Calf Death

[Anonymous]

I have posted several messges about a sick calf I recently had. He died several days ago. He was an unusally large Holstein calf. I bought him from someone who got him at a sale barn. For the first two weeks or so he seemed fine, though he had some drainage in one of his eyes and minor nasal drainage. I gave him penicillin over a period of four days . He seemed to improve. Two days later I found him down Sunday morning and he could not get up on his on. I helped him up and he could stand on his own. Over the next four days I would help him up, and he was taking two bottles aday with no problem. On Thursday my wife took him half a bottle and she said he almost got up on his own. Thursday night, however, I went to feed him and he could not stand up, even with my assistance and would not take a bottle. When I went to give him fluids with a tube at midnight Thurday, he died. He never scoured, did not have any type of discharge, did not have any sores and did smell any worse than a typical calf. I was worried that this might be black leg, since he could not get up, but he did not seem to meet the symptoms. Can anyone tell me what might have caused him to die. Thanks, Keith

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[Anonymous]

Keith, that's a hard question. Since you're the third owner and he came through the sale barn, it could be anything. Do you know for sure how old he was? Did you talk to your local vet? Did he get colostrom at birth?

> I have posted several messges
> about a sick calf I recently had.
> He died several days ago. He was
> an unusally large Holstein calf. I
> bought him from someone who got
> him at a sale barn. For the first
> two weeks or so he seemed fine,
> though he had some drainage in one
> of his eyes and minor nasal
> drainage. I gave him penicillin
> over a period of four days . He
> seemed to improve. Two days later
> I found him down Sunday morning
> and he could not get up on his on.
> I helped him up and he could stand
> on his own. Over the next four
> days I would help him up, and he
> was taking two bottles aday with
> no problem. On Thursday my wife
> took him half a bottle and she
> said he almost got up on his own.
> Thursday night, however, I went to
> feed him and he could not stand
> up, even with my assistance and
> would not take a bottle. When I
> went to give him fluids with a
> tube at midnight Thurday, he died.
> He never scoured, did not have any
> type of discharge, did not have
> any sores and did smell any worse
> than a typical calf. I was worried
> that this might be black leg,
> since he could not get up, but he
> did not seem to meet the symptoms.
> Can anyone tell me what might have
> caused him to die. Thanks, Keith

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[Anonymous]

> Keith, that's a hard question.
> Since you're the third owner and
> he came through the sale barn, it
> could be anything. Do you know for
> sure how old he was? Did you talk
> to your local vet? Did he get
> colostrom at birth? Our local vet focuses mostly on small animals & horse. He says it could be "almost anything". I don't know for sure that he got colostrum, but he is among the healthiest Holstein calves i've seen (that is the only reason I bought him, as I very rarely buy anything from a sale barn. I have had several die before, but they always scoured. Also, i have never raised calves in this area of my farm before. My main concern is what caused him to get down and not be able to get up on his own. I know this is not much to go on. Thanks, Keith

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[Anonymous]

I had a calf with almost the same symptoms, we'ld give him banamine and he'ld be up for a day or so then right back down again. Had the vet listen to his lung to see if I was missing anything. Lungs were fine, he had a murmer in his heart. We wacked him that evening and when posted found a defective heart valve that wouldn't close.

dunmovin farms

 

[Anonymous]

> I have posted several messges
> about a sick calf I recently had.
> He died several days ago. He was
> an unusally large Holstein calf. I
> bought him from someone who got
> him at a sale barn. For the first
> two weeks or so he seemed fine,
> though he had some drainage in one
> of his eyes and minor nasal
> drainage. I gave him penicillin
> over a period of four days . He
> seemed to improve. Two days later
> I found him down Sunday morning
> and he could not get up on his on.
> I helped him up and he could stand
> on his own. Over the next four
> days I would help him up, and he
> was taking two bottles aday with
> no problem. On Thursday my wife
> took him half a bottle and she
> said he almost got up on his own.
> Thursday night, however, I went to
> feed him and he could not stand
> up, even with my assistance and
> would not take a bottle. When I
> went to give him fluids with a
> tube at midnight Thurday, he died.
> He never scoured, did not have any
> type of discharge, did not have
> any sores and did smell any worse
> than a typical calf. I was worried
> that this might be black leg,
> since he could not get up, but he
> did not seem to meet the symptoms.
> Can anyone tell me what might have
> caused him to die. Thanks, Keith HI KEITH,

SOUNDS LIKE SHIPPING FEVER, OR PNEMONIA TO ME. I HAD THE SAME LUCK WITH A HOLSTEIN CALF I BOUGHT AT THE SALE BARN EARLIER THIS YEAR AND I SHOT HIM WITH MICOTIL AND IT STARTED TO PULL HIM OUT OF IT BUT I FAILED TO HIT HIM AGAIN WITH A SECOND DOSE AND HE REVERTED BACK TO THE EXACT SAME STATE WITH THE VERY SAME SYMPTOMS YOU DESCRIBED AND I LOST HIM TOO. MICOTIL IS GOOD BUT I FOUND YOU HAVE TO TREAT WITH A SECOND DOSE TO BE SURE YOU GOT IT. IF MICOTIL DOESNT SEEM TO WORK I HAVE FOUND NUFLOR WORKS REALLY GOOD TO, IN SOME CASES WHEN MICOTIL WOULD'NT. JUST HAVE TO TREAT THE CALF MORE OFTEN WITH NUFLOR THAN WITH MICOTIL. HOPE THIS HELPS.

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[Anonymous]

I didn't notice you saying he coughed but it sounds like shipping fever usually they have an annoying cough.I can't find a decent antibiotic anymore that works. Nuflor and micotil are very expensive and not greatly effective.Pennicillen and LA200 defenitely won't get it done either.

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