I have a 1 1/2 month old calf that seems to have a cough. He nurses well, has been a sleepy boy since birth but over the last few days seems to be coughing and looking sickly. He looks a little weak too. We listened to his lungs, which sound clear. We gave him 4cc of penicillin last night, this morning he looked a lot better, tonight he was coughing again, head down and looking sick, so we gave him another 4 cc of penicillin. We really don't have a cattle vet in the area, as the good ones are gone or switched over to horses as they say cattle just doesn't pay. Do you guys or gals have any suggestions? Another type of medicine that might work better?
Calf is coughing?
- Thread starter Beefman
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backhoeboogie
Well-known member
Check his temperature. If he is running a temp, banamine is what you need to use. Nuflour is what I use for pneumonia(shipping fever)/coughing. Both banamine and nuflour are prescription drugs. The vets can get it for you even if they are horse vets. Once you have it, use it wisely for such conditions.
I absolutely agree with banamine/nuflor combo. Make sure this calf gets probiotics and stays hydrated (dehydration is often the worst enemy of a sick calf). Probiotics are cheap insurance. Check for fever. You cannot always hear pneumonia, especially at the stage you want to catch it at ~ I found that out the hard way. Stay on the calf also ~ give it drugs and give it a second dose as/when called for (especially on the nuflor), don't wait for it to go back down because it seems to be doing better. Good luck!!
Pick up a paste probiotic at your feed store and go by weight. With paste it is easier because you can know that he got what he needed. If you have to guess on the weight, guess heavy ~ a bit too much is ok.
