CALF WILL NOT SUCK

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cloone

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Cow calved on her own - bull calf all well , healthy looking calf 6olbs weight
Cow has large bottle teats didnt see calf suck but one front teat has been reduced somewhat
Take cow and calf in wash udder but calf still wont suck
Stomach tube calf that night
Next day still not sucking
Call vet who gives 'a perfectly healthy looking' calf a vitamin shot and to do the same again 2 days later
Still not sucking vet never saw this before
Take calf away from cow to establish for sure that he is not sucking and present him twice daily to mother still wont suck still tube feeding him still perfectly healthy looking
Calf now 8 days old and not sucking
WHAT CAN I DO PLEASE
 
IRELAND??? Well really don't know your nutritional deficiencies in Ireland, but here, I would say the calf was Selenium deficient and give it a shot of BoSe (Selenium with Vit E.) I would offer it a bottle each feeding, than when it refuses, tube it. If you can get it sucking a bottle, than you can "guide" it to the teat with your finger or bottle, and switch it to the teat (cow would have to be confined).
Some "dumb suckers" will take many days before it gets sucking. Keep checking his temperature and watch for secondary problems. Did you tube him with colostrum right away??
 
As I said the Vet gave her a vitamin shot on the day
Yes I gave her her mothers colustrum
She has no physical interest in sucking either teat,finger,bottle with anything added
You can place the teat in her mouth but she wont suck will dunt the cow a bit but no suck
 
Are you feeding a good mineral? The vet. I use said a calf with no suck reflex is becuz cow has a copper shortage.
 
Roadapple":2jrlal9c said:
Are you feeding a good mineral? The vet. I use said a calf with no suck reflex is becuz cow has a copper shortage.
interesting.
 
cloone":3b88fxp1 said:
Cow has large bottle teats didnt see calf suck but one front teat has been reduced somewhat


Due to the bottle tits the calf is probably not able to nurse. You didn't intervene quite fast enough and the calf is hungry and displaying 'dummy' traits. Put the cow in the chute and milk her out until her tits are of a size to allow the calf to nurse, then bring the calf up and help him find and latch onto his mother's tit. Another option after milking is to bottle the calf with a pint or so to jump start him and then bring him up to mom. If he doesn't suck, compress his nose and lower jaw to force milk out of mom's tit and into his mouth, give him a minute for the taste to register and think about it, and repeat as necessary. Watch the calf and repeat this as many times as necessary until the calf reaches the point he can nurse on his own. When you wean this calf, ship his mother and all of her offspring as a bad udder is an inheritable trait. Just my thoughts.
 
msscamp":7hz7khmg said:
cloone":7hz7khmg said:
Cow has large bottle teats didnt see calf suck but one front teat has been reduced somewhat


Due to the bottle tits the calf is probably not able to nurse. You didn't intervene quite fast enough and the calf is hungry and displaying 'dummy' traits. Put the cow in the chute and milk her out until her tits are of a size to allow the calf to nurse, then bring the calf up and help him find and latch onto his mother's tit. Watch the calf and repeat this as many times as necessary until the calf reaches the point he can nurse on his own. When you wean this calf, ship his mother and all of her offspring as a bad udder is an inheritable trait. Just my thoughts.

Good advice, but just tie one leg back on the side the calf will nurse on so the cow won't kick you or the calf. Also don't break the seal in all the teats trying to milk them all at once. Just work on one or two until the calf gets the hang of it, and it might take care of the others in due time for you. You could also try getting it teased with a bottle then draw it near the teat and switch it over. it may not like that colostrum milk though and balk, especially after getting started on sweet milk ;-) . You might have to be persistent and get it milked down where you got some good milk flowing. Sometimes an udder will settle down and not give you any more problems. Culling her will be a decision you will have to make in time.
 
1848":34shy8gh said:
Good advice, but just tie one leg back on the side the calf will nurse on so the cow won't kick you or the calf. Also don't break the seal in all the teats trying to milk them all at once. Just work on one or two until the calf gets the hang of it, and it might take care of the others in due time for you. .

Very good points, all of them.
 
Thanks for all the suggestions all worthwhile
However the problem remains THE CALF WONT SUCK
I have 40 years experience at this craic and havent seen this before for so long. The calf is now going on 10 days and if we were not getting milk into him he would be dead obviously.
Its not the size of the tit thats the problem , or the cow kicking or the taste of the milk ,its in his brain I feel as he has absolutely no interest in feeding ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, period
 
I realize you said the vet gave the calf a VITAMIN shot - but that was PROBABLY Vit. A&D - not SELENIUM. It's worth asking the vet if he gave BoSe or MuSe.
And, not to knock your vet, but not all vets are aware of SE dificiencies. I would give the calf 4cc/100# of BoSe (2 SQ & 2 IM). At this point, it will take a few days for it to help. When I had a calf that wouldn't suck (all my calves get SE at birth) than I would hit them again next day with 1-2 cc SQ.
 
Don't know if it will help this late in the game, but I always rub the calf's tongue with my finger. (Put your finger well in, press down and pull it outward.) Might stimulate him to pull with his tongue. Then I rub the calf's back quite briskly over or behind the hips. This is where the cow will lick him to encourage him to nurse. Often when a calf is pushed up to the cow he only worries about fighting the pressure. If you point him in the right direction and rub his back his own instincts kick in. Your's may be old enough now that the initial instinct is no longer there. I have heard of calves that never sucked and had to be tubed until they could be taught to drink from a pail.

Good luck.
 
The vet gave him Selenium at the outset
Still has no interest in sucking but still alive not as frisky as before
 
Still alive today and still not sucking
Feeding him with bottle still
Has no real interest in feeding
Every other day he is lively followed by a day lying and grinding his teeth
Vet says put him down
I believe where theres life theres hope
What do you think????????????????????????
 
cloone":3cjyns3q said:
Still alive today and still not sucking
Feeding him with bottle still
Has no real interest in feeding
Every other day he is lively followed by a day lying and grinding his teeth
Vet says put him down
I believe where theres life theres hope
What do you think????????????????????????

I agree with the vet! One of the things taht places us above the lower order of animals is the ability to know when suffering should be ended.

dun
 
cloone":h2o5uyc9 said:
Do animals not have a right to life also
Im not sure that he is suffering

Do you suppose he's grinding his teeth for enjoyment?

dun
 
Sure you often hear healthy cattle grinding their teeth just like a child does in his sleep. He shows no visible sign of discomfort, quite relaxed,head tucked in under his front flank sleeping like a baby. Not as good today. Bottle fed again 4 times drank no problem. When put to cow he holds teat in his mouth, sucks 3/4 times,dunts the mothers udder and drops the teat. He ambles around through the shed. Another day nearly over, but, no wiser.
 
I was told when a calf grinds its teeth it's from pain or stress.

If you don't want to raise the calf on a bottle, then I would put him down. I wouldn't think anything is going to change this late in the game.
 
Our vet says a calf grinds it's teeth because it's stomach hurts. They don't feel good. Think of how your stomach feels when you have the flu. This could also be the reason he doesn't eat. It hurts more. You could try giving him Pepto Bismal twice a day to coat his stomach so it doesn't hurt. We have done so many times and it seems to work. Use a syringe without a needle and put about 20-30 cc's to the back of his throat so he has to swallow it. This may calm his gut down enough to make him interested in eating again. If it doesn't, then I agree with putting him down.
 

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