Calf won't suck

[travlnusa]

Angus calf due 2/21, born on 2/24 to a heifer. Born at 73lbs. Mother took to calf like a dream.

Problem is the calf won't nurse. Born at 3:00am. Watched until 3:00pm, when I fed 1 qt of colustrum every other hour until hit one gallon.

Tried to feed it with a bottle, but no results. Calf would just stand there with what leaked out of bottle dripping out of mouth. Ended up tubing all 4 feedings.

Out this morning. Still no sign of sucking (cold calf mouth, dry clean face, cow swollen in all quarters). Tried with bottle again, this time with milk replacer. This time I got about 15 very lazy bites/sucks on nipple then she was done with that. Again ended up tubing her.

Also, yesterday put mom in headgate, and opened side. Put calf on udder. Calf had NO idea why she was there.

What direction do I go now?

 

[Alice]

Is the calf up and walking? Maybe it needs to get good and hungry. I'm not advocating starving it by any stretch of the imagination, but maybe if you let it miss a feeding...

One other thing...why don't you get some electrolytes and probios into it...can't hurt, and it might help.

Alice

 

[Alice]

Give the calf a shot of BO-Se as this lack of suck reflex maybe be caused by Selinium deficiency.

I didn't know that...thanks for posting this!

Alice

 

[travlnusa]

Thank you both.

The calf is up, walking, etc. Is not dehydrated. I gave it the electrolytes this morning.

Will try the Bo-Se tomorrow once the vet opens up, or can I buy that at farm store? If that is the problem, do I have a problem with my mineral porgram?

As far as missing a meal, that is my plan for tomorrow. I will feed today, tomorrow in am, then skip Monday pm feeding.

 

[Alice]

Thank you both.

The calf is up, walking, etc. Is not dehydrated. I gave it the electrolytes this morning.

Will try the Bo-Se tomorrow once the vet opens up, or can I buy that at farm store? If that is the problem, do I have a problem with my mineral porgram?

As far as missing a meal, that is my plan for tomorrow. I will feed today, tomorrow in am, then skip Monday pm feeding.

Bose is prescription. As far as your mineral program is concerned, talk to your county agent or the knowledgeable guy at the feed store to see if your soil is selenium deficient and ask what he'd recommend.

Alice

 

[Cowdirt]

Angus calf due 2/21, born on 2/24 to a heifer. Born at 73lbs. Mother took to calf like a dream.

Problem is the calf won't nurse. Born at 3:00am. Watched until 3:00pm, when I fed 1 qt of colustrum every other hour until hit one gallon.

Tried to feed it with a bottle, but no results. Calf would just stand there with what leaked out of bottle dripping out of mouth. Ended up tubing all 4 feedings.

Out this morning. Still no sign of sucking (cold calf mouth, dry clean face, cow swollen in all quarters). Tried with bottle again, this time with milk replacer. This time I got about 15 very lazy bites/sucks on nipple then she was done with that. Again ended up tubing her.

Also, yesterday put mom in headgate, and opened side. Put calf on udder. Calf had NO idea why she was there.

What direction do I go now?

travlnusa, for lack of a better description, I just call this kind "dumb' calves. Some times it seems to be associated with a large calf and difficult birth. Occasionally one just comes along with no logical explanation. It's usually a matter of persistence on your part. Lot of work with the calf and momma to keep her udder in shape while the calf learns. I usually put some Karo syrup on my finger and let him see if he has a preference for that. Move the finger in and out to see if the sucking instinct can be increased. If the calf is otherwise healthy, I've never failed to eventually get one to nurse. Hope it works out for you.

 

[travlnusa]

With your advice, I went out at 3pm to feed the calf again. As I have done past times, went out with bottle, and tube under my arm to use as needed.

I popped the bottle into her mouth, and she started to suck right away.

Now my concern was, is she nursing, am I overfeeding with the bottle, etc. I fed just under a qt, to make sure she saw a benefit, and let her back in with mom. She ran right over and tried to nurse.

Now cow was not wild about being nursed. I would guess her udder is sore from being so swollen up. I am guesing that time will work this out.

About 3 hrs later, I went back out to check on her, as I was out there doing chores. For the first time, her mouth was warm. Her ears are less cold than before.

Time will tell, but think I am over the hump.

Thanks for your help.

Not only for this thread, but for all the other posts as well. I knew what to look for with heifer, knew when to stay out of the way, and when to step in.

Good forum here.

 

[Alice]

I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Alice

 

[Fred]

I have a calf that I got up yesterday that I did't think had sucked yet. I put the cow in the chute and milked her. I tried to give him the bottle but he would barely suck it.I went ahead and tubed him with 2 quarts of milk. Today I let him suck the bottle a little bit and then put him on his mother in the chute. I think he is going to be ok now. He sucked on his own after I let his mother out of the chute. I don't think he got any colostrum in the first 24 hours but hopfully he will be ok.

 

[movin' on]

I have been calving out about 120 heifers for a buddy this spring. He buys heifers at a sale barn and I have no idea on their prior mineral/vaccination/breeding programs so I am fighting some pretty uphill battles. Those calves that don't suck can be very frustrating. I win some, I lose some. I have found, though, that 12 hours is getting pretty close to too long to wait before stepping in. I used to wait that long until I started really watching my own cows and heifers calve the last few springs. A healthy calf that starts right and never looks back has usually eaten within the first two hours. I think it is best to get in there and administer the colostrum sooner than later.

 

[Alice]

Amen!

Alice

 

[travlnusa]

If 12 hrs is to long, what is the right time frame? I dont mean to sound rude, just wanting some feed back for the next time it happens.

My fear is stepping in two soon and messing up what may have occured on it own.

 

[Alice]

12 hours isn't too long, from what I've read. Personally, being the fuss budget I am about that kind of stuff, and having raised calves that didn't ever have the benefit of colostrum (GAWD what a nightmare that can be), I'd be poking colostrum down that calf's throat in at least 8 hours. But, that's just me...you did fine.

Alice

 

[bigbull338]

If 12 hrs is to long, what is the right time frame? I dont mean to sound rude, just wanting some feed back for the next time it happens.

My fear is stepping in two soon and messing up what may have occured on it own.

a calf can absob an use clostrum for 24hrs.but its really best to get clostrum in the calf with in the first 1 to 3hrs.the 12hr rule helps when your not exactly sure when calf was born.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Yes, a calf can utilize the colostrum up to 24 hours. BUT, every hour after birth the colostrum loses antibodies and the calf's stomach loses the ability to utilize the antibodies in the colostrum. So, it is a double sword waiting. I would not wait over 4 hours. It is recommended not to wait more than 1 hour, but I have waited 2 hours.