Calf problem.....found this morning

[shadyhollownj]

I have polled herefords and when I went to feed and check the herd this morning I found one of my calves having some issues. He was born 4/17/10. Has not had any other problems. I saw him running the field yesterday with the other calves and having no problems whatsoever. This morning he seems slightly wobbly, and when he stops walking he starts to squat with both hind legs. When he laid down he laid completely over on his side and started kicking the air with one of his back legs. He does not walk with a limp or anything like that. He put up a pretty good fight when we were trying to seperate him from the herd. He is out in a 10 acre pasture that is pretty well kept with 5 other cow calf pairs. We have got him secluded with his mother at this point and have called the vet but waiting to hear back from him. I am very concerned at this point for his health and the health of the rest of the herd. Please help.....

 

[DavisBeefmasters]

Any chance you've had a change in temperature/weather lately? Either it's been warm and all of a sudden it got cold last night? Get a cold rain last night?

 

[shadyhollownj]

We did have a warm spell and it got chilly sometime Sunday. Last night was a little chilly but I think the night before was worse (had a threat of frost then). It did rain starting in the afternoon and all night, heavier overnight......what are you thinking?

 

[DavisBeefmasters]

Quick pneumonia is what I was thinking... cold mixed with wet is hard on some of the little buggers...

Did your vet give you a shot of anti-biotic for the calf (Draxxin, Naxcel, etc.)?

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Sounds like a bellie-ache. Sometimes just walking the calf around will fix the problem. But, it could also be a blockage - but definately a bellie-ache.
Sometimes, the dam might be in heat or actively riding another cow & calf gets deprived of it's normal sucking time - then they gorge themselves & get hurting. I've seen it many times. If bad, I get them in & give them a shot of Banamine.

 

[bundabergsangel]

Sounds like a bellie-ache. Sometimes just walking the calf around will fix the problem. But, it could also be a blockage - but definately a bellie-ache.

I was thinking the same thing. In the 2006 drought we had a couple of calves do this after eating grain...I thought it was a back problem, but it turned out to be a belly ache from the feed they'd just got.

Did you figure out what it was? What did the vet say?