calf sticking out tongue

[UG]

I've been raising cattle for many years and just when I think I've seen about everything I get surprised again.

We had a set of twin heifers born two weeks ago. After a couple days I noticed that one of the calves sticks her tongue out most of the time; probably one to two inches. Other than that she seems very normal and healthy, and doesn't appear to have a problem nursing.

Has anyone seen this before? Any idea what causes it?

Thanks

 

[ollie']

Is she parrot mouthed?

 

[DD RANCH]

 

[J&T Farm]

Give her about a week and see if she dosent quit that. Most of my baby calves from birth to about maybe 3 weeks will let their tongue stick out a little. not like their trying to breathe thru their mouth but just resting it between the lips. Especially right after they nurse.

 

[UG]

Is she parrot mouthed?

Hi Ollie,

I also wondered if she was parrot mouthed or had a bit of a deformity of the jaw, but she looks normal.

This little girl is going to get a frozen tongue in a couple weeks when the winter chill arrives if she doesn't learn to keep her tongue in her mouth.

 

[Susie David]

Is this her normal condition or can she retract the tongue normally? If so, she could just like the feeling of the cool air on the tongue, will probably suck it in when the weather turns cold. Never know what they will do next...ain't it great. DMc

 

[UG]

Yea Susie David she occasionally puts her tongue in her mouth, but seems to prefer just leaving it hang out a little... crazy calf

 

[ollie']

UG does she not have and underbite at all???

 

[UG]

UG does she not have and underbite at all???

I really don't think so. I looked pretty closely at her on Saturday and didn't notice anything unusual. I'll hopefully get a chance to see her tonight before it is too dark and we'll look again.

Have you had experience with underbites before?

 

[A6gal]

Had a calf like that once. I was concerned at first but she seemed normal other than the tongue hanging out most of the time. She received the nicknamed "goofy". She developed and gained weight right along with the other calves and sold at the same price as the rest at the sale barn.

 

[ollie']

8 or 10 years ago I had a saler calf that had an underbite. She kept her tongue hanging out . She kind of had a split looking upper lip. It wasn't split but kind of bull dogged mouth . She got over it in a few weeks. That did bump her from the purebred herd though.

 

[ctlbaron]

We had one born like that about a month ago. Ran around for the first two weeks with his tongue sticking out. Nursed with his tongue out to the left. He got straightened out in a couple of weeks. I think he just had to learn how to operate that thing. :lol:

 

[UG]

It was getting dark by the time I got to the farm last night, but I did get a pretty close look at the calf's mouth. It appears normal.

We'll be running cattle through the chute in the next 10 days, so I'm going to run the calf in and take a closer look and also open up her mouth to see if anything looks unusual.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Sometimes the tongue might have gotton swollen or numb thru birthing & they will do that for a few weeks.
But, (this is out there a bit), - but, selenium deficiency affects the tongue. Usually they can't suck. Sounds like yours is doing just find. Congrats on LIVE twin calves.