calf scours

[kurst76]

Hi there everyone, I live in australia and bought 2 shorthorn beef calves 3 weeks ago, I was so excited as it was the first time I had owned cows. Anyway my excitement turned to sadness when both became ill very sudden, one being worse than the other. I brought them up to our house and had them underneath my daughters large cubby house to keep them out of the weather, but neither looked like they were getting better so I called the vet and he told me that they had scours probably due to the stress of moving from different paddocks. I called the previous owner and he told me that he had only just bought them from a market aswell so both had been moved 3 times in the matter of 3 weeks. The vet gave me scour treatment, antibiotics and rehydration sachets for both calves but told us that it did not look good and did not hold too much hope for either. Well 2 hours later the sicker of the 2 calves died which made me believe that there was no hope for the other. I was going out throughout the day and night to rehydrate the remaining calf and have managed to keep her going for another week since the vet visit. She is now eating and drinking without coaxing and has firm stools but still looks depressed and still cannot stand up (it has been a little over a week since she has been down) even when we pick her up to try and make her stand. And to top it off I have just noticed tonight that she has developed a strong smell to her breath, it almost smells like disinfectant or ammonia (white king for australians) and I just have no idea. If anyone knows how long it might take for her to get up or what the smell is please reply as I have no idea.
Thankyou kirsty

 

[dun]

How old is the calf, both the same age?

 

[cowlady1]

How old is the last calf? What is she eating ?Is she still on milk?I've been using probios on calves when I 1st get them. This helps with stress of moving them & ect.If your calf is starting to eat grain or hay you will notice an odor because the ruman is trying to start.Thats okay. This calf sounds like her age is at that stage. As long as her manure is stiff &not scour she may make it.It will take a little time for her to do better.As long as she eats & doesn't refuse to you'll be okay.If she does refuse to eat your chances are not as good.If you buy any more get some probios & check about vaccines for in your area.I also use 3 different vaccines from day 2 & day 4 for one of these.Clostridium,bvd1&2 Pastuerella.Pastuerella is a pneumonia thats hard to cure with antibiotic.Is showing up with bvd.Since I started this I haven't lost as many.Time is also very important on a calf. I buy alot of sale barn calves.

 

[kurst76]

The calf is approx 3mths as I bought them both 3 weeks ago and the owner told me then that they were 2 and half mths. Neither were drinking milk and both were drinking from the trough together with our Dorpers and Damaras. I have just introduced grain into her diet but she has been eating hay since she arrived. She is definately eating as every time I check on her she is chewing on hay or has her head buried in the grain bowl. I was feeding her Vytrate to rehydrate her from a bottle as the vet told me that she had almost lost all interest in sucking. She now drinks from a bucket which is good as she did not seem interested in doing so a week ago. Both calves were vaccinated but I was unaware of how stressed they get with moving and was also unaware of how many moves they had already had. She looks like she is having a better day today and is quite perky so fingers crossed.
Thankyou Kirsty