Congested bottle calf

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Sevierite

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Joined
May 10, 2005
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Tennessee
We have a three week old angus calf that we are
bottle feeding. We've raised many calves on bottles
and have seen several that become congested while
nursing, but this guy beats them all. He actually
chokes up and cannot drink. He's hungry and meets
me at the stable door and then the troubles begin.
I'll take the bottle away from him to allow him time
to swallow, but the problems are still there when he
starts sucking again. He does not have a fever and
he seems fine until he starts drinking. Any ideas?
 
Defect in the mouth, hole in the nipple too big, just greedy, those are the 3 that come first to mind

dun
 
dun":2nxbq09v said:
Defect in the mouth, hole in the nipple too big, just greedy, those are the 3 that come first to mind

dun
Click to expand...

Right now I'd go for the nipple hole being too big. And, were it me, fever or not, I'd give the calf a round of exenel. But, that's just me.

Alice
 
I have noticed that when you feed a bottle calf with a large holed nipple they get a bloated looking stomach, but they are other wise good looking and healthy. I started using the smaller holed nipple and the pot belly seemed to go away. Only had two bottle caves in the last two years to try this on, but all looked good. My 6 mo. old son does something similar when I use a large holed nipple with his bottle. I think that the calf is getting to much milk at once, so he coughs and spits to slow it down. Try the smaller holed nipple like dun suggested
 
With a big holed nipple they are sucking in too much air. This also can happen if the nipple is "too used". I'd try a new nipple.

There sure are alot of bottle feeders on this board. Why aren't any of you around here when I have pain in the butt bottle calves?
 
we had a calf do that, she had some kinda respitory thing and we gave her nuflor or something like benidril i dont kno ask a vet.

just my opinion.
 
I thought so too. I also have a calf doing the very same thing. We are also feeding others with no problem. I have tried changing to different nipples but she doesn't do very good. After reading the posts I tried some OTC cold meds. They worked pretty good. I followed that up with some Tylan. She is eating real good as of tonight. No more choking. Thanks for everyones ideas.
 
Here's a follow-up: I changed the nipple and he does
some better. He still chokes-up some, but usually when
he's nearly finished drinking.
 
I'm glad to hear changing nipples helped.

Have you tried something like Nuflor? One reason I only use small nipples is because I'm afraid that a calf choking on too much milk stream sets the stage for respiratory junk. Were it me, I would give him a shot of nuflor or exenel or something along those lines since he still seems congested...and I'd give him the medicine for the full course of treatment as stated in the doseage insert.

Alice
 

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