Blot in calves

[cattledogcrazy]

I have been purchasing some calves(weaned) at a local sale barn and I have gotten a few in bad shape-liked starved. they are about 3-4 month old. what i want to know is we are feeding just grass hay and started them on some grower and moved them to a small pasture. one is okay but one heifer keeps blotting. we brought her in and shes okay then a few days she blotts again. we just use a hoss and de-blot her and use mineral oil if bad. is there anything for Blotting to get her digistion back to normal. something natural if possible. In other words what would you feed starved cattle and calves. Thanks. Plus: new to the cattle buss

 

[msscamp]

I'm not familiar with the term "blotting", could you provide a little more information on that? Thanks. As far as half-starved calves - yes, we've had them - our's were also acquired from the salebarn. What we did was put a hay feeder in their pen, provide good quality grass hay free choice, monitor them for illness, and introduced them to a pound of grain/calf, along with a pound of medicated receiver pellets. Any calves that held back were hazed up to the bunk. After a couple of weeks of this, the grain and pellets were gradually increased by another pound. As they learned to eat and put on weight, they were then introduced to alfalfa hay. The key thing with these calves is to always, always make changes gradually. You might also want to consider some type of protein lick tub, in addition to their regular mineral tub.

 

[dun]

If you mean "bloating", ship her out. Also, calves that size have a high protein requirement, hay isn;t enough. A cpouple of pounds a day of at least 16% grain/supplement is needed.

 

[DavisBeefmasters]

I'm with dun... get them some good roughage and protein

Perhaps a vet visit, there are chronic bloating calves whether it be genetics or change in food, etc. if you're feeding "too hot" of a hay mix (green grass, alfalfa if they aren't used to it, etc.) she could be adjusting to it and need some nice dry roughage to work on adjusting her rumen...

...however, I've also seen some genetic issues that will just have an animal bloat for no reason whatsoever -- if it is that type of animal sell it for slaughter - do not breed it, do not pass it on to others.

My 2 cents

Please keep us posted on what steps you take and the outcome, or if you have more questions.

 

[sjr725]

you might try a "bloat block" - it's a medicated mineral & supplement block they lick and it contains anti-bloat medication that might help - personally, I'd get rid of her - everyone else is right, once they are a chronic bloater, there may not be much you can do about it.

 

[larryshoat]

I agree with dun.These kinds of calves are not worth the risk and trouble.

Larry

 

[cattledogcrazy]

[I'm not familiar with the term "blotting",]

sorry, late night writting-i ment "bloating" or "bloat"!

 

[msscamp]

[I'm not familiar with the term "blotting",]

sorry, late night writting-i ment "bloating" or "bloat"!

No problem, it happens. Having re-read your post, I should have picked up on that, but I've been off my game lately. Since she sounds like a chronic bloater, you could simply sell her, or you could try a little baking soda and laundry detergent mixed into her grain. If you're feeding any type of feed with molasses mixed in, the laundry detergent will stick to the feed and will probably be eaten. What the laundry detergent does is lower the tensile strength of the bloat, thus allowing the bubbles to break. The baking soda helps to reduce the acidity of her rumen. Depending on how many times this has happened, I would probably just sell her due to chronic bloat.

 

[cattledogcrazy]

yes i'll sell her when i can get her up and running, but i hate to stick it to someone else also. any way i've used the tube on her 3 time yesterday, 2 time today so far. i picked a bloat block up and put it in front of her, she licked on it some. i hope that helps. i'm going to try the baking soda now and the detergent in her grain. she's eating good just that bloat. i'll keep ya informed. :drink:

 

[1848]

She could have a intestine that is periodically getting caught in a naval void that didn't close as a calf. Does the calf have extra skin or a swollen area on the belly?

 

[DavisBeefmasters]

How much length does she have from her last rib to her hip bone?

If she's otherwise healthy and energetic... keep her with some dry roughage and protein and she will grow to slaughter weight.

 

[cattledogcrazy]

Thanks for all the advise. She didn,t bloat yesterday or today and she keeps eatting the block so that is what helped her. we vacinated with 8 way and did worm them with ivenmic this weekend. This morning she even chased the dog, her belly is finally full too. so i think we are out of the woods for now. i took some pictures so i can post them so you can see the
befor and after. thanks again

 

[HEREFORD ROADHOG]

Blotting? Never heard of it. I have heard of bloating and there are cattle that are chronic bloaters. Hoss? I thought that was slang for horse or a man thats really strong. As if to say hows it going Hoss or "That bulls a hoss". I reckon you mean hose or tube? Im not trying to put you down or anything its just hard to decipher what people are asking when what they write makes no sense. I say that one is a chronic bloater and you need to get them gone.

NEED TO GET THEM GONE ?? & AFTER GIVING HIM AN ENGLISH LESSON. :roll:

NOW SERIOUSLY ,KEEP A CLOSE EYE ON HER ,THERE ARE PRODUCTS YOU CAN GIVE THEM TO HELP GET THEIR RUMEN GOING AGAIN BUT SOMTIMES YOU'LL STILL HAVE PROBLEMS. IF SO SELL HER.

 

[cattledogcrazy]

the calf is doing good right now. she has been eatting good, after the worming. which was a site to smell . she ate oats and corn today and yesterday and she keeps working the bloat block. i hope to get her out with the other calves soon. so far it seem like the block has helped with the bloating. thanks

 

[DavisBeefmasters]

Excellent to hear! Keep the bloat block available to her when she joins the others and keep an eye on her -- if she bloats again, you know what to do.

Congratulations :clap:

 

[cattledogcrazy]

thanks!
i know the cow appreciated Ha ;-)


:tiphat: I now have 6 Calves and i plan to head to the sale saturday. we'll see what i can get for a good price..Ha-$$$$

 

[cowlady1]

This is the reason I started C&D vaccine. IT's helped alot.on this problem. calves 4 days to 26 months can have the problem that causes it. death is usually the out come.This was one of several problems I've come accross in the past year.

 

[cattledogcrazy]

What is the full name of thet Vac?

Well, the story has now changed- Saturady morn walked to the barn and there is that red calf dead. gee just when ya think things were lookin up. so now i have learned a good lesson DON'T BUY SKINNY, STARVED, OR SICK CATTLE-when ya can buy a healthy one for the same price or higher cause its cheaper in the long run.

got one hieffer at the sale a black with white face(black bawldy). She wasn't weaned yet just at the sale cause cow was skinny and blind. so now she's bawling and running in the pen. i locked her in with a calf all day today to make sure she eats and drinks. shes eatting hay but i don't know if she is drinking water yet. she doesn't look dehydrated yet so i think shes okay. any ideas???????????

 

[cowgirl]

Another suggestion is to put baking soda in a small feeder, where the calves can have access to it at all times. It works wonders. Make sure it is fresh everyday.