calving issues? Yep got em!!!

[BryanM]

here is the scenerio: last night at around 11:30pm the heifer that we have been waiting to give birth DID! With alot of painful help. Had a uper hard pull, on a heifer no less. pinched a nerve in the heifer so she was out of commission for a while shes back on her feet today.

the calve on the other hand is not on his feet. He is alive weighing 100LBS although is got hip locked and I think its in pain. still only trying a few times to get up. We had the vet out this mourning he looked both over very well, he said it was an intermuscular problem gut and lungs where sounding good with a bowel movement and a perfect temperature.
the vet gave a shot of benimine (spelling) to help with pain and swelling intsructing us to get the calve to stand at least 4 times a day/ and milk the mom and bottle feed him/ or tube him if we have too but bottle is better. Oh ya we put the calf on the teet last night both where laying down that was fun! not sure how much she colustrum she got so I went and got some store bought stuff and tubed him this mourning with 2 quarts.

Okay here lies my problem the calve doesnt want to take the bottle and doesnt really suck your finger if it does its real light. any tricks to try?? If I have to tube him again how much does he need and how often would you feed.

 

[Kathie in Thorp]

Just keep at it -- takes a while. Don't care what anyone says, the bottle doesn't feel like mama. 2 qts. per feeding on a newborn is pretty heavy. What do the directions on your milk replacer say and/or what does your vet say? And is the calf getting anything from the cow? Or can you milk the cow to feed the calf if you have to?

 

[dun]

For a weak sucker for wahtever reason, I'm a big believer in a shot of BOSE, Selenium shortage can sometimes cause muscle issues and sucking is a definite muscle workout.

 

[BryanM]

first and formost thanks for the reply, it does make a differance. the vet said 10% of body weight broke up into 3-4 feedings. we held the calf up to mom last night and he sucked for a couple minutes.

this mourning I tried the bottle with no luck so I tubed him about a quart of mothers milk. Ya the mothers being a sweetheart really letting me milk her pretty much comes to and me put a halter on her and leads to a wash rack/milking rack. LOL I have learned alot in the last couple days. The first thing among many is to appreciate a good cow that has motherly instincts and no problems

 

[BryanM]

Wow 192 hits and only 2 opinions? how much milk would you feed a 2 day old calf? How much at each feeding? How much if you had to tube a calf at a feeding 2 days old at 100lbs

 

[Chris H]

I'll feed 2 quarts/feeding/2 times day to any newborn over 80 lbs. We've had a couple that the milk flows in real good when you're tubing it, then suddenly stops. Don't force it, call it quits at that point if it's over a quart. Those calves I'll feed 3-4 times/day, 1 quart each feeding. Try to get as much milk out of the cow as possible, it'll make it easier to transition to the cow instead of using dried milk & going to the cow.

 

[BryanM]

thanks Chris H will do so far so good

 

[Katpau]

I have had luck starting a young calf with a sheep nipple. They are softer and a little more like mom. Once they take down a quart or so with that nipple, they seem more ready to try a standard calf nipple. Be sure to give him some time to suck before you tube each time. If their stomachs are full, they have no reason to try and suck or stand up. Once he shows interest in sucking the bottle, be sure to let him get a little hungry before you give him his next feeding. This should give him the incentive to try to rise on his own. I assume he is in with his mother. If not, make sure they are together, so she can lick him and talk to him.

When you get him up does he make any effort to stay standing?