Calf Problem - Any Advice?

[skyline]

One of my cows had a calf about a week and a half ago. Commercial cow x Beefmaster bull. Bull calf. I noticed the morning after the birth that the calf was not getting up. Appeared that something was wrong. I got the calf and put it in a stall in the barn and brought the momma up as well into the stall. Worked with the calf enough to figure out that it would be unable to stand up and nurse, so I started it on a bottle of colostorum. After several days, we got it up and running well on the bottle (with great advice from a few of you via private messages - thanks again!). Now he is up to 2 quarts - 2 times per day.

Problem is, he cannot get up on his own. After standing him up, he can stand (wobbly) for a couple 2 or 3 minutes. He appears to be lame in his back left leg. No obvious problems from an appearance standpoint and he can move his leg, but it appears to be very weak and he doesn't have good control of it. He doesn't appear to be in pain. He can take a few steps forward, but he always falls down. He has made some progress in the last week.

The momma is still very maternal after almost 2 weeks and although I haven't caught them in the act, I believe he is sucking on her by pushing up on his two front legs high enough to get to her. Some times he is much less hungry than others, so that also makes me think he and momma have hooked up. I have him in a stall with fans on him during the day. The momma can come and go as she wants and she is often in there with him. I feed him a bottle twice per day, check on him 3 or 4 times per day, and stand him up to exercise him. Also, work with his legs some when I have time.

I want to give him every chance I can to make it, but I'm running out of ideas. Any advice?

 

[dun]

Have you checked the joints of that leg to make sure they work properly and don;t over flex? Had calf last spring the the knee andd hip joints hadn;t formed exactly right and the leg would sort of pop out at an odd agnle and it would fall down. Had to help it to get up and when it popped out as soon as it fell down it popped back in like it should have been.

 

[skyline]

Have you checked the joints of that leg to make sure they work properly and don;t over flex? Had calf last spring the the knee andd hip joints hadn;t formed exactly right and the leg would sort of pop out at an odd agnle and it would fall down. Had to help it to get up and when it popped out as soon as it fell down it popped back in like it should have been.

Dun, his joints appear to be ok. His spine appears to be ok as well. It's really puzzling.

 

[bward]

I had a calf similar to that eons ago. The calf was alive but would just lay there flat. Calf was terribly weak and could not get up on his own, and when helped would crumble after a few seconds. We milked the mother and tubed the calf twice a day for 5 days and then the next day,I found the calf up and nursing on its own.

In this case I beleive the calf was weak because he lost a lot of blood at birth. There was a lot of blood around the naval of the calf on the ground where he was born and some blood still on the legs of the calf.This was evident despite being cleaned up and well licked by Mama.
The gums of the calf were very pale and although breathing fine was unable to even lift his head that first day. The second day we were able to get him up but the calf would shake and crumble right away.

In honesty, I found it utterly amazing that the calf got up on his own in such a short amount of time.

I don't know what advice to give you other than perhaps a vitamin shot to boost the calf. Ask your vet for a single dose. Its the mamas attention thats going to keep the calfs interest in life so keep doing what you are and try to catch the calf nursing on its own... If it is not, then you should start milking her before she dries up. In fact if you can, milk the cow to bottle feed the calf.

 

[skyline]

Update... The calf will be 3 weeks old in 2 days. He's downing 2 bottles per day with no problems. Still have him in a stall with fans along with his momma. I have witnessed him nursing on momma. I'm still bottle feeding because he cannot get up and go to momma when he's hungry. He only gets to eat off of her when she stands close enough. He still cannot get up on his own, although he is trying now and is getting closer. He can stand unassisted, once you help him get up for about 5 minutes or so before he loses balance and falls down. Not sure what the future holds for him... we're just taking it day by day. If he ever gets to the point where he can hold his on in the pasture with the herd, this will be one for the books.

 

[skyline]

Well, the little feller is starting to walk a bit. He made a lap around his stall last night. My 7 year old daughter encouraged him by holding out her finger in front of his nose after he finished off his bottle. I gave him a little balancing help, but not much. Looking hopeful, but still taking it day by day. Thinking of rigging up a sling this week to suspend him from the barn rafters and let him stand that way for longer periods of time. Was thinking of cutting 4 leg holes in a piece of canvas tarp and running a rope through a pully so I can let him up and down a little to get him settled into it right.

Am I the only softie on these boards that would invest this much time and energy into a commercial calf?

 

[Double R Ranch]

Well, the little feller is starting to walk a bit. He made a lap around his stall last night. My 7 year old daughter encouraged him by holding out her finger in front of his nose after he finished off his bottle. I gave him a little balancing help, but not much. Looking hopeful, but still taking it day by day. Thinking of rigging up a sling this week to suspend him from the barn rafters and let him stand that way for longer periods of time. Was thinking of cutting 4 leg holes in a piece of canvas tarp and running a rope through a pully so I can let him up and down a little to get him settled into it right.

Am I the only softie on these boards that would invest this much time and energy into a commercial calf?

When we started our herd years back we started with buying diers from the auction.
We have done the same things. A sling works well. You will read on this board it being advised for cows that are down.
It is still a living being. Even if its end is meat on someones table it is our job to do everything possible to make its live comfortable. I say keep trying with it unless it appears to be suffering but keep in mind if he is a bit hungry he will put more effort into trying to get up to nurse.
Hope everything turns out.
Double R

 

[jilleroo]

No,you're not the only softie out there, Skyline. Stick with the little guy. We've got plenty of cattle but every one of them still counts. Last year I bathed and bandaged the badly staked back foot of a big charolais cow for months and was ultimately successful. It would have been so easy to shoot her, but she is not lame now and has a nice heifer calf. You need to have some sort of compassion for the animal which earns you your living (or contributes towards it, in some cases.) While he is making progress, is feeding and not in too much pain, there is hope. Good luck.

 

[skyline]

Thank ya'll for the encouragement. I am hopeful. Tonight we rigged up a bottle holder on the side of the panel at a height where he has to stand. Wobbly at first, but he settled down and stood for the entire feeding. We'll keep at it and hope for the best.

 

[MrGale]

Have you tried consulting a vetinarian on this? Could be something like BVD damage, and he might be a carrier..

 

[skyline]

Have you tried consulting a vetinarian on this? Could be something like BVD damage, and he might be a carrier..

No I haven't, but I was thinking of taking him in to see one in the next few days. I'll update once I do.

 

[skyline]

Update. Just got back from the vet. Noticed last night a naval infection in addition to his other issues. The vet opened the naval, removed pus, flushed with hydrogen peroxide and rubbing alcohol and then gave an injection of Baytril. Vet says the naval should be fine. Watch it to make sure it continues to drain and doesn't seal off.

The calf's left back hip is out of socket. After rotating joint and observing, he verified this by laying calf on back and holding both rear legs together and straight up in alignment. The bad leg is about 1 to 2" longer than the other. Vet says no way to fix that issue, that he has seen a lot of these cases, and that he should get stronger, learn to compensate, and be able to fend for himself - although he will always be gimpy. Recommended growing him out to about 500 lbs and butchering him for freezer meat, provided he can get up and going.

The calf is making good progress and appears to be on the verge of standing up on his own. He is balancing and hobbling around once you pick him up.

I'm learning new stuff every day...

 

[skyline]

TN, yes I do have a full time (and more) job outside of my ranching efforts. It's been hard squeezing the calf into the routine.

Honestly, I just didn't like the other option with this calf... Not that I couldn't put him down, but he sure seemed to be fighting to make it. I figure I can try to help.

 

[skyline]

Have you tried consulting a vetinarian on this? Could be something like BVD damage, and he might be a carrier..

Asked the vet about this and after looking at him, he thought there was a very low liklihood of BVD damage and he didn't encourage me to have the test run.

 

[MrGale]

Have you tried consulting a vetinarian on this? Could be something like BVD damage, and he might be a carrier..

Asked the vet about this and after looking at him, he thought there was a very low liklihood of BVD damage and he didn't encourage me to have the test run.

With the leg length difference, I think you have it..the ligaments and tendons in that leg are all stretched out, but if he can pull them back together with his muscles strengthening, the ligaments on that joint can shorten to the correct length and you will have it...he may still be a slight gimp, but hell, I got a gimp and I am still here.. :banana: :clap: :clap: If it was BVD damage, the joints would be O K, so I don't thing it was that, thank GOD for blessings..

 

[skyline]

thank GOD for blessings..

Yessir, I agree!