2 month old bottle calf - won’t drink milk

[Penelope’s Mom]

Hey All, new here so hope I’m posting in the right place! Anyways, let’s get into it.

I have a 8-9 week old bottle calf, got her a week ago. She’s a limousin heifer. I took her as a last resort Hail Mary, she was/is very underweight (maybe 85lbs) and getting her I knew I had to prepare myself that she might not pull through as she was basically as good as dead the day she was dropped off. Good news - she has definitely perked up and put some weight on in the week that I’ve had her.

Here is the trouble: she is not eating enough calf starter to sustain herself let alone put on weight and dislikes the milk replacer. I am currently feeding her 2 farm fresh raw eggs and 1 banana in a mush 4x a day and it is gone within minutes. I even tried slipping some milk replacer in the mush and there’s a few licks and then she turns her head. I completely realize that the mush is not sustainable long-term but it was that or a dead calf. Before this she was taking at max 3/4 of a PINT milk replacer 2x a day (yes pint, not quart) and was fading fast, I tried different nipples, a bucket instead of a bottle and she just won’t take it.

She currently has free choice good quality calf starter, free choice hay, fresh water, cobalt salt block and the mush 4x a day. I know at this point some may suggest just the calf starter and the hay but as I said she is not eating enough of just that to sustain herself. I’m wondering if anyone has dealt with this before? Is there more I can do for her or something I’m missing? I should mention the vet will be out this week, but if anyone has suggestions or a tried and true method I’m all ears. I grew up on a Clydesdale farm, before last week I’d never dealt with any sort of cow let alone an underweight calf so I am completely out of my element.

 

[CG1]

Never had this that is odd. Have you tried just putting whole milk or powdered milk into a bucket to drink from no nipple?

 

[Penelope’s Mom]

Yes I did try a bucket and both replacer and whole milk, both with no luck. She drinks water from the bucket with no issues and will suck on any surface of my skin she can get her mouth on so latching doesn’t seem to be the issue. The farmer who dropped her off said she had been a trouble eater from the start, and they had only done milk/replacer to this point. Do you think it is possible as ridiculous as it seems that she simply just doesn’t like milk?

 

[TCRanch]

I dunno. I had a 40 lb preemie that was orphaned at 10 weeks and absolutely refused a bottle, bucket, milk replacer sprinkled on feed. Never saw her rob off other cows and she never had the tell-tale slick face but she was all about her calf starter & cubes. She's now one of my best cows & raising her 8th calf (which I'm absolutely keeping as a replacement!).

 

[JMJ Farms]

Odd situation. Few things you can try.
1) Try to make sure the calf starter stays fresh. Try to only give her what she cleans up daily. May entice her to eat more.
2) Try to mix some milk replacer with starter rather than sprinkling on top.
3) Maybe try a different milk replacer.
4) Give her a shot of Dexamethasone. It’s a steroid and should stimulate her appetite some.
5) Get her a buddy to go with her so she has to compete for her groceries. Don’t ask me why but sometimes it makes them more aggressive about eating. I guess it’s nature. Compete or die. Idk.

Just a few thoughts. Not sure if it will help.

 

[TCRanch]

Odd situation. Few things you can try.
1) Try to make sure the calf starter stays fresh. Try to only give her what she cleans up daily. May entice her to eat more.
2) Try to mix some milk replacer with starter rather than sprinkling on top.
3) Maybe try a different milk replacer.
4) Give her a shot of Dexamethasone. It’s a steroid and should stimulate her appetite some.
5) Get her a buddy to go with her so she has to compete for her groceries. Don’t ask me why but sometimes it makes them more aggressive about eating. I guess it’s nature. Compete or die. Idk.

Just a few thoughts. Not sure if it will help.

Good suggestions. But I'll add Vitamin B Complex for energy, not a stimulant and can be given daily. And/or probiotics.

 

[greggy]

Prob does not help that it is a loner.

I would persist, the milk is the best thing, if she will lick you, keep dipping your hand in the milk, back calf into a corner when feed limited, get them licking and sucking your fingers and slide the teat in from time too time.

Some just do not like the texture or rubber on the teat, so even try another teat, coat it in milk or something else the calf likes, hold the teat in and put your fingers over top, or bottom, and express the milk out, after 2 3 squeezes, take fingers out and let it swallow, repeat...

You have to be more determined than the calf, it has taken me a week at times to get some going, others are onto it in a few minutes.

It will likely start having complications if you do not get the right amount of correct mixed good quality milk replacer into it, they really need that milk.

I had a couple I could not get to take the teat properly, they did take from bucket, and only one that refused either, but she was already a big heifer as her mother had been feeding her well & she had no drama eating plenty of everything else, she was prob 220 or so lbs so large enough to wean from milk anyway & she was very, very healthy and strong....i.e, you could not force her anyways.

 

[JMJ Farms]

Odd situation. Few things you can try.
1) Try to make sure the calf starter stays fresh. Try to only give her what she cleans up daily. May entice her to eat more.
2) Try to mix some milk replacer with starter rather than sprinkling on top.
3) Maybe try a different milk replacer.
4) Give her a shot of Dexamethasone. It’s a steroid and should stimulate her appetite some.
5) Get her a buddy to go with her so she has to compete for her groceries. Don’t ask me why but sometimes it makes them more aggressive about eating. I guess it’s nature. Compete or die. Idk.

Just a few thoughts. Not sure if it will help.

Good suggestions. But I'll add Vitamin B Complex for energy, not a stimulant and can be given daily. And/or probiotics.

Good suggestion. I didn’t think about that. Anytime something is puny or sick or whatever I always give a shot of Vitamin A&D and a BoSe shot. Like the Vitamin B, it cant hurt anything.

I normally would say that, when she she gets hungry, she’ll eat. But in this case I’m not sure. Maybe.

 

[Penelope’s Mom]

Odd situation. Few things you can try.
1) Try to make sure the calf starter stays fresh. Try to only give her what she cleans up daily. May entice her to eat more.
2) Try to mix some milk replacer with starter rather than sprinkling on top.
3) Maybe try a different milk replacer.
4) Give her a shot of Dexamethasone. It’s a steroid and should stimulate her appetite some.
5) Get her a buddy to go with her so she has to compete for her groceries. Don’t ask me why but sometimes it makes them more aggressive about eating. I guess it’s nature. Compete or die. Idk.

Just a few thoughts. Not sure if it will help.

Thank you for your reply. I have been making sure the starter is fresh, I read that when it is left out it gets stale (kind of like a cracker left on the counter vs one fresh out of the package). I will try mixing the replacer in, and speak with the vet about getting a shot of Dexamethasone when he is in later this week.

I have been hesitant to get another calf but your point about competing for food (there will always be plenty) is a great point and I think the companionship would also help, a loner herd animal seldom does great. Thank you for sharing these ideas!

 

[Penelope’s Mom]

Prob does not help that it is a loner.

I would persist, the milk is the best thing, if she will lick you, keep dipping your hand in the milk, back calf into a corner when feed limited, get them licking and sucking your fingers and slide the teat in from time too time.

Some just do not like the texture or rubber on the teat, so even try another teat, coat it in milk or something else the calf likes, hold the teat in and put your fingers over top, or bottom, and express the milk out, after 2 3 squeezes, take fingers out and let it swallow, repeat...

You have to be more determined than the calf, it has taken me a week at times to get some going, others are onto it in a few minutes.

It will likely start having complications if you do not get the right amount of correct mixed good quality milk replacer into it, they really need that milk.

I had a couple I could not get to take the teat properly, they did take from bucket, and only one that refused either, but she was already a big heifer as her mother had been feeding her well & she had no drama eating plenty of everything else, she was prob 220 or so lbs so large enough to wean from milk anyway & she was very, very healthy and strong....i.e, you could not force her anyways.

Okay, I will stay persistent with the milk. She loves latching onto my fingers, I have tried sneaking the teat in but it she figures it out quickly and gets disgruntled. I believe what you said about determination is true, she is still small enough that I can handle her so I should attempt to nip it in the bud and get her back on the bottle as I am worried about her declining, thank you very much for the suggestions!

 

[Penelope’s Mom]

Odd situation. Few things you can try.
1) Try to make sure the calf starter stays fresh. Try to only give her what she cleans up daily. May entice her to eat more.
2) Try to mix some milk replacer with starter rather than sprinkling on top.
3) Maybe try a different milk replacer.
4) Give her a shot of Dexamethasone. It’s a steroid and should stimulate her appetite some.
5) Get her a buddy to go with her so she has to compete for her groceries. Don’t ask me why but sometimes it makes them more aggressive about eating. I guess it’s nature. Compete or die. Idk.

Just a few thoughts. Not sure if it will help.

Good suggestions. But I'll add Vitamin B Complex for energy, not a stimulant and can be given daily. And/or probiotics.

Good suggestion. I didn’t think about that. Anytime something is puny or sick or whatever I always give a shot of Vitamin A&D and a BoSe shot. Like the Vitamin B, it cant hurt anything.

I normally would say that, when she she gets hungry, she’ll eat. But in this case I’m not sure. Maybe.

Okay! Thank you for all the suggestions about the shots, B complex and the probiotics. At this point I’m willing to try anything, and will see what concoction I can give her while keeping her healthy. She can literally only go up from here, but she has fight in her so here’s to hoping she does only go up from here

 

[greggy]

You may be well advised to talk too a local vet.

Hold off giving any anti biotics unless there is a diagnosis requiring it....

Vaccines and vitamins etc wont hurt.....

After you give the milk....if she is not eating calf starter pellets....get a handful of yhem and shove them in her mouth too and make her chew them by preventing her spitting them out.

If you can get her eating a high protien and energy feed...that will work.....hold hay and grass to only a handfull a day...

If she has acess to grass or hay she may be filling on that and that is not good....some of them will do that

I also found when you do groups or at least pairs...it is easier, if I had one like that, I would pair her up with the best eater....they learn quick then...or go hungry.....

Just think of like a bodybuilder....young growing animals need good protien and energy sources that are easy to digest....aka ..... Milky time or something close ..

 

[farmerjan]

I am big on vitamins and b-12 or just B-complex will help with the appetite stimulant. And yes, competition will usually help. Sometimes when they are slow to learn what the feed bunk is, they will follow another calf to "see " what is there.... hey, they are eating it, must be good, hey, I want some..... monkey see, monkey do.

Bless your heart for trying all the ways you have. Especially not having cattle experience. Some just don't like the replacer taste.... some the nipple texture. Try putting some electrolytes in the bucket of water for extra energy.....
Some like our red polls, are not big grain eaters.... but as youngun's they do need the protein and "concentrated food value" that they get in milk or a grain.