Calf very lathargic this morning
- Thread starter faintingridge
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larryshoat
Well-known member
One of the ingredients of most electrolyte formulas is some form of salt.By the time you get enough fluid in this calf to rehydrate her you will have way too much electrolyte in her.We all know what a good dose of salts will do .As far as the dexamethasone it is a trade off,this calf needs relief now.If I thouhgt there was time or in a less severe case I would use banamine.msscamp":12l3iy5k said:
The problem is that everyone is just shoting in the dark. Don;t know if she has scours, don;t know if she has a blockage, do't know etc., etc.
What the calf needs and hopefully will get in the morning is a professional evaluation of the situation.
What the calf needs and hopefully will get in the morning is a professional evaluation of the situation.
faintingridge
Active member
Good morning,
Not to brag but, not bad for a beginner!!! She is up and eating : )
She got fluids all through the night by suqirting it down her throat slowly, kept her warm, put her brother back in with her, and this morning when I got home from work, she met me at the fence!! I gave her just half of her normal feeding for now, of the Optimil Complete, and will feed her a few more times during the day. Don't want to overload her to soon.
The bull is right back to her butt and got a face full of mushy stool this morning. Thought I was gonna die, wow, gross.
Thank you all very much for all the advice! This group is awesome for beginners. I will check in later with an update.
Thanks again
Not to brag but, not bad for a beginner!!! She is up and eating : )
She got fluids all through the night by suqirting it down her throat slowly, kept her warm, put her brother back in with her, and this morning when I got home from work, she met me at the fence!! I gave her just half of her normal feeding for now, of the Optimil Complete, and will feed her a few more times during the day. Don't want to overload her to soon.
The bull is right back to her butt and got a face full of mushy stool this morning. Thought I was gonna die, wow, gross.
Thank you all very much for all the advice! This group is awesome for beginners. I will check in later with an update.
Thanks again
rockridgecattle
Well-known member
congrats
Keep an eye for secondary infection due to the immune system being compromised.
Good luck
Keep an eye for secondary infection due to the immune system being compromised.
Good luck
larryshoat
Well-known member
How much milk are you giving a 30lb calf?
faintingridge
Active member
Ok, will do.
She said they were getting 2 pints twice a day. I will be increasing it to two pints three times a day very soon.
She said they were getting 2 pints twice a day. I will be increasing it to two pints three times a day very soon.
larryshoat
Well-known member
That sounds like plenty of milk for now.I would not increase milk until she is out of the scours stage. Keep encouraging fluids between milk feedings. Be sure to feed milk 12 hrs apart.I've seen too many large operations in trouble by trying to feed calves twice in an 8 hour shift.I would permanately separate her from that bull calf ,she has enough problems.
Earl Thigpen
Well-known member
dun":3djq3hgm said:
I sure hope no one jumps up your butt about making this statement. I said the same thing about a month ago to the young lady who had no place to keep the calf (700 lbs), no way to handle the calf, no idea what it's temperature should be or how to check it and no idea how to care for the animal or what was wrong with it. My advice to her was get the vet.
I agree with you - get professional help. Can't diagnose with any degree of acurracy over this forum.
And by the way Faintingridge - I'm glad the calf is doing better. Hope things work out. And Dun is right.
faintingridge
Active member
Thank you,
She is doing real well. I am going to keep them seperated. The bull started scouring a few days ago also. He seems pretty good today. Lots of fluids, no milk for two days. He is starting to nibble on clean straw, and pellets now. All in all, pretty good thanks to all the help : )
She is doing real well. I am going to keep them seperated. The bull started scouring a few days ago also. He seems pretty good today. Lots of fluids, no milk for two days. He is starting to nibble on clean straw, and pellets now. All in all, pretty good thanks to all the help : )
faintingridge
Active member
Quick question please... Both the calves have been off replacer for two full days for the scours, I added the raw eggs also to the electrolyte fluid. They love it, lol. Anyways, the scours have cleared, now how should I get them back to the replacer without making there gut crazy?
Thanks,
Thanks,
faintingridge":3gbecbzr said:
Calves with scours should never be taken off milk replacer in the first place. That is an old belief that has proven to be detrimental to scouring calves. A calf can literally be starved to death like that. Plus, the become to weak to fight whatever bacteria or virus it is that is causing the scours.
That said, personally, I would give the calves their milk replacer 4 times a day, a quart at a time. They need the nutrition now really badly, so don't skimp on it and DON"T water it down. ALSO, give them probios with every other feeding.
If you notice them scouring again, continue to give the milk replacer...only this time, give them electrolytes a few hours after you've fed them the milk replacer. Continue this until the scours have gone. And remember, probios, probios, probios.
Alice
faintingridge
Active member
Now, I was told over and over to get them off the milk RIGHT AWAY!!
Some said do it, some said don't. To many different opinions when it comes to raising animals.
So who do us newbies listen to???
:?:
Some said do it, some said don't. To many different opinions when it comes to raising animals.
So who do us newbies listen to???
:?:
faintingridge":92qwyx1e said:
Do a search...a google search. It will show you what I'm talking about. You can also search the cattle board. Withholding milk replacer during scours as been discussed and rediscussed.
Years ago it was the common practice to withhold milk replacer until it became apparent how harmful it was to the calves.
Not all calves live thru the dehydration of scours...no matter what you do. But it is much more likely that a calf will live and thrive as long as it is still getting the nutrients it needs from the milk replacer.
Alice
faintingridge
Active member
Ok, I also belong to another baord and you will find quite a few cattle ranchers that say "take them off it"
Thats why I was wondering how new raisers know which way to go.
Thats why I was wondering how new raisers know which way to go.
faintingridge":3dy40ewc said:
I go along with the latest research. I search extension ag sites...I search sites from different coutries, even. When I was raising 80 holstein bull babies, and I was fighting scours day in and day out, I was all over the internet..plus I talked to the people I worked with in the ag department at the university where I worked.
My brother and I got into a very loud confrontation over this. He was from the old school...withhold the milk replacer to "dry them up." And, I watched calves get weaker and weaker and eventually die.
One day he saw me feeding scouring calves milk replacer and started running his know-it-all head. I explained what I knew to be the lastest research...he told me the EXPERTS, mind you, didn't know what they were talking about. As the conversation got louder, he finally hollered, "It's too much trouble feeding them milk replacer, then going back and giving them electrolytes."
And there ya' have it...it's easier to go with what used to be done than to change, especially if it means more work.
Alice
faintingridge
Active member
And there ya' have it...it's easier to go with what used to be done than to change, especially if it means more work.
Hmmmm, the work would be the same, seems to me. That is not an issue with me so I'm not sure what that means.
No problem, I guess we all learn from our, or others mistakes as we go along. I'll just do my best for them, as I have so far, and in two years, they will be ready for my freezer! Thanks Alice for the help.
Hmmmm, the work would be the same, seems to me. That is not an issue with me so I'm not sure what that means.
No problem, I guess we all learn from our, or others mistakes as we go along. I'll just do my best for them, as I have so far, and in two years, they will be ready for my freezer! Thanks Alice for the help.
faintingridge":1iprf69c said:
That simply means that to me, a lot of the folks saying to withhold the milk won't change their thinking because it's too much trouble to them.
Yes, when you are taking care of two calves, the work would not be that much more...but when someone is taking care of 80 or more, the work dang near doubles...especially when 10-15 calves scour at the same time.
Alice
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