3 wk old Jersey calf with shaking legs- help!

[dutchcowboy]

Thank you for the replies. This bag of milk replacer says t.o feed 2-3 quts, 2-3 times daily, so I guess I will substitute the replacer for the whole milk and just keep a close eye on them. We planned on cutting them at 5 months to maximize their growth potential before they got too mean! Anything about the shaky legs?

Hi,

Those shaky legs, does it look like he's getting electro-shocks ?
In the past I had a purebred Belgian bleu that did the same, during feeding was the worst, then it became less severe.
After a few weeks it looked like he was paralysed, couldn't stand up alone.
Had to put him down, vet told he was suffering from CMD (congetinale musculaire dystonie) , a genetic defect in the nervessystem. Seems to be seen more often in the BB breed. They name it ' electric calves'
The symptoms can be very light but also very heavy.
Don't know if its possible that the yersey breed has this defect.

Gr. DC

 

[mitz1]

Finally! Someone answers the original question. Thank you! No...he didn't look like he was being shocked, he looked like he was having tremors in his hind legs and that they could collapse at any second. The kids told me he did the same thing the other day when they fed him. This is bad news...I sure hope it isn't a genetic issue, I would hate to lose him! He is totally fine tonight. I will see what tomorrow brings.

 

[dutchcowboy]

Hi,

When its only somekind of convulsion its not so bad.
He'll probarly wont grow so fast like his brother.
Did see some calves with the light symptoms once, they were a bit behind the rest, guess they tasted the same

DC

 

[mitz1]

He is smaller than his buddy. And he always acts like he is starving, really persistent even after his bottle is done, wheras the other guy can usually be distracted. Sure hope he doesn't go South!

 

[cow pollinater]

Could just be a jersey being a jersey. :lol: I can't see how the one you have is shaking to compare it to anything I've seen but I deal with a ton of older jerseys and they shake, twist, cross thier legs, fall down, more than any any other breed on the face of the planet. It's common knowledge around here that jerseys are just weird to deal with.
As far as the rest of the responses, You'll have problems trying to raise jerseys on sacked milk replacer unless you cut the water content WAY back. They are made to eat fat and protien and that's why mommy's milk is rich in both.

 

[mitz1]

Good to know that maybe he is just a weirdo. I will think positive. what about throwing a few eggs in with the CMR?