Calf Care

[SimplyKat]

I have a calf 48 hours old - she probably fed from her mother in the first hour or 2, by the time we got her in the barn. This morning she took her bottle fine, and this afternoon when I was checking the calves, I noticed she was breathing heavy. Not open mouth panting, but her sides were heaving. Any idea?

 

[dun]

Was it a warm day? Is she closed in so that there isn't any good air circulation? On warm days they get hot. If you think there may be something else, temp her.

dun

I have a calf 48 hours old - she probably fed from her mother in the first hour or 2, by the time we got her in the barn. This morning she took her bottle fine, and this afternoon when I was checking the calves, I noticed she was breathing heavy. Not open mouth panting, but her sides were heaving. Any idea?

 

[SimplyKat]

Thank you - I am thinking it may be the temp, ( 80 here in SW NY) and stress - she has been bellowing nearly non stop since we tied her. Most likely because she was "free" for about 4 hours after birth. Tomorrow is supposed to be much cooler, 50's, and if she seems the same I will temp her and go from there.

 

[dun]

With just temps in to mid 70's and the calves laying out in tall grass, ours have been breathing heavy during the heat of the day. Thir thermostats aren't real well adjusted when they're real young and they seem to get get hotter then you would expect. Maybe that's a good thing because they don't get chilled when it gets cold either.

dun

Thank you - I am thinking it may be the temp, ( 80 here in SW NY) and stress - she has been bellowing nearly non stop since we tied her. Most likely because she was "free" for about 4 hours after birth. Tomorrow is supposed to be much cooler, 50's, and if she seems the same I will temp her and go from there.

 

[SimplyKat]

She is in the calf/heifer barn, but it tends to get warm in there. I really think you are right about the warm temps.

 

[Running Arrow Bill]

I have a calf 48 hours old - she probably fed from her mother in the first hour or 2, by the time we got her in the barn. This morning she took her bottle fine, and this afternoon when I was checking the calves, I noticed she was breathing heavy. Not open mouth panting, but her sides were heaving. Any idea?

Well...duh! WHY did you take the newborn calf away from her mother? A calf is best cared for by her mother (unless the mama refuses to nurse or mama died). I can't imagine any logical reason why one would remove a calf from his/her natural nursing, bonding behavior with its mother unless there was something seriously wrong with the mother.

I'll stop here before I get irritated... :?:

 

[SimplyKat]

Cuz that's what you do with dairy cows and calves. The Heifer or Cow freshens, and they start another milking cycle. ;-)
If we left the baby with mama, we wouldn't have milk to sell for darn near next to nothing per hundred weight. :shock:

 

[dun]

Or....duh, it's a dairy operation!

dun

I have a calf 48 hours old - she probably fed from her mother in the first hour or 2, by the time we got her in the barn. This morning she took her bottle fine, and this afternoon when I was checking the calves, I noticed she was breathing heavy. Not open mouth panting, but her sides were heaving. Any idea?

Well...duh! WHY did you take the newborn calf away from her mother? A calf is best cared for by her mother (unless the mama refuses to nurse or mama died). I can't imagine any logical reason why one would remove a calf from his/her natural nursing, bonding behavior with its mother unless there was something seriously wrong with the mother.

I'll stop here before I get irritated... :?:

 

[Running Arrow Bill]

Cuz that's what you do with dairy cows and calves. The Heifer or Cow freshens, and they start another milking cycle. ;-)
If we left the baby with mama, we wouldn't have milk to sell for darn near next to nothing per hundred weight. :shock:

Ok...now that you explained what type of cows you were dealing with...guess milk is more valuable on market than calves per cwt. From what very little I know about dairy cattle, I would guess that a calf would drink a small amount per day compared to what a heavy producing dairy cow would milk out. :?:

 

[SimplyKat]

Please don't be irritated - I know Dairy Cows, not Beefers. I promise that if we ever raise Beefers I will never ever remove a calf from mama.
:?

 

[dun]

Many if not most of the dairys in this area feed milk replacer. The economics of milk production makes the milk worth more in the bulk tank then the cost of replacer. You need to go visit a few dairys and get a feel (very sllight) for the business.
I don't know that it's a dairy, but that seems logical.

dun

Cuz that's what you do with dairy cows and calves. The Heifer or Cow freshens, and they start another milking cycle. ;-)
If we left the baby with mama, we wouldn't have milk to sell for darn near next to nothing per hundred weight. :shock:

Ok...now that you explained what type of cows you were dealing with...guess milk is more valuable on market than calves per cwt. From what very little I know about dairy cattle, I would guess that a calf would drink a small amount per day compared to what a heavy producing dairy cow would milk out. :?:

 

[SimplyKat]

Ok...now that you explained what type of cows you were dealing with...guess milk is more valuable on market than calves per cwt. From what very little I know about dairy cattle, I would guess that a calf would drink a small amount per day compared to what a heavy producing dairy cow would milk out.

Ok, assuming this is interesting to anyone but me :lol: Dairy Calves (heifers) are worth about 100.00 when they hit the ground. To buy a Cow or Heifer at auction is about, 600.00 for very low end, right on up to several thousand. It is much better sense to raise replacements for us.
I feed about 4 to 4.5 quarts of replacer a day, 2 feedings. Right now, my cows are putting out an average of 80 lbs. per.
We milk twice a day, and we are down to less than 100 milking head at the moment.
All total, from 6 month replacements up to calving, we have another 100 - 125.
:lol: *whew*

 

[dun]

A neighbor I work with went to a weekly dairy auction last monday. 200-300 lb heifers were running $500-$600. Springing heifers were in the $2500 and up range. And yes, it is interesting. There are other forums that are more dairy oriented, where this one is more beef oriented. But other then managment differences, cows is cows.
Of course thats just one old pharts opinion!

dun

Ok...now that you explained what type of cows you were dealing with...guess milk is more valuable on market than calves per cwt. From what very little I know about dairy cattle, I would guess that a calf would drink a small amount per day compared to what a heavy producing dairy cow would milk out.

Ok, assuming this is interesting to anyone but me :lol: Dairy Calves (heifers) are worth about 100.00 when they hit the ground. To buy a Cow or Heifer at auction is about, 600.00 for very low end, right on up to several thousand. It is much better sense to raise replacements for us.
I feed about 4 to 4.5 quarts of replacer a day, 2 feedings. Right now, my cows are putting out an average of 80 lbs. per.
We milk twice a day, and we are down to less than 100 milking head at the moment.
All total, from 6 month replacements up to calving, we have another 100 - 125.
:lol: *whew*

 

[Christina]

Dun,

I've always appreciated this forum, because as you said, cows is cows. I have looked for a dairy forum set up similar to this, but never hit upon one. Do you or anyone else know of a link to a good dairy forum? Hopefully there will be some faithful wells of knowledge like you, Running Arrow Bill, etc., etc. on it.

 

[SimplyKat]

Dun,

I've always appreciated this forum, because as you said, cows is cows. I have looked for a dairy forum set up similar to this, but never hit upon one. Do you or anyone else know of a link to a good dairy forum? Hopefully there will be some faithful wells of knowledge like you, Running Arrow Bill, etc., etc. on it.

I have been working on a Dairy Forum for the Last 2 weeks - I held off launching it -- but I think maybe there is a need?

Kat

 

[dun]

Go for it!
Where will it be hosted?
I've seen a lot of forums start, some really take off, others just kind of dodder along, others die after a couple of months. The key is to get the word out and have it open to diverse views. A reliable host is imperative. There was another general cattle site (it's still around but it moribond because the host isn't reliable), the traffic on that site has dwindled to only a couple of posts a week from dozens a day in it's hayday.
Yahoo curretnly has a number of dairy groups, some with only a few members, one with over 90 members. I have no idea how active they are though.

dun

I have been working on a Dairy Forum for the Last 2 weeks - I held off launching it -- but I think maybe there is a need?

Kat

 

[SimplyKat]

Go for it!
Where will it be hosted?
I've seen a lot of forums start, some really take off, others just kind of dodder along, others die after a couple of months. The key is to get the word out and have it open to diverse views. A reliable host is imperative. There was another general cattle site (it's still around but it moribond because the host isn't reliable), the traffic on that site has dwindled to only a couple of posts a week from dozens a day in it's hayday.
Yahoo curretnly has a number of dairy groups, some with only a few members, one with over 90 members. I have no idea how active they are though.

dun

I have been working on a Dairy Forum for the Last 2 weeks - I held off launching it -- but I think maybe there is a need?

Kat

Not very active - I joined and left several.
EZ Board or Bravenet, attached to the Dairy Site.

 

[la4angus]

I am with dun. GO FOR IT!!!! There has got to be a demand and a need for it from what I can see, from the few dairy questions on this board. There has got to be 1000's of others.

Best of luck to you.

 

[SimplyKat]

I am with dun. GO FOR IT!!!! There has got to be a demand and a need for it from what I can see, from the few dairy questions on this board. There has got to be 1000's of others.

Best of luck to you.

Thanks everyone.
Here is the link for the board I have started.
http://pub138.ezboard.com/bdairycare

When I have more time ( yeah right) I will move it to PB Boards

 

[Anonymous]

Whew, there is so much to learn. When I was a new nurse they told me "No question is a bad or stupid question". However, I was nervous and I did ask questions but it stressed me so because I was afraid everyone would think I was an idiot. Raising Cattle, I've realized, is much the same way. I want to ask questions but I don't want to irritate people with questions they feel I probably should already know the answers too. We all start from the beginning, right?