Recent content by UbiCaritas

All I can tell you about what's growing in that pasture is that whatever it is has been growing there for years, and has never made anyone sick. It's mostly grass. In case something new and noxious has blown in, I plan to take my camera and take a picture of every weed I see there, for...

Hi Everyone, I treated my first case of bloat yesterday evening. My grandfather called me at 6:00 and said he had a sick calf and needed help holding her to give her penicillin. When I arrived 20 minutes later I was completely alarmed by her condition. Her breathing was labored (to understate...

She's simmental/hereford. This is probably calf #4. (Grandpa doesn't keep track, much to my dismay). She was not a particularly heavy milker, but she raised her calves fine in the past.

No, it's not the same cow. This cow has a month old bull calf. On Thursday when we corraled her to medicate, she went down in the squeeze chute. When she was still down Friday afternoon she got flucort and banamine, and was up for a little while that night. Today she was down again until this...

Hmm, well, if that's not enough, then I'm confused, because the Vet and the Beef Cattle Science books and all the papers I can find on University Extension sites recommend 10% of body weight daily. My maternal instinct certainly leads me toward feeding her more!

A cow with a 2-week-old calf is producing large amounts of diarrhea, occasionally with white mucus in it. I first noticed this 3 days ago. She is also not producing a whole lot of milk (perhaps due to dehydration?). Her calf has been growing well but is now looking rather gaunt. He won't take a...

Yes, about 5.4 pints is right. Increasing gradually as she tolerates it.

I have been gradually increasing from 10% of her body weight daily so that now she's getting about 15%, without any sign of scours. (She did scour at the beginning, also had a fever, treated with penicillin). It's a 20/20 mix, all milk-based, no soy. She wants more than I'm willing to give...

:?: Just looking for input on what to do for new calves, and also for their mothers. What vitamins/supplements would you normally give new calves? Do you treat every calf, or just those who seem to need it? How about mothers who are struggling, not making much milk, etc? Thanks! Emily

I have a pair of twins born on March 10. One was 45 pounds, the other 35. Mother showed little interest in either. I took the little one to the house and have been bottle-feeding her since, while the mother eventually took the other calf. She doesn't have a lot of milk, but should be enough for...