jkwilson
Well-known member
I'd just assume selenium and dose every calf as early as you can until you know otherwise, but consult your vet to find the cause. Even if there is something else going on, a selenium lack could be the straw that does them in.
My vet told me that selenium deficiency generally hits a calf at 3 days of age, but it sure seemed to me that it made them weak from the start. We used to use feed store mineral and had a lot of slow starting calves. Gave every calf we could catch a selenium shot and it seemed to help even prior to 3 days.
When we switched to Vitaferm minerals, the slow starting was pretty well a thing of the past. I firmly believe something in the mineral mix is helping the calves take off earlier.
My vet told me that selenium deficiency generally hits a calf at 3 days of age, but it sure seemed to me that it made them weak from the start. We used to use feed store mineral and had a lot of slow starting calves. Gave every calf we could catch a selenium shot and it seemed to help even prior to 3 days.
When we switched to Vitaferm minerals, the slow starting was pretty well a thing of the past. I firmly believe something in the mineral mix is helping the calves take off earlier.