Calf problem

[Sevierite]

Just when I think I've seen everything....something new
comes up. We've had several calves born through the years
that have had weak ankles. They usually get better with
time. Today, one of our heifers had a nice bull calf. He looks
great until he trys to stand. Both front knees refuse to
support him. The poor thing cannot reach the cow's udder.
We tube-fed him colostrum today. Tomorrow, we will have
to try something to get him on his feet. Any ideas?

 

[Alice]

I've read here that people have splinted the calves legs. And, if the momma isn't freaky, every few hours, go out and hold the calf up to nurse, at least until his legs strengthen. I'd bet he'll be better every day...but that's just my opinion.

Maybe the vet can direct you to where you can find some sort of splints that won't do more harm than good. And if you do splint the legs, put enough vet wrap around where the splints can rub and cause sores and pain. If the calf hurts, he sure won't try to stand. Again, just my opinion.

Alice

 

[Beefy]

is the calf a shorthorn? if so he may not have any cartilage to stand with.

i have had calves before that just wouldnt or couldnt stand like that. did he have a difficult birth and how is the circulation in the legs? just keep working with him, he'll either get it or not.

 

[Sevierite]

is the calf a shorthorn? if so he may not have any cartilage to stand with.

i have had calves before that just wouldnt or couldnt stand like that. did he have a difficult birth and how is the circulation in the legs? just keep working with him, he'll either get it or not.[/quot


The calf is black. His mom is half angus and half charolais.
His dad was angus. I don't think there was trouble at his
birth. Everything seemed OK until we tried to get him up.

 

[Beefy]

cow getting adequate minerals? you might try giving the calf a selenium shot?

 

[Sevierite]

I won't rule out a mineral deficiency, but we've been on this
place for 32 years and this is the first calf I've seen like this.
We feed co-op minerals free choice. I'm going to call it
a birth defect and hope we can rig up something to help
the calf get to it's feet. I hope Alice is right.

 

[Alice]

A shot of Bose wouldn't hurt...just in case. And if it is contracted tendons in it's legs, it's not a birth defect necessarily. The ones that we've had here that had tendon problems were big calves. I hope that's all that it is, also. I wish you luck.

Alice

 

[randiliana]

Sounds like it could be contracted tendons. Is he walking on the front of his fetlocks? If that is the case, you can splint him. Take a couple of pieces of PVC or plastic pipe big enough to go around his legs. They should be long enough to go from his hoof to just below the knee. Cut down the length of one side so you can spread it open. Wrap the legs enough so the pipe won't rub, and then put the pipe on the legs. Duct tape the pipe on. You will likely have to help him out until he figures out how to get up and down and walk. Give him about a week, and check the legs out, see if he can walk without the splints. Once he is at least walking on his tippy toes most of the time you can quit the splints.

Here is a picture of a calf with severe contracted tendons. Click on the first link.

http://merckvetmanual.com/mvm/htm/bc/cat_img_90000.htm

Also, go down to the section "Flexion Deformities" and click on contracted tendons, foal It is a pic of a foal, but it is pretty much the same thing.

 

[Joy in Texas]

We had a heifer calf borned on Jan.17,07. She had the same problem. It took a couple of days for her legs to work right. I would rub them and bend them alittle at a time. Not sure if that really helped,but she would try to walk on her on. By the second day she was up and limping,but she was trying really hard. I kept her and the cow in a pen for about a week.
I did have to feed her though. I just fixed her colostrum. To look at her today you would never know she had a problem. She can run like the wind.

 

[jkwilson]

We had a heifer calf borned on Jan.17,07. She had the same problem. It took a couple of days for her legs to work right. I would rub them and bend them alittle at a time. Not sure if that really helped,but she would try to walk on her on. By the second day she was up and limping,but she was trying really hard. I kept her and the cow in a pen for about a week.
I did have to feed her though. I just fixed her colostrum. To look at her today you would never know she had a problem. She can run like the wind.

We've had the same problem in the past, and used the same solution. Bottle fed the calf its first two feedings. Gave them a little help getting hooked up with mama for the next feeding or two. Got them in out of the cold for a couple of days and by the third day they are usually ready to run. Our vet recommends a double dose of LA200, but I don't know if there's any studies supporting it helping or not. Most always happens with heifers. Just more pressure in the birth canal while the calf is making its way out.

 

[Sevierite]

Well....here's the update. We got our tape and splint-making
materials together this morning and went out to check on
him. Lo and behold....the little feller was on his feet! We
left them alone...hopefully everything has worked itself out.
We will watch them closely, just to be sure.

 

[Alice]

Well....here's the update. We got our tape and splint-making
materials together this morning and went out to check on
him. Lo and behold....the little feller was on his feet! We
left them alone...hopefully everything has worked itself out.
We will watch them closely, just to be sure.

Whew! Dont' ya' love it when things work themselves out!

Just make sure he gets enough to eat...he might have a bit of catching up to do...and his little legs might not yet be strong enough to stand long enough to get the amount he needs.

Oh, this is good news!

Alice

 

[cfpinz]

Sevierite - Glad yours turned out ok. We've had two this year, gave both a shot of Bo-Se at birth. First got better after a couple days. Second was more severe, took him about two weeks before he got completely straightened out. Every time I made my mind up to splint him, he showed some improvement. And I hate to meddle with them if not absolutely necessary.

cfpinz

 

[3MR]

Glad it all worked out. Dont you lov eit when a plan comes together. Especially when it turn sout you didnt need the plan. Of course if you hadnt had it all ready to go nothign would have improved. :lol:

 

[GMN]

A shot of Bose wouldn't hurt...just in case. And if it is contracted tendons in it's legs, it's not a birth defect necessarily. The ones that we've had here that had tendon problems were big calves. I hope that's all that it is, also. I wish you luck.

Alice

What is bose, never heard of that medicine?

GMN

 

[dun]

A shot of Bose wouldn't hurt...just in case. And if it is contracted tendons in it's legs, it's not a birth defect necessarily. The ones that we've had here that had tendon problems were big calves. I hope that's all that it is, also. I wish you luck.

Alice

What is bose, never heard of that medicine?

GMN

Calf selenium shot

dun