[mike t]

My daughter has decided to raise bottle calves. She has three that are now 3 months old, and one new one. The calves seem to be doing well, except that the older ones have big stomachs, some bigger than others. The older calves are eating grass and coastal hay. What is the problem?

 

[HoosierDeb]

I don't know if it's the same for cattle as for horses but a big belly in horses will sometimes indicate internal parasites. Has she wormed them?

DebF

 

[mike t]

Yes, we did. I have seen this before in orphan calves. I think it is a nutrition problem, but obviously don't know.

 

[Jena]

Orphan calves typically have a pot belly. You can do everything right, but they still look like orphans. If you keep feeding them, they will grow out of it...sometimes.

Jena

 

[Jackpine Savage]

It could be what's referred to as "hay belly". The calf is filling up on lower quality hay or grass that's not meeting it's nutritional requirements. We would normally be giving calves that size some grain supplementation.