abandoned calf

[barrelracer8992]

had a cow die having a calf, calf is still alive, 2 days old today, needed some advise on feeding it. thanx

[Guinea mama]

Sorry to hear about your cow. Have you started your baby on the bottle? They should get 1 bottle 2 times a day with warm milk. You can get your milk replacement from any farm store although we prefer the grain elevator. If it is not on the bottle soon it will die. Also you might try a bag of replacement colostrum since it did not get any from mom.

[Mc's Farm]

If you have other cattle that just had a calf, within a few days, you may want to try this...using vanilla extract rub over the cow's calf & then on the orphan. The cow should accept orphan as it's own. If not, you need to do what guinea mama states or that calf will be dead in 2 days. Good luck.

[wr]

There's no point in worrying about colostrum now, the stomach lining has already changed. I expect that the calf must be on a bottle, a new born calf will not survive 2 days with no nourishment.

[allenslabs]

What are the actions of the calf? Alert? Get on the bottle asap if the you don't have another mommy! It needs a bottle (normal calf bottle 4 pints size) twice and day. If you start to notice some dehydration (sunken eyes, tight skin, listlessness) give him an electrolye bottle in the middle. You can feed him pedialyte (used on babies), gatorade or I mix mine of 2-3 pints water w/a little salt and baking soda. I have to look up exactly how much. Someone else on here might know. Anyway. . . . . best of luck!! Poor little fella.

[BJE Farm]

Originally Posted by barrelracer8992

had a cow die having a calf, calf is still alive, 2 days old today, needed some advise on feeding it. thanx

Did it get its clostrum (the first milk the cow gives) It is wery important they can get that milk it helps to build the emunity system...

I am sorry What kinda cow is it.. if it is a Jersey, to much milk will harm her more that help her about a 1/2 a bottle will be best and need to move to 3/4 later on...

if it isn't a jersey that it will be alright to feed it a whole bottle, for as much as I know, Find out from someone who specializes in that breed.

Good luck

[barrelracer8992]

Yeah the calf is doing fine, he is drinking a whole bottle of milk morning and evening. He is a hereford and Angus mix. Really pretty calf. Will a calf without a mommy stunt its growth. Im really happy that the calf lived. Vet came out and said she was straing to hard having the calf because it a really big calf. She busted her insides. Im really disappointed, she was a really good cow. We tried sticking the calf on another cow by using the vanilla extract but she almost killed him by kicking him. But i hope this calf still lives as well as he is now. thanx for all of the advise.

[dosthouhavemilk]

Stunted?

Boy, if that were the case dairy farmers would never raise their calves by hand.


Our calves are all raised by hand and do very well. Stunting should not be an issue. With you raising the calf yourself, you will hopefully be more aware of how the calf is doing and be able to react and take care of the calf the same as their dam would have.

[Mutti]

We are currently raising a beef calf that the neighbor gave us 'cause her mama had been shot and killed. Luckily had had colustrum a she was about 6 days old. Two bottles a day, clean water at all times and calf starter. Our milk replacer says not to wean off bottle until they are taking at least 1 1/2 lbs. grain a day...our little piggie is up to that already at three weeks old. She also gets fresh flake of hay daily and is eating more of that each day....I think it is important that they get sunshine,too...we took down a solid board wall and put a hog panel over one end of the barn so she can lay in the sun and she usually is these nice days. She likes to talk to the other cows,too. Tried having one of our other mamas feed here but no go...would let her nurse only if mama was in the stanchion....didn't know the vanilla trick! DEE