Bottle Calf Help

[ncboy34]

I have 4 holstein bottle calves that are all about 2 weeks old. It seems as if one has gotten the scours really bad. He can get up and stand on his own but does not offer to get up unless I make him to eat, etc. I have been trying to give him electrolytes and even some save a calf milk replacer for treatment of scours and pneumonia. He will drink this from a bottle but doesn't drink all of the bottle, even if forced. Another calf is eating pretty good for the most part but has a bad cough and seems to be pretty congested. Any advice on these two or other bottle calf tips. I raised 2 jersey bottle calfs a little while ago but didn't seem to be having this much trouble.

 

[dun]

What kind of milk replacer are you using, i.e. what are the ingredients and protein and fat. We had amazing success with treating scouring calves with a shot of Nuflor. I would try a shot of it for each of those calves. Nuflor Gold or Resflor Gold would be my first choice. They're a combination of Nuflor and Banamine

 

[ncboy34]

the milk replacer for the scours is supposed to be mixed with regular milk replacer. It has neomycin and oxytetracycline as well vitamins A, D, E, fiber, protein, etc.

 

[cross_7]

I have 4 holstein bottle calves that are all about 2 weeks old. It seems as if one has gotten the scours really bad. He can get up and stand on his own but does not offer to get up unless I make him to eat, etc. I have been trying to give him electrolytes and even some save a calf milk replacer for treatment of scours and pneumonia. He will drink this from a bottle but doesn't drink all of the bottle, even if forced. Another calf is eating pretty good for the most part but has a bad cough and seems to be pretty congested. Any advice on these two or other bottle calf tips. I raised 2 jersey bottle calfs a little while ago but didn't seem to be having this much trouble.

try resorb

 

[dun]

the milk replacer for the scours is supposed to be mixed with regular milk replacer. It has neomycin and oxytetracycline as well vitamins A, D, E, fiber, protein, etc.

What is the "regular milk replacer"?

 

[ncboy34]

I mean that the milk replacer that is designed to treat scours is supposed to be mixed with non medicated milk replacer. I am just wondering if this is really even helping since it is still milk replacer just medicated after mixed.

 

[dun]

I mean that the milk replacer that is designed to treat scours is supposed to be mixed with non medicated milk replacer. I am just wondering if this is really even helping since it is still milk replacer just medicated after mixed.

I seond the resorb, clogs their guts pretty well.
What are the ingredients of the regular milk replacer and protein and fat? That's a separate question to the scours one.

 

[regolith]

If you've got the time, give the scouring calf smaller equally spaced feeds - 3 - 4 times a day rather than two. Then it doesn't matter that he won't finish the bottle in one go, he's still getting the nutrition and meds. If he's too weak to stand + suckle strongly he's probably still dehydrated, so keep going with the electrolytes.
Electrolytes mixed with water should be given at least four hours from milk feeding (gives time for the milk to digest so the water doesn't interfere with milk clotting).

 

[raykour]

I guess I am a little late on replying to this, but I have lots of experience with bottle calves.
For scouring calves, I still feed them their regular milk in the morning and evening. Mid-morning and mid-afternoon I will offer them electrolytes. I also really like a product called Formula 911, which is electrolytes with other goodies added. If they do not want to drink, I will bottle drench them as best I can. Getting as much moisture in them as possible is important. It Is important to get the right amount of milk replacer in them if you are giving one with antibiotics.

Second, if the calf is running a fever give it some banamine. probably 1.5 cc for a young one. I always do this IM. The fever is why it feels so bad and doesn't want to get up and suck. Get the fever down, you will improve appetite, thus improve hydration which is your biggest obstacle here. You can do this every 12 hours, but you don't want to give more than 2 or 3 full doses.

Third, you don't want your scouring calves to get pneumonia too if your scouring calf doesn't want to get up or suck he is really at risk for developing a secondary issue. Don't baby the calf, put it outside in the sunshine if there is shade available. The urge to keep it in a stall or indoors will result in secondary pneumonia.

Also, you can get oxytet boluses so you can guarantee they are getting the medication.

But at this point I would say feed more often, get the fever down I am sure it is running around 104.5 or so, and keep the calf in the sunshine and open air.

Take the coughing/congested calf's temperature as well. If he has a virus, there is really nothign to treat but symptoms (banamine, again) but I'd give him a dose of Nuflor, and if no improvement is seen within 3-4 days, forget the 2nd dose of nuflor and move onto Draxxin or Excede. There is a very small margin of error with the bottle calves!

 

[MF135]

Spectam Scour-Halt. There is no substitute IMO

 

[jcarkie]

i have always bought a couple of scour boluses when i have a bottle calf and at the first sign i give one and another 24 hours later it may be too late for that but i have used them when they have a little blood in the stool and they work. i have had a few but no expert.

 

[ncboy34]

Any thoughts on trying to put any of the calfs on a nurse cow. I wouldn't do this to the ones that are sick until they are recovering. Have any of you had better luck trying this route or just sticking with milk replacer till they are weaned?

 

[Suzie Q]

I have put plenty of new calves on a Mum.

It is easier if they have a calf of their own. Lock both calves away. Put Mum's own calf on front teat. Other calf on back teat. Stand so you can stop her turning around. Easy if you have quiet cattle or put in a crush if you need to stay safe. Lock calves away again.

Having calves that are used to going and suck when a cow in the crush are very very handy. Let them start sucking first and it stimulate a calf to suck. You can then remove the first calves.

Without another calf you need to be able to milk the mother. There is only room for one person and you need 4 hands. Put calf in front of knees as they will try and pull back. You need a hand on the neck to push the calf down. One under the chin to lift it up to the teat and then you need to put the teat in the mouth and milk it so as milk goes in the mouth.

Will all that the calf might not start sucking for minutes. Once they start away they go. Don't let the Mum kick the calf.

Lock away and we feed twice a day here in Australia with no worries about the cold.

 

[regolith]

Any thoughts on trying to put any of the calfs on a nurse cow. I wouldn't do this to the ones that are sick until they are recovering. Have any of you had better luck trying this route or just sticking with milk replacer till they are weaned?

Depends on the cow, the calves and what you define as 'better luck'.
If you have a nurse cow and somewhere to restrain her while putting the calves on, and you'd rather not bottle feed them till weaning, I'd definitely give it a go.
Some cows will love and feed anything at first sight. Others... well, I've never failed to convince one of my dairy cows to adopt a calf, or pair of calves, yet. But there might be a couple that I've put in the chute every day for weeks. Calves can make the transition from bottle to cow okay.
I can do what Suzie describes with two hands, just can't quite remember how. I think the key is to grip the calf with your knees, let it suck your two fingers and lead its mouth to teat, slipping the teat between those fingers, then remove fingers and squeeze teat if necessary so that the calf gets milk in its mouth. At this point, the calf discovers teat + milk + saliva is slippery and loses hold of the teat, so you do the same thing again. But if the cow stands perfectly still and the calf has brains you only have to do it two or three times and then you can stand back and leave it sucking.
If the cow wriggles or stamps every time the calf takes hold of her teat, or the calf doesn't have brains, that's a whole different matter.

 

[Suzie Q]

Yes Regolith, done with 2 hands, it was a joke that you need 4 hands!!!