calf down

[redsimangus]

howdy we have a calf that went down the other day he weighs about 325. an is a Holstein. called the vet an he thought we should treat with penicillin an a wormer so that's what I have been doing. the calf seems perfectly fine other than he can't stand up he eats like a horse an is perky an all but he just can't stand up is there anything else to do or do u know what it is???? :???:

 

[Tim/South]

Does he try to stand and can't ? Can you think of any reason what caused him to go down?
If you try to lift him up does he try to move his legs and get un under himself?
How is his condition, poor, fair or fat?

 

[Lucky_P]

What sort of diet has he been raised on?
Saw some a few years back that the folks had been feeding - on a neighbor's recommendation - 10% horse/mule feed. NOT sufficient for a growing calf - protein too low, Ca ratio skewed; these calves had rickets and once they reached about 300-350 lbs, started having pathologic fractures of bones - their bones were not strong enough to support their weight.

 

[redsimangus]

calf has been on 3#s of 14% calf creep and free choice grassy alfalfa. his condition is fair he has been a little bit more framy calf than usual but he has been that way since we bought him from the dairy as a bottle calf. he trys to get up but he just can't get very far I don't know if it is his muscles are to weak or what

 

[redsimangus]

OK we lifted him up today an both of his front legs were bent back at the pastern or fetlock can't remember which one but it looks like they might even be swollen.