Calf just born, hasn’t nursed

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For the benefit of both cow and calf get them in the barn and bed them down and wash the cows bag and check to see if she has milk or is plugged up. In a few hrs or less try to get calf to nurse, if it drank a whole bottle it is hungry. It is worth trying all ,and you will fell better too. Good Luck
 
My old Jersey's udder is at hock level and the newborn calves are searching for a teat up by her flanks where nature intended the teats to be. Plus the cow gets udder edema so bad I just tube the colostrum to them. No fighting, no refusal, and you know they got her colostrum before it is too late with none of this fretting about did they get colostrum or not

Last calf she had she hid her heifer calf in the pasture. By the time I found her the belly button cord was dry, must have been a couple of days old. Well, she must not have gotten enough colostrum because she died in a week for no apparent reason like a cut flower from the grocery store.

For future reference tubing is not difficult with the setup. You back the calf into a corner, hold their shoulder between your legs, lift their chin with one hand and insert the tube all the way down their throat with the other. Someone can hold the bag of milk. Then raise up the bag and the colostrum quickly drains into the calf's stomach.
 
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Is it a bull calf ? They can be lazy and a pain to deal with . Open up the nipple on the bottle so it flows out and he doesn't have to suck . If you can get milk from momma that's the best to try him on . Good luck ! We've all had one like that .
 
You all have been spot on!! I talked with my vet and we had set up for me to bring him to them this evening. Well went out to the barn to milk out mama and take him to be tubed. Guess who was trying to nurse?? And yes he's a bull calf. It's like he's lazy. He was searching around all over mama for a place to eat and just couldn't figure it out. I stepped in and got that teat right in his mouth! He isn't super vigorous about nursing but he nursed a good 10 minutes! Now he's showing some spunk. I think the little guy finally got hungry enough! He's a super chill calf but like you all have said, the bull calves can be like that. I had 2 heifer calves born back in Oct and wayyy different. Also this cow is very short so I think he was having a hard time finding the teats so low.
 
It would be good to get a stomach tube and learn how to use it. It's not hard once you've done it a few times. Sometimes you just need to get some milk in them the first few days so they get some energy and perk up. Plus you can use it for electrolytes to keep them from getting dehydrates.
 
I agree its important to know how to use one. BUT it's also important to know WHEN to use one.

I'd have never used it on this calf going by the descriptions the o.p. gave us. I outlined how I'd a went about it earlier. Now being there, and being on the internet are 2 different things.... so it may have went differently.

I'm so glad it all worked out!
 
It would be good to get a stomach tube and learn how to use it. It's not hard once you've done it a few times. Sometimes you just need to get some milk in them the first few days so they get some energy and perk up. Plus you can use it for electrolytes to keep them from getting dehydrates.
Yes great point! I do want to learn how to tube because it's a valuable thing to know how to do - I agree!
 
I agree its important to know how to use one. BUT it's also important to know WHEN to use one.

I'd have never used it on this calf going by the descriptions the o.p. gave us. I outlined how I'd a went about it earlier. Now being there, and being on the internet are 2 different things.... so it may have went differently.

I'm so glad it all worked out!
Thank you! I was so so happy and relieved to see him up and trying to find a teat! With a little guidance he was right on there.
 
I agree its important to know how to use one. BUT it's also important to know WHEN to use one.

I'd have never used it on this calf going by the descriptions the o.p. gave us. I outlined how I'd a went about it earlier. Now being there, and being on the internet are 2 different things.... so it may have went differently.

I'm so glad it all worked out!
Well said!
 
Awesome news ! So glad he's nursing momma . Not all bull calves are lazy but I have found they are usually born later than their due date and either are a tad lazy or dumb . Please , no comments from the ladies about a typical male . 🤪 There are more experienced folks on here that agree or disagree with what I said about bull calves. Good looking calf ! I love black baldies .
 
I do want to learn how to tube because it's a valuable thing to know how to do
It is something you should know. And it's scary because you can kill a calf if you get the liquid (colostrum replacer/supplement, milk replacer, electrolytes) in the lungs. My vet walked me through it the first time.

There are numerous esophageal feeders available, but my favorite (by far!) is the Trusti Tuber. It makes drenching a calf virtually foolproof. I even bought one for my vet a couple years ago (he also has cattle) and now, that's all he'll use. The length of the tube can be adjusted according to the weight of the calf. The calf clamps on to the mouthpiece or there is a clip you can attach to secure it to its mouth, and you simply slide in the tube. The bottle has a vent, so no awkward squeezing, and also comes with a nipple similar to the peach teat.


 

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This calf has had to nurse by now or he would be curled up in a corner limp and shivering. At 3 days old they normally start to hop around a bit like a little pup and will sniff at what mom is eating.
just read above post by coachb
Exactly!
I had one sired by a dumb char bull that would search all over mama for a teat. Then finally said hell with it and started grazing!

I got him fixed up tho. Mama had sausage teats. And I spent at least a week getting him to nursing.

They are both gone now. Money in the bank
 

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