Calf death

[ivan.strilk]

I got a Charolais bottle calf, 1 day old, it was pretty cold outside(35 degrees) and when i tried to feed it colustrum it wouldn't drink. I thought it might not be hungry so i left it in the barn till morning and when i got there in the morning it was dead. My question is why did it die? from the cold? was it sick? If anyone out there knows anything i would appreciate a qoute because i will be getting more calves and i don't want them to die THANKS

 

[dun]

No way to tell without being there in person

 

[Suzie Q]

It is best that the calf gets Colustrum in the first 6 hours.

The best medicine is a belly full of milk.

On reading this forum, yes calves can die of cold. You would have to ask how cold, cold is. We don't get that cold here.

A well calf does not lie flat out. A well calf does not usually have liquid running out of nose and mouth. If those 2 things happen you need to inject and you will get that medicine from a vet.

 

[Lon]

35 degrees outside and in a barn calf should not have died from cold by any means. except for the fact if it wasnt eating i guess cause most calves i seen are way colder than that and no barn but they have a belly full of milk and that makes a differnce too. like dun said hard to say.

 

[justin_ruch1180]

Where can I get colostrum aside from the mother's milk??

 

[dun]

Where can I get colostrum aside from the mother's milk??

There is powder colostrum available form feedstores, just check the expiration date. You can milk out an older cow after her calf gets a good slug of it and free it, or if there is a dairy near you with a good health managment plan and good healthy herd you can usually buy some from them. We're fortunate to have friends with excellent dairy with a closed herd. We always keep a gallon of colostrum from there in the freezer.

 

[Ruark]

All this discussion of colostrum - remember the guy said the calf refused to bottle-feed.

Speaking as a beginner here, but I wonder if he should have tube-fed that colostrum, just to get it in there, even if it was a little late. That's what immediately came to my mind.

 

[dun]

All this discussion of colostrum - remember the guy said the calf refused to bottle-feed.

Speaking as a beginner here, but I wonder if he should have tube-fed that colostrum, just to get it in there, even if it was a little late. That's what immediately came to my mind.

Correct

 

[Ruark]

Another thing - and I'm not being critical or anything, especially being a beginner - maybe he didn't attempt to bottle feed it correctly. There are different ways to get a calf to bottle; for example, you can't always just hold it up to the calf's mouth and wait for it to start. Yes, some will grab the nipple and start feeding. But with others, you might have take hold of it and get some into its mouth - almost (gently) force it to feed.

FWIW, I ran across this website with a nice collection of calf care info:

http://feedingbabycalves.com/default.aspx

 

[backhoeboogie]

All this discussion of colostrum - remember the guy said the calf refused to bottle-feed.

Speaking as a beginner here, but I wonder if he should have tube-fed that colostrum, just to get it in there, even if it was a little late. That's what immediately came to my mind.

I've had many in a chute with their back to the wall and straddle of them with their head up and colostrums in their mouth. I've still never tube fed one. You could say one of us is more stubborn than the other

On that frozen colostrums discussion, never microwave colostrums. Thaw in hot water. I've got a few jugs in the freezer from the nurse cows. Insurance you could say it seems.

My nurse cows are all dry at the moment. 7calves hit the ground last week without a hitch. I'm pretty much running on luck at the moment. It's been a good year thus far. I'm working 12 hour nights and not getting much time with the cows.

 

[dun]

On that frozen colostrums discussion, never microwave colostrums. Thaw in hot water. I've got a few jugs in the freezer from the nurse cows. Insurance you could say it seems.

Warm water is better although it does take longer.
As the outer part of it thaws shake the bottle to stir it up, repeat as required

 

[ChrisB]

I got a Charolais bottle calf, 1 day old, it was pretty cold outside(35 degrees) and when i tried to feed it colustrum it wouldn't drink. I thought it might not be hungry so i left it in the barn till morning and when i got there in the morning it was dead. My question is why did it die? from the cold? was it sick? If anyone out there knows anything i would appreciate a qoute because i will be getting more calves and i don't want them to die THANKS

I take it you bought this calf either at a sale barn or from a neighbor? Do you know if the calf sucked on the cow?

If it did that can make it a bit harder to get onto the bottle. But either way I don't think it would have died within 2 days.

Was the calf acting fine the night before or was it lethargic with droopy ears?

 

[ivan.strilk]

last night i got another calf. It was a purebred angus, born the same day. The guy that shipped it to me and it was raining out while he was driving. When he got it to my farm it was all wet, i got it dried off and put it in the barn(this time with a heater) i tried to bottle feed it Colustrum for a while, but it wouldn't drink, so i got out my tube feeder and fed it with that.when i checked on it in an hour it had scours. I left it. the next morning it was dead???? Im wondering if there is a type of medicine you should give them when they are a day old and don't want to drink.

 

[ivan.strilk]

this calf also wouldn't stand up so i had a guy hold it up when i tube fed it

 

[kerley]

last night i got another calf. It was a purebred angus, born the same day. The guy that shipped it to me and it was raining out while he was driving. When he got it to my farm it was all wet, i got it dried off and put it in the barn(this time with a heater) i tried to bottle feed it Colustrum for a while, but it wouldn't drink, so i got out my tube feeder and fed it with that.when i checked on it in an hour it had scours. I left it. the next morning it was dead???? Im wondering if there is a type of medicine you should give them when they are a day old and don't want to drink.

Have you tube fed a new calve before? You have to be sure that the tube goes into the stomach and not the lung.

 

[dun]

I'ld find a new source for calvess and woudln;t take anything less then a week old.

 

[ivan.strilk]

how do you make sure?

 

[dun]

how do you make sure?

You're pretty much at the sellers mercy, but if he's honest and reputable taking his word for it should be enough. Make sure they are healthy before you buy them, i.e. up and around, eating and pooping normally, breathing clear, etc. The still wack them with ResFlor as soon as you unload them.

 

[rockridgecattle]

Once a calf gets too cold, It gets stupid and refuses all attempts to get it to suck. Tubing at that point is best. Next, hot water bottles and a heat lamp to bring up the core temp. IF the core temp gets too cold, a calf can be born in the evening and nearly dead or dead by morning

 

[backhoeboogie]

how do you make sure?

You're pretty much at the sellers mercy, but if he's honest and reputable taking his word for it should be enough. Make sure they are healthy before you buy them, i.e. up and around, eating and pooping normally, breathing clear, etc. The still wack them with ResFlor as soon as you unload them.

Navel chord too. It is not a fool proof method because each one is different.
Temp and humidity also affect it. Some calves keep them 10 days. You can pretty much tell the first couple of days easily tho. When I am buying split calves to graft onto the nurse cow, I am looking for a dry chord and spunky calf.