Calf refusing to eat

ThePigeonKid · #1 12/26/12, 08:57 AM

Hi, the day before yesterday I got my first Jersey bulls calves. They are just over two weeks old. They are both having yellowish diarrhea, the seller said that that was normal, they were just stressed.

When I got them home and it was time to feed them, the one ate and the other one would not eat, so I tried again yesterday morning and he ate it all. I fed him again last night and he ate his entire bottle again. This morning I fed the one calf (who’s been eating normally) and then when I tried to feed the other one he would not eat again today…

They are not having a lot of diarrhea, but some is starting to be greenish.

Also, they were being fed whole milk and I am feeding them DuMOR® Ultra Milk Replacer. I don’t know if this is normal and if I am overreacting or is something wrong???

Should I just try to feed him this evening and go from there??? Would pics of the poo and the calf help?

Thanks!

G. Seddon · #2 12/26/12, 09:13 AM

My GUESS is the change in feed from whole milk (better) to milk replacer. But I am a complete neophyte with bottle babies. I do know you cannot sit on this problem, you will need to act quickly. Dehydration is a major killer of bottle calves if they scour.

Read the thread on bottle babies at the top of the board.

Hopefully, some of the bottle baby experts here will have concrete suggestions!

Judy in IN · #3 12/26/12, 11:59 AM

Did you get them off the farm, or from an auction? Whole different critter, depending on where you got them.

If you can, buy 5 gallons of raw milk for them. Then, I'd feed raw milk for a few feedings to get them straightened up. I'd give the non-eating one a shot of Baytril or LA200. You can give them electrolytes in between feedings to keep them hydrated. You can use Scour Halt for pigs, add plain yogurt to their milk, raw egg in their bottle.

Hold the bottle about knee height. You can give them pneumonia by holding the bottle up high.

Draft-free place with a heat mat or lamp.

myheaven · #4 12/26/12, 01:35 PM

Get electrolytes in him now. It's too cold to wait. I he won't take a bottle tube him.