blind calf wont walk

[lora]

We saved a cow that is partially blind. He still drinks from a bottle-eats grass and sweet feed when we shove it in his mouth. The problem is he won't get up on his own and won't walk on his own. Acts as if he's scared. How do we get him to walk and eat on his own?

 

[Dusty Britches]

I hate to be the first one to reply - but perhaps the best thing is euthansia. You can't spoon feed him for the rest of his life.

An overwhelming majority of blind calves become very dangerous as they get older just because they are very scared all of the time. He will never know where he is and to run a 500 pounder through the sale barn is a very sad sight.

However, if you are intent on keeping him, rub his legs and stand him up. Try giving him a "crutch" such as a halter that you can leave on him and teach him to follow the halter pressure. Use the halter to pull him up. Put the feed far enough away that he has to get up, even if it is just to stand. Force him up and give him the bottle, but stop feeding him while he is down. This will show him that standing is a good thing.

Good luck. I don't say this lightly, but you really should consider if euthansia is more humane.

 

[Little Cow]

Is he halter broke and can you work on getting him and walking him around his enclosure so he 'knows' where his fences are? Maybe try that twice a day. Maybe move his feed just beyond his reach so he has to get up to get to it, (though I wouldn't do that with his water)? Do you have any other cattle that he can follow around if you do get him up and moving? Barring that, I'd have to agree with Dusty. Unless he's a pet, you could also send him out to make freezer beef as long as your local slaughterhouse is willing to make special arrangements, (I guess he would be 'unintentional veal' :lol: ).

 

[mdmdogs3]

Dad had 2 calves that became blind
(something about grass seeds cutting their eyes - before I lived here)
they were in a small 1 acre pasture but never gained anything like a "normal" feeder calf - they would follow each other around and found comfort being together (herd animal 8) )
they would call to each other until they "found" the other...
Dad said that he would never again "mess" with a blind calf - more work that they were worth

 

[Alice]

How old is the calf?

 

[Rod]

I hate to be negitve but when they get to this point your just putting off the enavible.

 

[Keren]

I have had a couple of blind calves and at the moment have a blind wether. They can cope just fine, but we usually put them in the freezer when they are big enough. The best thing to do is to get him a mate - watch that he doesn't get beat up, but after a while his mate will teach him where the fence, food and water is, then after a while you can put them in a bigger paddock and eventually out with the other calves. but keep an eye on them, to make sure the 'mate' doesn't desert or attack him.

 

[Alice]

Are you sure the calf is blind? You said partially blind.

What do the calf's eyes look like? It can't hurt the calf to put some pennicillan in his eyes. He might just have severe pinkeye.

Now I'm not saying that is the case...but if you are really bent on keeping the calf, at least try doctoring his eyes.

I'm more concerned that the calf won't get up. There may be more wrong with the calf than being blind. Have you had the vet take a look at it?

Just a little story here...I bought a calf for $7.50 at an auction 'cause the ring man swore the calf was blind. It was severe pink eye. I sold that calf 4 weeks later for $235.

Just my 2 cents.

Alice

 

[msscamp]

The problem is he won't get up on his own and won't walk on his own. Acts as if he's scared. How do we get him to walk and eat on his own?

Of course he's scared - he can't see anything, has no idea where he is, what the lay of the land is(so to speak), what is around him, or how to navigate. I would probably put him down, because about the only two options for him are pet or freezer beef. It would be very inhumane to try to put him through the sale barn. Sure you could probably lead him, but what happens when the buyer (if anyone would even buy him) tries to load him? No animal deserves that. If you're set on raising him (and I would caution you to think long and hard about it) then find him a good, gentle, even-tempered buddy. Put a bell on the buddy so the calf can hear it and follow it. Establish trust, get him used to a halter, make sure there is absolutely nothing in his pen that he can get poked, cut, or hurt on. You will also have to take extra precautions to make sure he does not get out, or get spooked to where he panics and goes through the fence, or beats himself senseless trying to get through it. My .02 worth.

 

[Victoria]

I agree with msscamp.
We had one calf that was born blind. He didn't live an hour past us finding out.