teats but nothing was going on then ,same now, so probably old damage.
He said she should raise calves no problem with 2 good teats.
And she raised 3 for me before this one.
Calf does not try the bad Quarters at all.
But not sure how good the good ones are.
I usually worry too much and figured he's probably getting enough even when I was still giving him a little MR ,till I seen his poo.
Gave him some MR earlier and he always runs to Mama after and drinks from her, so I'm afraid to give him a whole bottle.
But I will feed him more and watch his poo.
Thanks so much,
Chris

springvalley · #4 04/25/12, 06:56 AM

Sure won`t hurt to give him an extra bottle a day. > Thanks Marc

ufo_chris · #5 04/25/12, 09:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by springvalley

Sure won`t hurt to give him an extra bottle a day. > Thanks Marc

Thanks ,I will!

SpaceCadet12364 · #6 04/26/12, 12:54 PM

We raise HIghlands. And Calves are usually sampling grass by a week.WE have a 14 year old Cow that has a Udder like yours and does fine. Her calves some time will only nurse on
one or two teat's at a time and will go back to those two every time till the try on of the others. Then they get some milk. Remember Highland milk has a higher fat content. We had one get to cold one year temp. didn't register on thermometer (cold) brought her inside for two weeks then gave her back to mom. Mom sniffed her, licked her, then walked off with her. I fed her and mom a bottle a day what ever she didn't drink mom did. After a week she didn't want a bottle any more.

ufo_chris · #7 04/28/12, 04:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpaceCadet12364

We raise HIghlands. And Calves are usually sampling grass by a week.WE have a 14 year old Cow that has a Udder like yours and does fine. Her calves some time will only nurse on
one or two teat's at a time and will go back to those two every time till the try on of the others. Then they get some milk. Remember Highland milk has a higher fat content. We had one get to cold one year temp. didn't register on thermometer (cold) brought her inside for two weeks then gave her back to mom. Mom sniffed her, licked her, then walked off with her. I fed her and mom a bottle a day what ever she didn't drink mom did. After a week she didn't want a bottle any more.

Thanks Spacecadet.
Yeah, her udder is all lopsided too but it's been like that and she raised her other calves w/o help.
He is grazing too but I know they say they don't really convert grass at that age. What age do they? 2 months maybe?
I've been feeding him 1/2 btl, morning ,1/2 btl at night ,just to make sure and his poo does look better.
I will probably cut him down to 1 soon to see how does.
BTW Spacecadet ,never heard back from you about the trade (your white bull ,my black heifer), figured it was too far?! Didn't realize how far you were.
Thanks, Chris

SpaceCadet12364 · #8 04/28/12, 11:25 PM

Had to clean out my PM folders....that was maybe a year ago? Thought you weren't interested anymore, from what I remember. It may have boiled down to distance, I had a handful of people that were asking about him at one point. But then didnt hear from people. I remember one person that didnt know if they wanted to wait around for a yearling to be probably able to do the job...cant remember who that was. :\

Finally ended up trading him with a guy down in TN, a couple weeks ago...glad I didnt have to steer him, he is a pretty guy. Shaping up to be just like his daddy.

ufo_chris · #9 04/30/12, 02:17 AM

Spacecadet, No this was only a couple or so month ago ,I should have wrote you again. Maybe it got lost.
I think it was too far though, too bad!