3 Day Old Cow Wont Eat

[LizHartley1991]

If she is taking her full ration of milk replacer every day and not dehydrated I don't see the reason for the electrolytes.

She has a mild dehydration going on / mild scours from the medication I've had to give her the last three days. I give her 2 pints (1 quart) twice a day to help fight off the scours from the medication. I got probias for her to do it would help balance stuff out.

 

[LizHartley1991]

Update on Mira: She's been eating her full eight pints (2 quarts) in the morning and evening. "
Holy cow! Here we go again! Are you serious lady? I've felt from the Git go we are being catfished. Any way...Merry Christmas.

I'm serious... I think Mira has just been pretty up and down sick on me so she was having a time of being to yucky to eat or feeling decent enough to eat.

 

[LizHartley1991]

Ain't nothing wrong will hauling her in the back seat. That used to be the common method of hauling pigs, goats, foals, fowl and calves.

Really...? I mean I guess they do it with dogs and cats so that's like the same thing... And I've seen people do it with baby lambs a lot... Hmm... I think I'll csll the vet tomorrow since I'm off work. See what they say about just looking at her and giving me there thoughts

 

[Silver]

How are you confirming that she is dehydrated?

 

[LizHartley1991]

How are you confirming that she is dehydrated?

I don't remember saying she was dehydrated actually... So much stuff has happened that I'm not able to remember everything I said at this point with my poor calf.

Mira isn't dehydrated right now. She has mild scours - nothing serious but it could lead to it if not watched since she's already emaciated like (meaning she's very gaunt like since I got her, so she looks underweight). The electrolytes I'm giving her is from the medication. She's been taking Thiamine twice a day the last three days on vet suggestion. The thiamin has made her have runny, thickish greenish light brown poops, which is a sign of scours. Or can lead to it according to most of the old farm guys I've talked to the past three weeks. So I got the electrolytes to help with those scours and to combat possible dehydration. And it's helpjbg her out. I'll give it another day of the stuff then pull back and see how she does.

 

[Silver]

I was just wondering. Giving electrolytes for several days can cause it's own set of problems. I wouldn't necessarily call runny poops scours. I check for dehydration by pinching the soft skin above the eye and see how quickly it springs back to normal. If it pops right back the way it was it's a good indication that there is no dehydration present.

 

[LizHartley1991]

I was just wondering. Giving electrolytes for several days can cause it's own set of problems. I wouldn't necessarily call runny poops scours. I check for dehydration by pinching the soft skin above the eye and see how quickly it springs back to normal. If it pops right back the way it was it's a good indication that there is no dehydration present.

Above the eye, really? I've been doing the neck pinch check to see how she's doing and no dehydration so far. But like I said, the electrolyte hasn't been going on long. Just the last three days. Tomorrow will be the last day. I'll give her one quart then call it good. I don't wanna give her more complications

 

[Rafter S]

Update on Mira: She's been eating her full eight pints (2 quarts) in the morning and evening. "
Holy cow! Here we go again! Are you serious lady? I've felt from the Git go we are being catfished. Any way...Merry Christmas.

The lady said she isn't good at math. I suppose this is just an example. Hopefully the 2 quarts per feeding is correct and not the 8 pints.

I think I got this right this time!

4 Pints (2 quarts) x 2 a day = 8 Pints (4 quarts) right? Cause that's what I'm doing 2 pints equals 1 quarts. I give her 4 pints in the morning (2 quarts in the morning) and 4 pints in the evening (2 quarts in the evening). So she drinks 4 altogether... Right??

That's exactly right.

 

[LizHartley1991]

Is it normal for a tiny patch of skin behind a calf's head to be pinched? It's like she has a puff flap of skin right behind the back of her skull and on her neck.

Can calves get arthritis and can their limbs make cracking noises when they lay down?

I swear my calf is weird... I know I know. Need to get her to a vet. Gonna try today or this week before Christmas break starts hitting everyone.

 

[LizHartley1991]

Mira drank her bottle so hard and fast that she made the plastic of the bottle warp into itself... She was very hungry I suppose?

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

That is awesome. You might get some calf feed & start letting her suck them off your fingers. Leave maybe 1/2 cup (like 4 ounces in a measuring cup) in a pan for her to nibble on in the barn.

 

[dun]

I'm starting to see a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel. Sure hope it isn;t a train headlight!

 

[LizHartley1991]

Mira's poop has been pretty runny and rough smelling. Her bedding area is getting a cleaning this week since I'll be off after the 20th for holiday break.

In the meantime, I had an older cattle woman - that I've known since I was in diapers - talk to me at orscheln's yesterday. I'd been trying to get ahold of her for awhile so I could tell her my concerns and all the troubles I went through with Mira. But she's been across the state for weddings apparently.

Anyway after talking for over two hours in the parking lot, she gave me an interesting solution to help with Mira's runny poop that she herself does for her calves and something her mother taught her.

She said you get 1 cup of warm water then mix 3 tablespoons of Sure-Jell gelatin (or any flavorless pectin) into a bottle. Stir it up and then quickly feed it to the calf before the solution hardens. Apparently the gelatin stops stomach content from cramping up because the gelatins jell's the contents inside the belly. Then an hour later you're suppose to feed the bottle calf half of what you normally give it (so if it's 2 quarts you'll feed them 1 quart). An hour later you repeat the gelatin solution. In six hours check the animals bowel movement. If you don't see an improvement in six hours, then she said for me to try combiotic and that I should also add an egg to every quart of milk to help give extra strength for the next few days.

I tried the gelatin mixture and this morning Mira's poop has improved. The main reason I was okay with trying this treatment is because the gelatin mix won't hurt the calf and can help strength it's stomach. And after looking this up, I found a bunch of other sources crediting this home remedy treatment so I felt okay to try it out (not that I don't trust her but every solution I've been given I looked into or asked a vet about).

I will say that Mira did not like the taste of it (don't blame her since it didn't look too yummy or smell yummy) but she sucked down most of it before jerking away from the taste.

She couldn't give me much suggestion for the other stuff I was worried about but she did tell me - as you all have - to relax and not overthink to much and that as long as I check her over and watch for any severe changes, I'm doing a well enough job. And that to get her to a vet as soon as I can to let them take over checking the other stuff and that it most likely isn't as severe as I'm afraid it is.

So that's been a nice help... On another note, Mira drank a full bottle of formula- topped with 1 egg for every quart (so two eggs) and she's doing good this morning and I plan to attempt to take her to the vets tomorrow to get a quick check over of her physical form since I still don't feel like she's gaining enough weight and still think her legs look wrong in the front.

But otherwise I'm really happy with how well she's eating her bottles. I'll defin be trying cow-pellet starter feed soon. Even if she's still not interested in the fresh water I keep putting out for her. Even trying to suckle finger dip her head into it isn't helping much.

 

[MRRherefords]

There will always be bumps along the way, but it sounds like she is doing well, (and not to give false hope), but once they really start taking that bottle and gaining strength, often times they make it.

 

[cowgirl8]

This thread has gotten really long for my patience to read it all...But, have you taken a stool sample to your vet lately? Sometimes these bottle calves can be a day to day challenge, but don't let anything get away from you that could be treated.. You get them over something and turn around and its something else. I have one that its been a uphill battle since she was about a month old.

 

[farmerjan]

Years ago a friend and his wife milked on a 200 cow dairy. He told me that an old black man said the fastest way to "fix" a problem with calves scouring is to mix a tbsp. of alum and an egg in a 1/2 bottle of replacer and feed the calf 3 feedings like that over the course of a day. I've often fed an egg in my replacer for calves that seem a little weaker. And I do not consider somewhat runny manure as scours.... to me scours is real runny like water, and shooting out when they go. I seem to get that at about 10 days or so, and it is almost always coccidiosis. Yes, I have been told over and over that it is species specific, but the only place I have this trouble is where I raised turkeys one year in a part of the barn that is now all for the calves and nurse cows. Don't have it anywhere else, like at the other place we sometimes have bottle calves. So I feel it is from the turkey induced coccidia. Unless someone can prove me wrong, I will still think that. And yes, I had calves there for a couple of years before I cut back on the calves and raised this group of 20 turkeys free range there.
There are packages that have a "gelling agent" in them that you can mix and feed quickly to calves that will do the same as the sure jell idea. Yes it helps. My thoughts are if you can get it to stay in the gut tract longer, the calf will get the nutrition out of it.

Regardless, I am glad that you talked to someone who you know and respect, face to face, and who you can hopefully call in an emergency in the future. And that she said to not over worry it.....

Unflavored Knox gelatin, that is suggested for people to drink to help strengthen their nails and hair, will do the same as surejell and maybe be a bit more palatable.

 

[LizHartley1991]

Mira is drinking her full bottles this morning and this evening. Her appetite has great improvement. Strangely she's more hungry in the morning than in the evening and sucks the bottle so hard it's warping. Also when I put the milk replacement into the bottle, it raises the amount. So if I put pints of water (2 quarts of water) and the full 10 ounces like the bag says, the bottle is filled completely to the top by the time it's all mixed in. Which is basically almost another pint all itself. She drinks all of that down and that's great.

The main concern things for myself is still how her legs look, how she still occasionally bumps into things (I'm starting to wonder if she's partially blind in one eye) and has a mild stumble, and the fact she's only showing any energy or interest when food is involved. Otherwise all she wants to do is stay in the area I made for her to sleep in, even if I leave the door open. She has no real interest in exploring. Even if I take her out of the barn and shut the door to get back in, she stays close to the barn or just lays down and won't move anywhere...

When I raised my other calf, Hope, back in 2009, I would let her try roaming out of the little pen we used to keep her in and she would be roaming almost everywhere if I left her alone. And Hope was dead - basically dead - when we saved her. Mira may have a lot of things going on, but she's actually a lot more healthier and bigger than Hope was when I first got her since Hope was 4-6 weeks prematurely born.

I guess what I'm concerned for is that Mira isn't really showing signs of interest and isn't really curious or playful like most calves I watch or like Hope was. I wish I had another animal to bring in to play with her or at least give her someone else to interact with since I can't be in her pen everyday and cows are naturally herd animals... Hell I can't even let my dog play with her because he's too hyper and too rough and barks at her because he's a doofus dog that I love but isn't very bright.

I guess I can count blessing that her ears aren't droopy and that she does like getting scratches and run downs and will rub her head on me and stay close to me and lick at me if I'm around her or after feedings and I give her lotsa attention and love every hour I can. And her poop is looking much better and it's actually not sticking thickly to her tail as much anymore. Plus her appetite and the fact she can stand up and move around should be good signs all things considered.

 

[LizHartley1991]

Rough morning. Mira was walking backwards in circles and swaying to the sides a lot. Had a hard time feeling her head up to eat. She ate it all but she'd go about half a pint then jerk her head away before circling me lik a dog with her tongue poked out for more food. She was still nuzzling and affectionate but I could tell it was like she was disoriented or confused this morning. Very strange...

 

[greatgerts]

Rough morning. Mira was walking backwards in circles and swaying to the sides a lot. Had a hard time feeling her head up to eat. She ate it all but she'd go about half a pint then jerk her head away before circling me lik a dog with her tongue poked out for more food. She was still nuzzling and affectionate but I could tell it was like she was disoriented or confused this morning. Very strange...

For 3 weeks others on this board have said to get a vet to see her. Just having a conversation over the phone does not work, unless they have already seen the animal already. Your friend that you talked to at Orscheln's even said to get her to a vet. The longer you wait, the worse it can get if she keeps going back to being wobbly and not keeping her head up. I know you want to do everything to help her and not euthanize her, but you should really get someone to physically look at her. It doesn't matter if you haul her to someone, or they come to you. If anything, it will give piece of mind that things are ok.

Feel free to shoot me a pm if you'd like. I don't remember what part of the state you are in, but I may know of some that can help (some will even do payment plans if finances aren't there).

 

[LizHartley1991]

Mira goes to the vet to be looked at tomorrow. It was the only day I could get her in. I'm glad I can finally get her in. You all have said I need to and I've wanted to but they either didn't have an opening or I was working and no one else would take her. But she's got an opening now so I'll be going in tomorrow morning with her and I'm hoping they can tell me something that won't mean culling or worse... I'll definitely let you all know.