Bottle fed calf with the runs

[Bar E]

I've been bottle feeding for this calf for a week now and have yet too see her with solid poop. It's all been runny and diarrhea. It's not scours, so I don't think a bolus would help. Any suggestions? I got her nibbling on hay and at the end of each bottle (3 times a day) I shove a handful of oats in her mouth. TIA.

 

[Son of Butch]

Get the calf eating a good rolled or texturized 18% - 20% calf starter.
The whole oats probably aren't being chewed and perhaps acting as a bit of a laxative.
Hay is absolutely worthless to a calf under 5 weeks of age. Hay scratch to develop the rumen is a myth.
Hay is bulky and limits the calf from eating dry calf starter and starter does help in developing the rumen papillae,
so in effect feeding hay too early does more harm than good. Get them started on a good 18% textured calf starter
with molasses for palatability during the 1st week and offer .5 -1 lb of hay per day after 6 weeks of age.
You can wean calves after they are eating 1.5 lb of 18% starter per day and switch them over to a 16% calf grower
a week or 3 later, 2 lbs of dry matter per day is about all a young calf's rumen can hold/digest.

 

[TexasBred]

I've been bottle feeding for this calf for a week now and have yet too see her with solid poop. It's all been runny and diarrhea. It's not scours, so I don't think a bolus would help. Any suggestions? I got her nibbling on hay and at the end of each bottle (3 times a day) I shove a handful of oats in her mouth. TIA.

I assume you're using milk replacer. Check feeding directions as you may be using too much of the milk replacer. Many give mixing directions for a 100 lb. calf and your's may be smaller. Cut back on the milk replacer a little bit but continue to use the same amount of water.

 

[TCRanch]

And make sure your milk replacer does not contain soy. Agree with TB to cut back/dilute and it never hurts to add some electrolytes.

 

[Bar E]

And make sure your milk replacer does not contain soy. Agree with TB to cut back/dilute and it never hurts to add some electrolytes.

I made sure the replacer had no soy in it when I bought it. First thing I asked actually lol.

 

[Bar E]

I've been bottle feeding for this calf for a week now and have yet too see her with solid poop. It's all been runny and diarrhea. It's not scours, so I don't think a bolus would help. Any suggestions? I got her nibbling on hay and at the end of each bottle (3 times a day) I shove a handful of oats in her mouth. TIA.

I assume you're using milk replacer. Check feeding directions as you may be using too much of the milk replacer. Many give mixing directions for a 100 lb. calf and your's may be smaller. Cut back on the milk replacer a little bit but continue to use the same amount of water.

OK, I'll whoa back on the replacer

 

[Bar E]

Get the calf eating a good rolled or texturized 18% - 20% calf starter.
The whole oats probably aren't being chewed and perhaps acting as a bit of a laxative.
Hay is absolutely worthless to a calf under 5 weeks of age. Hay scratch to develop the rumen is a myth.
Hay is bulky and limits the calf from eating dry calf starter and starter does help in developing the rumen papillae,
so in effect feeding hay too early does more harm than good. Get them started on a good 18% textured calf starter
with molasses for palatability during the 1st week and offer .5 -1 lb of hay per day after 6 weeks of age.
You can wean calves after they are eating 1.5 lb of 18% starter per day and switch them over to a 16% calf grower
a week or 3 later, 2 lbs of dry matter per day is about all a young calf's rumen can hold/digest.

Thanks for the input SOB

 

[Son of Butch]

... Agree with TB to cut back/dilute and it never hurts to add some electrolytes.

:nod:

I've had good luck with Bluelite-C it's a cheap electrolyte for calves and you can even mix it right into their milk.
http://www.leedstone.com/bluelite-reg-c-for-calves.html

 

[Bar E]

Ok, so this afternoon we gave the baby a pail of electrolytes. And tonight a pail with milk replacer. On top of the replacer I gave a scour bolus and 60cc of kaopepto (I think that's what it's called lol) and took away her oats and gave her 20% protein calf starter instead.

 

[Bar E]

My question is should I have continued on with the electrolytes instead of the milk replacer tonight?

 

[farmerjan]

I answered your post in the other thread that you posted it in; bottle calves for newbies. The calf has scours, diahrrea IS scours. If it is the dark brown that you were describing, it is probably a rota virus and if she continues to scour, she will dehydrate and it will kill her. Please read my answer in that post since you described it much better there.

 

[skyhightree1]

And make sure your milk replacer does not contain soy. Agree with TB to cut back/dilute and it never hurts to add some electrolytes.

I made sure the replacer had no soy in it when I bought it. First thing I asked actually lol.

Don't give too much milk replacer either... If I have one that scours I tend to cease the milk and just provide electrolytes for a day or two.

 

[Bar E]

And make sure your milk replacer does not contain soy. Agree with TB to cut back/dilute and it never hurts to add some electrolytes.

I made sure the replacer had no soy in it when I bought it. First thing I asked actually lol.

Don't give too much milk replacer either... If I have one that scours I tend to cease the milk and just provide electrolytes for a day or two.

I thought about trying that. But the vet recommended that we alternate the milk replacer and electrolytes

 

[skyhightree1]

I made sure the replacer had no soy in it when I bought it. First thing I asked actually lol.

Don't give too much milk replacer either... If I have one that scours I tend to cease the milk and just provide electrolytes for a day or two.

I thought about trying that. But the vet recommended that we alternate the milk replacer and electrolytes

I tried it that way too.. What I found was that it didn't pan out and I lost several. I am no vet by any means but I don't like losing calves or money and I feel as though for me keeping them full of electrolytes so they get the strength to fight was most important in my treatments. I can only tell you my experiences. I will tell you without a doubt I have lost way more on milk and electrolytes than just electrolytes.

 

[TCRanch]

Ok, so this afternoon we gave the baby a pail of electrolytes. And tonight a pail with milk replacer. On top of the replacer I gave a scour bolus and 60cc of kaopepto (I think that's what it's called lol) and took away her oats and gave her 20% protein calf starter instead.

Definitely read farmerjan's post again. What kind of bolus did you use that only required one? Sustain III is one bolus per 50 lbs and good for 3 days. Kaopectate is a drug store anti diarrheal but works well with cattle. Electrolytes! Cut out the replacer for now. You can add a shot of Karo syrup for taste.

 

[Bar E]

https://www.google.ca/search?q=dvl+supe ... 91f3eKCr_M:


Feed boluses for 3 days. Gave one yesterday and once I'm home from work I'll give another and same thing tomorrow too.

 

[Bar E]

Also vet today gave me antibiotics.

 

[farmerjan]

Did the vet see the calf or do a possible diagnosis over the phone? I'm just curious what they think it is/could be?

 

[Bar E]

Ulcers from too rich milk. That's what the pepto stuff is for and also an antibiotic. That's called borgal.

 

[farmerjan]

Never had a calf get scours from too rich milk. But some people are allergic to milk, so I guess anything is possible. The antibiotic you listed has a sulfa drug like some of the over the counter stuff here in the U S . It is for bacteria causing scours in calves. Hope it is doing better now.