Another calf question . . .

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LGodlove

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Got a 65 pound calf at the sale on Saturday. Saturday evening, gave her 2 quarts of the best medicated calf milk replacer you can buy plus PowerPunch (contains B-vitamins, selenium, etc.) and TSV2 vacc plus shot of penicillin.

Next morning, Sunday--she sucked 2-qts milk replacer w/PowerPunch in it and had 2-qts warm water at noon and sucked it and 2-qts milk replacer that evening w/PowerPunch in it.

Monday--I saw signs of scours so I gave her a sulfa bolus. I was concerned she may get pneumonia, so I gave her Nuflor. she sucked 2 qt milk replacer w/PowerPunch in it (was playing w/bottle) in the morning and at noon would not suck, so I tubed her with 2 qts of warm water plus pepto. I had to tube her evening bottle of 2qts milk replacer added Re-sorb and Powerpunch to it.

I just woke up here almost midnight, and tubed her with 2-qts of Re-sorb.

She still has a dry nose and shivers a bit (I have a heat lamp on her.) She doesn't want to suck her bottle either.

What am I missing? I hope I can get her to suck in the morning.

Help, please.
 
This is just my opinion, but sounds like your givin her too much at one time....much better to have smaller meals more times a day, than to put that much liquid into one that size all at once.
 
The recomendation on the bag of milk is for a 100 lb holstein calf. Sounds like way too much for a 65 lb calf, some will take it and go on ,but it sounds like this one won't. Skip milk this morning. Give her the Re-sorb instead, aomething like 1 quart every 2 hours during the day. If you got it give lactated ringers under the SQ in the neck. Try to get a couple of bags in her this morning. I would not put electrolytes in the milk. Keep us posted.

Larry
 
When you notice scours, reduce her milk and keep the electrolytes to her. She is getting way too much at only 65lb.
 
It is really surprising that she'll take more than 3 pints. 2 pints is what I am thinking she should take. She was probably really hungry the first feeding.
 
LGodlove":iadzg5qa said:
Larry,
What are lactated ringers? I've never heard of them before.
It is a re hydration IV fluid. It will have to come from a vet and you will need a disposable IV set. I would think any vet would have this or something similar.

Larry
 
larryshoat":14xmoxbf said:
LGodlove":14xmoxbf said:
Larry,
What are lactated ringers? I've never heard of them before.
It is a re hydration IV fluid. It will have to come from a vet and you will need a disposable IV set. I would think any vet would have this or something similar.

Larry

I agree, LR.
If you have never given or have IV set, get your vet to do this. When a calf has the scours and will not drink/eat they go down fast.
Dry nose and shivers, not good. Sounds very dehydrated and fever. Have you checked her temp :?: With a temp they go even faster.

This is why:
Dry nose- not enough fluid intake, its equivalent to a sick human baby that has no tears when they cry. Not enough fluid in the body to make tears. One, first sign of dehydration.

Shivering- The bodys way of regulating body temp. When you don't have enough fluid in your body you can go into hypovalemic shock, low fluid volume. The lower the blood volume the more other systems need to compinsate, she is shivering because of lack of profusion and thats the bodys fail safe way of keeping her warm.
This is very hard on the body,and calf's get real weak and fade fast.
But just know if you can get Iv's into her today, like now!
You might be able to pull her out of it. Time is an important factor!!!!!!!!

Good luck, I wish you the best.
 
You can give lactated ringers or any type of saline solution SubQ too... warm 'em up and give them under the skin.
 
I got my a-- in gear when I read the replies and gave her a shot of whiskey to warm her up. She shivered after I tubed her and it may have been due to her peeing and scouring and having a wet behind and it's also about 27 degrees and windy here today, but I have her inside. I don't think she's dehydrated bad enough to need an IV (and if I call a vet out--I'll get a boot in my a-- about it later.)

As a side note: I have five others doing fine. My problem is--I extremely suck as a shotgiver. I'm not afraid of needles and I can lay down any calf, but this damn Nuflor is so thick and you are supposed to give it subcutaneously in the neck. I use the 16 needle and can't seem to get it right and get more on the outside of the calf than the inside where I want it. I am so pissed at myself about this--it really makes me feel ignorant. I've been giving shots since October 19, I guess after I use a few of these poor buggers as pin cushions and waste a lot of Nuflor (expensive) I'll finally get it down pat x*&^%$@!! :mad:

Here is a pic of her, she's a real beauty. I want her as part of my herd of ladies, so I've got to get her well.
DSCN2060.JPG
 
Thanks, showsteer.

Also, I wanted to ask how you all think these boys look so far. My oldest three will be 8 weeks old on Saturday and my youngest one (who was part of the second set I got) will be 5 weeks old this Saturday. (His buddy, Loverboy passed away last Friday morning. I was later told that Loverboy was probably not given colostrum and those without it will live to about 4 weeks old, as long as your treating them, is that true?)

Also, I have a question about disinfection/sanitation. I want to do that to their current pen after I move them somewhere else. Is it best to use lime, after I remove all bedding or use a clorox spray solution. Yes, unfortunately my shed has a dirt floor. Thanks for your help.

[/img]http://cattletoday.com/photos/data/500/thumbs/DSCN2061.JPG
http://cattletoday.com/photos/data/500/thumbs/DSCN2062.JPG
 
2 quarts of liquid anything for a calf this small is too much at one time.

Mix the milk replacer and the electrolytes with less water.

Milk replacer....mix the amount of dry milk replacer it takes to make 2 quarts with 1 quart of water.

Electrolytes...mix the package of electrolytes with 1 quart of water.

Morning...feed milk replacer

2 hours later feed electrolytes

Evening...feed milk replacer

2 hours later feed electrolytes

Too much liquid at one time is hard on a little one that size...it's gut just can process all of it.

AND, don't forget the probios/yogurt.

Alice :)
 
Nuflor can also be given in the neck IM. You have to repeat the shot sooner so read the directions.
If you are having problems giving the shots, practice on an orange or grapefruit. Better yet, talk to the vet and get them to show you. They are good at teaching the rancher how to give the shot.
Add in an anti inflam and give the drugs a chance to work. Smaller feedings more often are better than alot at once.

Good luck and keep us posted.
Remember a phone call to the vet is free...just support their office when you can
 
There just isn;t a really good way to disinfect dirt except a lot of sun. For the hard surfaces, bleach and water is about as good as it gets.
 
To this day I have a beautiful spot under and wonderful shade three that could handle 10 hutches easily...and I wouldn't put them there if it were the last place on the farm. Whatever got into the earth there when we had a run of bad luck with some calves is virulent. I've given that spot 2 chances...and bombed both times.

Like Dun said, the best is sun...and that takes a long, long, long time...if ever.

Alice
 
I agree with dun and Alice there is just not a good way to sanitize most facilities. Remove all you can then spray clorox or vircon S. The lime would not hurt either. If we can take bacteria and viruses from a billion whatever down to a million you would think that it would have to help.

Larry
 

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