calf in the bathroom

[dj]

8 am
Newlyborn. Temp 94 when I found it.
Got it inside. Vigorous rubbing and a hair drier.
Took approx 2 hours for it to show signs it might try.
By 1pm it would kinda stretch and arch it's neck back.
Milked out about 1/2 quart from the cow and tried to get it to take a nipple. No inclination to suck and it's still won't try to stand.
Drenched about 2pm with some colostrum I had in the freezer.
By 4pm her temp was 100.4 and she would stand with help so took her back out and tried to get her on the cow. She wouldn't try to suck and soon fell out with no effort to get back up. Despite the cow nearly lifting back to it feet pushing on it. Brought her back inside to try to get her to suck a bottle. Figured that would be easier to get her back on the cow if she was at least sucking.
It is now a little after 6. She is sitting up by herself. Her temp is now 103.7 and her breathing alittle labored.
Is a shot of LA200 in order?
MM will try the selenium tomorrow.
dun Thanks for talking to me earlier.
Thinking of trying the sugar trick(calf won't suck thread).
Any other thoughts, guess's or recommendations.
The temp tonight is low teens and a foul wind.
I can get in to the dry but can't fix the cold.

 

[TNfamilyfarm]

if you've ever had a bottle calve....... just continue down that road. baby needs some kind of milk/colostrum.
it wouldnt hurt to put some eggs in the milk replacer for added protien.
get it moving sometime soon, even if only a few steps.
if fever/lethargic give some aspirin.
a good shot of vitamin wouldnt hurt.
keep on with the antibiotics

i've had many bottle calves and they never fail to make you think they will die. the last one i bottle fed would suck well, acted as if it couldnt see. i took several weeks to get it "healthy".

 

[milkmaid]

I heard my vet say something the other day that I found intriuging... not only does a calf need to get colostrum within the first 24 hours, but the colostrum and the calf also need to be warm or absorption and passive transfer suffers.

Sounds like you're on the right track, I'd keep the calf inside until it was drinking well and looking good. Don't worry about the cow; if she won't take the calf back you can worry about that when you get there, but if the calf's dead you won't have a calf to either graft or sell.

 

[Fred]

I heard it was not good to warm colostrum in a microwave oven. Has anyone heard this?

 

[cfpinz]

If that were my calf, I'd tube her with colostrum and give her a shot of Vit-B complex, along with a snort of probios. Not saying that is the right thing to do but works for me. If someone disagrees please explain, I'm not too bull headed to listen.

And I'd keep the little fella in the house tonight. As milkmaid said you can deal with the cow accepting it later, if it's still alive.

Good Luck
cfpinz

 

[3MR]

I heard it was not good to warm colostrum in a microwave oven. Has anyone heard this?

A microwave wont actually heat it up, it will just cook it a little at a time.

 

[Alice]

Vitamin A,E&D...as well as the B vitamins...and the probios. Tube if you have to to get the nutrition in it...and keep that baby warm and dry.

Alice

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

On a side note, next time you have a cold calf, float it in warm water. It will revive/warm it faster than anything else, just read an article confirming this thru research.
I would give it more colostrum if within 24 hours of birth than use the BEST milk replacer you can get or use mom's milk.
I would also give it a BoSe (selenium) shot. If it was born SE deficient, it would not have jumped right up & sucked, allowing it to get too cold.
Unless it has a fever, I would not give it any antibiotics yet.

 

[Joy in Texas]

I heard it was not good to warm colostrum in a microwave oven. Has anyone heard this?

I've heard this too. This lady told me to freeze in ziplock bags,when needed set in a bowl of warm water to heat. Heating in the microwave kills the vitamins,or something like that

 

[holly heifer]

My vet said to never heat colustrum in the microwave, it destroys the antibodies. Heat with warm water . ;-)

 

[dj]

She spent most of the day like this.
Finally gave the sugar a try. Still couldn't force her take the bottle. Alittle later she latched on and didn't look back.
Gave her another short nap( and time to get hungry again).
Gave her some LA200. Temp was 103.8

Took her to moma about 8:30. Still couldn't force her to take to sucking, so just left them alone and nature took it's course.
Left them in the barn stall over night and this am it's like yesterday never happened.

 

[Gwenhwyfar]

Stupendous Outcome

 

[Alice]

WooooHooooo! Ah man, I love happy endings! That is heartwarming, that's all I can say.

Good on you, dj...good on you!

Alice

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

dj - way to go!! that's one that never would have survived. You are to be congratulated for all your work.
Loved your pics - you have to feel soooo good

 

[nenmrancher]

putting the calf in the bath tub with warm water should be a last resort. From our experiences when you do this it wipes out all the scent that the calf had that mom would use to recognize the calf. Just about everytime we have done this and saved a calf it has turned into a bottle baby or had to go on a nurse cow.

 

[holly heifer]

Sometimes they just need that extra push, congrats! :heart:

 

[Kelly]

You did a terrific job! I wish all stories had happy endings.
I am sure glad it turned out well.

 

[TNfamilyfarm]

alright. good job. just needed sometime in a warm safe place.