Stocker Steve
Well-known member
We have noticed quite a bit of difference in calf vigor. Some seems to be size and breeding related. Do you have any tips for helping slow calves?
Calf Vigor ?
- Thread starter Stocker Steve
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jkwilson
Well-known member
Make sure the cow is on a good mineral with selenium that she eats and consider giving the calf a shot after birth.
Cows with good pelvis size, or at least use a bull that is suitable for the cow's size to minimize long and difficult deliveries.
But sometimes you just get slow ones. Helps to have a nurse pasture or pen where you can put them until they get up to speed. May not help the calf, but it saves you a ton of time having to look for it.
Cows with good pelvis size, or at least use a bull that is suitable for the cow's size to minimize long and difficult deliveries.
But sometimes you just get slow ones. Helps to have a nurse pasture or pen where you can put them until they get up to speed. May not help the calf, but it saves you a ton of time having to look for it.
lithuanian farmer
Well-known member
We always watch our calves. Our previous bull's calves tend to be more dumb. Many of them start nursing only after3 days and that's with our help everyday. Usually put cow in the pen with a calf and almost always can help to nurse: milk their dam and feed the bottle to the calf or move the calf to the dam and try to put teat into its mouth. If cow isn't cooperative we tie her with the rope and if that doesn't help, just feed other cows milk for some time still moving the calf to his dam's udder everyday. They start nursing after a few days. Had one calf which started nursing after one week. Milked her dam and fed all milk to the calf for the whole time.
Also we give a shot of vitamins and selenium just in case.
Also we give a shot of vitamins and selenium just in case.
Stocker Steve
Well-known member
They are on good mineral, but I will give a Se shot just in case.
Current dummy is a big bull calf. Will weigh him, but he is obviously well over 100#.
Will pen the cow this AM. She just stands next to him and moos...
Current dummy is a big bull calf. Will weigh him, but he is obviously well over 100#.
Will pen the cow this AM. She just stands next to him and moos...
How old is this calf? Was it a hard delivery/dyscotia with a swollen face/tongue? And have you seen him nurse - or even try? If I have a dyscotia calf I give it a shot of Banamine to help reduce the swelling, Nursemate ASAP and Vitamin B Complex for vigor.
Stocker Steve
Well-known member
Lots of issues this spring. Latest is a small dirty heifer I found trying to nurse a stump. :nod: She was dry but had not been licked off. I think she was an abandoned day old twin. Gave her B, Se, and thawed colostrum yesterday, but she is weaker and starting to scour today...
She nursed about a pint of replacer this AM, and then I tubed her with 2 qts. of Arrest. Any other tips? Have you had success with the syringes of energy paste that is put in the back of a calf's mouth?
She nursed about a pint of replacer this AM, and then I tubed her with 2 qts. of Arrest. Any other tips? Have you had success with the syringes of energy paste that is put in the back of a calf's mouth?
Stocker Steve":119sez1w said:
That's the Nursemate ASAP. And yes, I have. In addition to the Arrest I'd give her a scour bolus like Terramycin. Good luck with her!
Huntet02
KS
Nirsemate worked great for us gave an initial bright mess, twice 2 tubes but something more is wrong with our girl. We're gonna call it quits
Stocker Steve
Well-known member
Seems like if they do not nurse right away then they get scours... Got her though that but still weak, so she is loose in the yard and being tubed twice a day. She can not find her stump mother, so she lays next to a black tractor tire mother and will mouth on that a little.
