Calves not very active. ..

[machslammer]

Calves born OK and good sized but the calves are not very active after birth and couple days after... I've had 4 die this year after about 3 days.. seen them suck and momma claims them but they just not active after birth, few days after, and some dieing. . Any suggestions as to why?

 

[cowgirl8]

Are you sure the udders are working?

 

[Bright Raven]

If I saw that my first thought would be related to nutrition. Including major and minor mineral nutrients. I expect calves to be vigorous. Nurse soon after birth and run at High Octane levels. And that is exactly what I see here unless they are premature. Which is something you didn't mention so I assume these are full term calves. Good forage and first class minerals are reflected in the health and vigor of the calf.

Only a place to start. It could be many things.

 

[dun]

Get the vet involved!

 

[machslammer]

#5 died today. She had hers couple month after others. 80# calf. Sucked but still died. Out of a heifer with good bag. 1 cow did have bad udder and she getting sold. I dunno what it is but they are on minerals yeah round.. performance select wroth high selenium values. Getting tired of seeing buzzards... not sure my problem. . This sucks.

 

[Bright Raven]

#5 died today. She had hers couple month after others. 80# calf. Sucked but still died. Out of a heifer with good bag. 1 cow did have bad udder and she getting sold. I dunno what it is but they are on minerals yeah round.. performance select wroth high selenium values. Getting tired of seeing buzzards... not sure my problem. . This sucks.

Yes. It does. Contact your vet. Curious, do you see the weakness immediately after birth or do they go down hill after being on the ground a few days?

 

[machslammer]

Bright, they are wobbly when born like all calves, but seems they never get over that first wobbly stage and die. . I've tube fed a couple, bottle fed 1, and they still sucked mom after that and still died. I have to many on the current land they are on but cows are in good condition and bags are good. They get little feed just for calming and paddock changing but get free choice mineral all year. I usually lose 1 a year at random out of 15, but not 5. 4 bulls and 1 heifer. Very strange... i found it after it was born and had sucked already but sides were still pulled in a little because it was big, but then sucked her and she was acting as though it was OK today, not balling ect, but found it curled up dead

 

[Bright Raven]

Bright, they are wobbly when born like all calves, but seems they never get over that first wobbly stage and die. . I've tube fed a couple, bottle fed 1, and they still sucked mom after that and still died. I have to many on the current land they are on but cows are in good condition and bags are good. They get little feed just for calming and paddock changing but get free choice mineral all year. I usually lose 1 a year at random out of 15, but not 5. 4 bulls and 1 heifer. Very strange... i found it after it was born and had sucked already but sides were still pulled in a little because it was big, but then sucked her and she was acting as though it was OK today, not balling ect, but found it curled up dead

Thank you very much for your response. Man, my heart goes out to you. That kinda mess bothers me. I think you need to get on the ground professional help. Something is clearly at work here. Might be infectious agent. Just curious again. What mineral are you putting out?

 

[machslammer]

Breeders select from performance feeds

 

[machslammer]

I'm just lost.. i vaccinate for everything under the sun with the cows but these calves don't give you time to vaccinate before they die. . I just don't know. ..I've sent message to my vet to see if he has any ideas. .i mean i don't know if something cow eats is affecting their colostrum and killing the calves, or if the late stage nutrition for fall calving is causing weird stuff with them or what it is.. thanks

 

[True Grit Farms]

A new calf doesn't starve to death in one day, it's something else. You need to PM Dun, maybe he can get a hold of Milkmaid.

 

[Silver]

I know you said the udders were good, but have you checked to see if the teats are open? Some years are worse than other for that, but it may be more of a northern issue.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

Same sire for all?

 

[Stinkerbell396]

I had the same thing happen to me last year. I asked some of the older farmers when I went to town if they had any ideas. A hour later 5 old timers who still run cattle show up with donuts, coffee & hugs. They went out, looked around & within minutes had come back with a answer I would have never expected. Green acorns. If a calf eats a green acorn they can die within hours. I hooked up a yard sweeper on my 4 wheeler got all the acorns I could find, cut down the problem tree & haven't lost a calf since! I know it sounds weird, but it might be worth at least looking into. I'm sure glad I did!

 

[NEFarmwife]

There possibly something with your cows milk? We had a calf that was behaving sick, lethargic, nearly dead. Pulled off of momma, tubed, did all this other crap...Put her back on mom, got sick again. Pulled off, jumped back up.

Turned out, the moms milk was poisoning her. Not sure how common that is or what the 'technical" term is for that but you're losing a lot of calves! Your feed, you buying hay or is it your own? Just wondering if possibly something is in there that isn't hurting the cows but is poisoning the calves via the milk.

 

[Ky hills]

My first guess would be a health issue such as nutritional milk quality or vitamin/mineral deficiency. I would definitely get a vet involved and have a necropsy done on at least one calf.
One year, I had a terrible calf loss due to cryptosporidia ( not sure of correct spelling), the vet said it was possibly brought to the property via our bottle calves at the time. That was also the year we had calving issues and the dystocia in my opinion could have been a factor in causing the calves to be weaker and more susceptible to diseases.

 

[jscunn]

MachSlammer,

I have a friend in the upper Cumberland he might be able to recommend a good vet for a second opinion. I have a couple of questions/suggestions.
1. All Sired by the same bull? General makeup of the herd, all same breed (Angus, Hereford). I doubt very seriously if it is genetic normal genetic issues take lots of half sisters bred to the same bull. Percentages say you would need 20 half sisters all bred to the same bull for this to be a recessive gene issue with 5 deaths.
Since it is probably not genetic it should be environmental
2. New pasture or existing?
3. Calving at the same time of year as in years past?
4. Any newly noticeable weeds?
5. Change vaccines or wormers this year?
The same friend in the upper cumberland lost a bull to a cherry tree leaves.. Crazy I know. Cookeville is beautiful hang in there.. Find a vet that will work with you. Find a vet and do an autopshy.

 

[gizmom]

What Jscunn said, I hate hearing things like this it is heartbreaking. My bet is some type of toxic weed but that is just a wag (wild a$$ guess)

Gizmom

 

[boondocks]

I'm curious about the statement that you usually lose 1 in 15. For others on the board, how typical is that? It sounds on the high side to me (ie, maybe presaging an existing issue that became worse this year). Or perhaps 1/15 lost is typical and I have just been (very) lucky...Hope you figure it out. Please keep us posted?

 

[Son of Butch]

Vitamin E Selenium deficiency is my 1st thought when someone mentions multiple weak calves being born.
Costs less than 50 cents to give a shot of MU-SE and it's the first thing I'd do whether truly needed or not.