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3wk 4H dairy calf bloating on bottle
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<blockquote data-quote="milkmaid" data-source="post: 522222" data-attributes="member: 852"><p>Could consider a partial twist or defective digestive tract... When a calf drinks milk, there is a groove that is designed to send their milk directly to the abomasum, where it is digested and then sent on through the rest of the calf. An adult animal no longer has that capability, as all their food gets sent to the rumen where bacteria break it up and digest it. Were that groove not present or not working correctly in the calf, all their milk would be sent to the rumen (where fermentation of hay and grain normally takes place in an adult animal). Now picture a calf's milk sent to the rumen and the lactose being fermented... there's a cause of bloat. Could explain why she does better when just on electrolytes.</p><p></p><p>In your place... well, 1) I know what holstein heifers are worth (I'd easily pay $500 for a week old any time), and I'll personally do about anything to keep one, to the extent of spending way more on them than any sane person would. LOL. Any long time member of the forum can testify that MM gives animals way more chances than anyone should. <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite7" alt=":p" title="Stick out tongue :p" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":p" /></p><p> 2) The calf may be fine if it's on hay and grain -- and off milk. We had a lamb a year or two ago that was a chronic bloater after feeding, but was fine once weaned. </p><p>3) For a heifer, my criteria for calling it quits would be when the animal is costing more money than I paid for them, or the animal is sick or injured to the extent that they cannot recover (say a shattered, broken leg, or a downer that's given up). In your place I'd continue working with her.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="milkmaid, post: 522222, member: 852"] Could consider a partial twist or defective digestive tract... When a calf drinks milk, there is a groove that is designed to send their milk directly to the abomasum, where it is digested and then sent on through the rest of the calf. An adult animal no longer has that capability, as all their food gets sent to the rumen where bacteria break it up and digest it. Were that groove not present or not working correctly in the calf, all their milk would be sent to the rumen (where fermentation of hay and grain normally takes place in an adult animal). Now picture a calf's milk sent to the rumen and the lactose being fermented... there's a cause of bloat. Could explain why she does better when just on electrolytes. In your place... well, 1) I know what holstein heifers are worth (I'd easily pay $500 for a week old any time), and I'll personally do about anything to keep one, to the extent of spending way more on them than any sane person would. LOL. Any long time member of the forum can testify that MM gives animals way more chances than anyone should. :P 2) The calf may be fine if it's on hay and grain -- and off milk. We had a lamb a year or two ago that was a chronic bloater after feeding, but was fine once weaned. 3) For a heifer, my criteria for calling it quits would be when the animal is costing more money than I paid for them, or the animal is sick or injured to the extent that they cannot recover (say a shattered, broken leg, or a downer that's given up). In your place I'd continue working with her. [/QUOTE]
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