calf has no energy

[phyllis43]

I have a 4 week old calf.It will not try to eat anything other than it's bottle.He was real sick for awhile.He's doing better now.He will get up to take his bottle and while eating he will wag his tail,headbutt the bottle,act like a normal calf.Then after he gets done just lays down till it's time to be fed again.Shouldn't he have more energy than that?The vet said he was a dumbie calf.Would that be his problem?

 

[jerry27150]

what kind of milk replacer are you using? some don't have enough fat for energy. they need 20% fat

 

[Beefy]

sounds like a dummy calf to me. one day he/she might magically decide to be a real cow and start grazing. I assume youve tried the calf manna and tricks already. Another idea that MIGHT or might not work is putting the calf with some buddies that know what to do and he can learn by watching (if he is not with herdmates already). Ive never seen one that didnt eventually start grazing. we had one that laid in the same spot for several months and only got up when its mom came back to feed it. she was really weird...

 

[Workinonit Farm]

Is he by himself? Sometimes it helps if they are around "activity" or a companion that will help motivate him to move around. Is he in a small pen? Does he have room to move around, run etc.? What was the sickness that he had? Is it possible that he isn't quite "over" it? Or as Jerry mentioned, perhaps the milk replacer doesn't give him enough energy. Or he could be one of those big dumb slow ones as talked about in previous threads.
There are probably other possibilities that I cannot think of right now. Good luck with him. Maybe some of the others here have suggestions.

Katherine

 

[Kelly]

I had a couple bottle calves last year that would not go outside in the daylight hours. They only came out when the sun went down. Layed around in the stall all day long. Have you tried sprinkling calf starter in it's mouth after it empties the bottle & is still looking for more? Keep trying the handfuls ...eventually they get the hang of eating grain & decide they like it.

 

[Farmhand]

Does anyone know if BoSe would help? We use it on slow newborns but don't know about using it on a 1 month old. Could be worth asking a vet about.

 

[hitchingpostranch]

another thing that you could try is a probiotic paste like micromanager that puts all the good bugs back in to there stumachs i think you give like 4cc the tube is well versed so its nothing to hard to do. it works wonders if you have never tried it.

 

[phyllis43]

I'm using Grade-A High Energy 20 milk replacer.He's in a nice size lot.He's got a shed he goes in at night.Then lays outside all day after i feed him in the morning.Gets up to eat again in the evening.I put him out with his mother yesterday for about 1 hour .She knocked him down,now he is limping on his front legs.Can't really tell which one it is because now both shakes when he tries to walk.Could one be broke with him still walking?Took him to the vets 2 weeks ago.Didn't think he would make it.He had pnemonia.They ran iv's through him for 2 days.The vet had him on Banamin and A180.His nose starting running again last week.Vet said to start the Banamin again for three days and the A180.Banamin 1 1/2cc twice aday and A180 1 1/2cc once every 48 hours.Is there anything else i can do for him?

 

[jt]

just curious... do you think the calf nursed well at birth...maybe it didnt get enough colostrum.??

jt

 

[phyllis43]

He was with his mom for the first week.Found him standing in the field with his head to the ground.Walk right up on him.He just stood there,so i knew something was wrong with him.That's when i took him to the vet.Vet said his temp wouldn't even register.I seen him nursing from his mother.Just went and check on him .He's having a hard time standing now.Seems his front legs are hurting.What do i do now?Take him back to the vet?

 

[hitchingpostranch]

this is probilly a shot in the dark but the mother cow that this calf was with did she have any other yearlings in with her? if so as soon as she droped her bag they could have been in there sneeking milk and if they got to her first before the calf they could have gotten her colustruim

 

[phyllis43]

There is a couple yearlings in with her.I have never seen them tryng.But they could have i guess.The mother cow dosen't have much to do with the other calves and yearlings.I've had this cow for 8 years never had any problems with her letting older calves nurse.She has never had a sick one.About every 2 years she has twins.They all been healthy except this one.

 

[Cattle Rack Rancher]

If it was me, I'd probably try to give the calf some electrolytes. I've seen that get them moving when they are a bit sluggish. If he's having pain walking, check the joints for swelling. There's a disease they get that can cause that. Can't remember the name of it right now but the swelling is very noticeable.

 

[Medic24]

baby beef is always good! :cboy:

 

[TheBullLady]

CRR.. I think you're thinking about septicemia. But I doubt he's got that at this point. Generally that's caused by an infected navel at birth.

The Banamine should also help whatever pain he's having in his legs. Where he's been sick for such a long time, he may just need time to recouperate. Laying around between bottles wouldn't make me worry unnecessarily, unless he looks sick.

 

[phyllis43]

Took him back to vet yesterday.He couldn't hardly walk.Thought maybe one of his front legs were broke.The vet said his tendons in both of his front legs were contracting.She gave him a shot .Got to give him another one today.She said also to keep him on the banacin for awhile.And to put splints on both of his front legs.Could someone tell me how to do that?Sorry to sound so dumb,but the only thing i ever had to doctor was sick dogs,horses with colic and kids.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

There are plastic splints with velcro straps made for that, but others on the board said they took PVC pipe & cut it into two pieces & used it as a splint. Be sure to wrap leg first to pad the pipe - wrap the pipe. But, if the calf in fact has tight tendons, he will work out of that my himself, just using the legs.
Is his temp up to normal yet? I wouldn't be as concerned about the legs as I would his health. What "shot" did the vet give him? Did he say the calf has respiratory problems or what??

 

[phyllis43]

He had pnemonia a couple weeks ago.The vet checked him for that again yesterday said he was doing fine.The shot was for his legs,can't remember what she said it was.I know it starts with an S.Said it was to help with the tendons.She gave me another 5cc to give to him today.

 

[dun]

Selenium maybe?

dun

 

[jerry27150]

i wish you the best of luck, but some of those are dummies b/c they wern't meant to be. natures way