Hello, This is my first time to your board. I have been searching info on here and internet the past day looking for ideas just want to confirm on somethings if I couple please. The calf was born on Fri about 1:15. She had to be pulled and my husband said her tongue was out of her mouth so he thought she was not doing so good then. He got her face cleaned off but have read that you should suction out mouth which I had suggested but he said he had never heard of that. This is my first experience but not his. I had also mentioned for mom to have other supplements and he said she didn't need any that the hay would be sufficient. Now I read that I was right. I had went with what he said since again this is not his first time with calves. Anyway calf had hard time standing after mom had cleaned her all up, calf got cold as well so I had put her in hay and we kept her warm. We don't have a barn area so put her in a horse trailer with square bales of straw with straw bedding. We have milked mom and give calf milk from bottle. We have also been continually helping her stand and I have been massaging her legs. She had good appetite in the beginning but that has been decreasing. I had read to feed every 2-3 hrs for first few days so that is what we were doing but decreased since she didn't seem hungry so started every 4 hrs but she still doesn't seem to want to eat. As for standing she has a hard time getting up on front legs, have read that a hard delivery can cause issues so she just keeps trying. My daughters and I have been with her and even sleeping in horse trailer to keep an eye and help her. I have also read that giving a raw egg can help as well as a shot of selenium and vit a,d and e can help so wanted to check if true, Going to call tsc since it is Sun to see if they carry these items. I don't want to loose her of course just upsetting I didn't do more research before hand but I trusted my husband since he says he has done this before. I am in Ohio and temps fell pretty low last night but we are keeping her warm so I hope that is helping I appreciate any help in this and more info on the things I have found if they in fact can possibly help. Also just remembered that I also had read that she should have water as well? Seems to be starting to get constipated too, have seen her straining but my daughter said she went a little last night. Have read mineral, vegetable oil as well a karo syrup? What is best and what if I only have veg oil on hand? And giving orally vs enema? And how much? Her stool is not completely loose but not hard either. Again I thank you so much and really appreciate any help in this
Day and a half old calf not able to stand and desire to eat
- Thread starter heather3
- Start date
Selenium you can only get from a vet. You might want to listen to your husband. The calf doesn;t need to be fed that frequently, twice a day is plenty. If it won;t eat you will have to tube feed it. It may not be eating because you're feeding it too often so it doesn't get the opportunity to get hungry. The colostrum should have loosened it up so it could poop. Noy unusual for the first BM to be a foot long , yellow, sticky and really stink. The calf being too loose is more frequently a problem then being constipated. The tongue being out when pulled is common for a prolonged hard delivery. This sucking the stuff out of it's mouth is something new to me. But I've only been doing this for nearly 60 years. It's typically more of a getting it to breathe problem then it orally ingesting anything.
branguscowgirl
Well-known member
Dun is a wise man, so I can not add much to his comment. It is true that the calf needs to get a bit "hungry" to have a good suck.
I have aspirated fluid from puppies mouths and noses at birth, but not calves. The activity of trying to stand and falling usually does a good job of clearing the airways for them. (Nature at work.)
I do give Selenium and vit A & D at birth. Seems to give them an extra boost. But we are a deficient area, and you do have to have vet approval on selenium.
The main thing is getting moms colostrum into the calf within the first 6 hrs., but sounds like you did that. (Or a good colostrum mix.)
It would be helpful to know how much the calf has actually drank.......
Good luck!
I have aspirated fluid from puppies mouths and noses at birth, but not calves. The activity of trying to stand and falling usually does a good job of clearing the airways for them. (Nature at work.)
I do give Selenium and vit A & D at birth. Seems to give them an extra boost. But we are a deficient area, and you do have to have vet approval on selenium.
The main thing is getting moms colostrum into the calf within the first 6 hrs., but sounds like you did that. (Or a good colostrum mix.)
It would be helpful to know how much the calf has actually drank.......
Good luck!
Thank you both for your quick reply! I will wait on feeding then. I was feeding every 2-3 hrs but started every 4 since it seemed she wasn't hungry. She ate about 9 oz of moms milk at about 6 am. It is 10 am here now. My husband just gave her raw egg and going to ask a friend who has a dairy farm if they have any vit a and d. Is it too late to give that since it wasn't given at birth and are we doing right by her to just keep helping her stand up? She does seem to have have fight in her for she keeps trying. Thanks again!
branguscowgirl
Well-known member
I reread your post again. No, I do not give water. Just the colostrum then milk replacer, (or just moms milk.) If you can keep her with mom and help her to nurse, that is always best. I will make a sling under the belly with a towel to help hold them up to nurse. It is always easier with two people. 
It has rained a lot so her pen is a bit muddy so I was thinking bring her out in the open with mom for getting nice and sunny out for her to be out in sun for a bit. Calf is in horse trailer and not able to get in the sunlight. Read that is good to make sure they are getting vit d from sun too is that correct? Will try sling today and see if she will suck from mom. Should I not worry too much just yet on calf not standing on own then? Thanks again!!!
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Won;t hurt to help it stand. See if the dairy has selenium (BoSE). The vitamons from the sun probably is less required then getting ther calf out of the trailer so it isn;t breathing the stanky damp air. An exposed hutch is better for them then an enclosed space. As long as they aren;t in a draft or getting wet the cold isn;t that big of a concern. But bedding it on some old hay/straw outside would be a good idea.
Thank you again for getting back. The trailer is open in spots so air can flow through. I have the door open now so sun is shining in and have bales of straw around her and straw bedding. Spoke with a friend of mine who works with a vet and will be getting selenium shot tomorrow. Her eyes are bright and seems to be getting a little bit stronger, still needs our help to stand but stands longer and when she goes down she is not flopping all over like she was. Husband pointed out that her nose is not wet so should I take temp with a regular rectal thermometer? And if so what should be a normal temp for her? Again I can't thank you enough for your helpful information.
Nesikep
Well-known member
Though I disagree with dun on 2 feedings a day being "plenty", every 3 or 4 hours is so often they aren't going to be hungry. Try 6 to 8 hours. It certainly isn't too late to give it a Vitamin ADE shot, the dairy ought to have that on hand. Keeping them standing will help get the bowels moving, it's certainly good for them to stand, and she'll build muscles eventually and get a better sense of balance. Now that she's dry, I wouldn't be too concerned about the temperature, and being outside is less inviting for respiratory problems than being in an enclosed space, a calf hutch (from the dairy perhaps?) or just a place that's out of the wind should be sufficient.
God luck with her, and welcome
Normal temp is about a degree higher than a human's... not sure in farenheit, but that would be 38C... I think that's around 100F
God luck with her, and welcome
Normal temp is about a degree higher than a human's... not sure in farenheit, but that would be 38C... I think that's around 100F
branguscowgirl
Well-known member
Norm temp is 101-102. With 104 indicating a problem.
wanted to share that I got calf to eat just about 18 oz of moms milk about 12:30. stayed out with her as she kept wanting to stand. she is getting better at laying back down vs before she would flop all over. She has had 2 bowl movements as was stated in a earlier response that it would be long and smelly. So all that is looking up just need to get the thermometer and see what her temp is for her nose still not wet or should that not be much of a concern at this time? Again thank you all!
chippie
Well-known member
a wet nose is good. a dry hot nose is a bad sign.
You didn't say where you lived. Is the weather mild enough that you can put her outside with her mother?
You didn't say where you lived. Is the weather mild enough that you can put her outside with her mother?
Nesikep
Well-known member
I found they don't ALWAYS have a problem when they have a dry nose.. it's just not a 100% indicator of a problem.
Good to hear she's getting stronger, that's a good sign. How heavy was she? Perhaps she has contracted tendons in her front legs, which will happen to some bigger calves if they're too cramped up in there, that will usually heal itself with time... I had one steer this year that was 130 lbs, and he was really strong, but he really had to work to keep his front legs from buckling under him, and he'd get tired quickly, and he's stand until he absolutely couldn't anymore... it was kinda funny to see... He'd be running and playing, then stop to eat some hay, and first one leg would go, and he's still stand, then the other would nearly go, so he'd straighten the other one out, and after a while just collapse wherever he was and rest a while... at 2 months old now he's in fine shape though.
Good to hear she's getting stronger, that's a good sign. How heavy was she? Perhaps she has contracted tendons in her front legs, which will happen to some bigger calves if they're too cramped up in there, that will usually heal itself with time... I had one steer this year that was 130 lbs, and he was really strong, but he really had to work to keep his front legs from buckling under him, and he'd get tired quickly, and he's stand until he absolutely couldn't anymore... it was kinda funny to see... He'd be running and playing, then stop to eat some hay, and first one leg would go, and he's still stand, then the other would nearly go, so he'd straighten the other one out, and after a while just collapse wherever he was and rest a while... at 2 months old now he's in fine shape though.
Thank you all for the support! My calf actually stood up all on her own tonight when I was putting down fresh bedding for her! She started eating 18 oz pretty good too so far tonight. Tried to get her temp and failed several times so will try again but she is doing pretty good so maybe not necessary at this point. Thank you all so very much!
branguscowgirl
Well-known member
Good to hear Heather!
Nesikep
Well-known member
Great!, it seems like she's got good willpower, and that'll go a long ways for her. Did she get a shot of selenium by chance?
Hello wanted to give a update on my baby calf.....Yesterday she had a fever of 103.5 so get anti biotic shot from vet as well as something to take fever down. That has worked and she is also getting up and standing on her own. Now there is a issue of her back right leg.......Joint is swollen and she is trying to not put pressure on it. She is getting up more and more on her own and standing for longer periods of time but I know it must hurt. Without getting a xray can it just be a sprain? Also she hasn't gone to bathroom today and that was going pretty good. Read about giving a lil mineral oil? I have veg oil as well as olive oil can I use that too? Seen to give orally as well as a enema? If that is true how much to administer to her. She is eating very good now wanting to drink 4 9 oz bottles at a time, feeding about every 5-6 hrs now.
