calf won't get up

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we had a big bull calf here recently, he could not get up, so we took him to the vet and she said his spine was alright, any way....he had started walking on his front legs fairly good, then he got the scours, we did not work with him for several days cuz he was weak and all, and any way.....we got him over that but now he won't try to get up, and he acts like his legs won't bend, but they do, we bend them and make him move them like he is walking or running, of course we do this while he is laying down. i put a brace on his right hind leg cuz he knuckled under so badly, and he is getting much heaver, and more difficult to hold up,i hate to have to put him down, because he seems to be ok other than not getting up or wanting to walk (which is no little thing i guess) any suggestions would be very appreciated......thanks samm



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> is he nursing?

oh yea he is eating we are bottle feeding him, he will eat 6 to 8 pints at a time, we feed him 3 times a day, the way he is growing heaver i think he is getting plenty



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Maybe he's eating too much & gaining weight too fast?? (So that he can't support his weight) I just weaned my 2 1/2 month old calves and the most I fed them 4 pints of milk replacer apiece 2X per day.....My bigger, older one is 150# and the smaller, younger one is 115#. I was thinking also maybe he was born with some type of calcium/bone deficiency?
 
> Maybe he's eating too much &
> gaining weight too fast?? (So that
> he can't support his weight) I
> just weaned my 2 1/2 month old
> calves and the most I fed them 4
> pints of milk replacer apiece 2X
> per day.....My bigger, older one
> is 150# and the smaller, younger
> one is 115#. I was thinking also
> maybe he was born with some type
> of calcium/bone deficiency?

We had the same problem last year. Check into a selenium deficiency. However it may be too late. Do some research on "White Muscle Desease". This may help for future problems. We lost 4 head last year due to this. Their spirits are high, happy cows but cant move their back legs, even with a hip lift. Hope this helps.



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samm: I have to agree with Chris, selenium problem. we have raised over 800 dairy heifers for a large dairy and our protocal calls for the vaccinaation of the calf on arrival at our facility with 5 cc Vital AD&E, and 2 cc BoSe. seems to work very well, no problems as of yet (over 4 years). good luck.
 

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