Help! Dairy calves...

[Sara]

I'm sorry if this has been asked before, but I am totally lost.

I buy dairy calves at the local sale. I bring them home, put them in the hutch, and follow the directions on the milk replacer. I buy the lower weight calves because they are cheap, so I expect some loss, but I think I should be doing better than I am. I've tried LA 200 for 3 days after they arrive, and also Teramyacin pills when I notice scours. Half of my calves are dying! Is there something else I should try? Is there a better antibiotic for scours? I just don't know what i am doing wrong, and am getting so frustrated. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

 

[MikeC]

I'm sorry if this has been asked before, but I am totally lost.

I buy dairy calves at the local sale. I bring them home, put them in the hutch, and follow the directions on the milk replacer. I buy the lower weight calves because they are cheap, so I expect some loss, but I think I should be doing better than I am. I've tried LA 200 for 3 days after they arrive, and also Teramyacin pills when I notice scours. Half of my calves are dying! Is there something else I should try? Is there a better antibiotic for scours? I just don't know what i am doing wrong, and am getting so frustrated. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

The calves you are buying might not be getting colostrum at birth. You might be better going directly to a dairy farmer who is providing it.
The sale barn is "Buyer Beware". You might be getting what you're paying for in the cheap ones.

 

[Sara]

I did start buying some from local farmers too, but still am getting some from the sale. Just trying to figure out what the best meds to use are to have the best chance of clearing it up.

 

[MikeC]

I did start buying some from local farmers too, but still am getting some from the sale. Just trying to figure out what the best meds to use are to have the best chance of clearing it up.

Just remember, there are two kinds of bugs. Good ones and bad ones. LA-200 doesn't know the difference.

Try some probios. Might re-introduce the good bugs.

 

[Sara]

It just seems like Terramyacin pills aren't working...
I've used Resorb, but it seems like when I start mixing it back with the milk they just get sick all over again.

 

[dun]

How are you santizing the hutches between calves?

dun

 

[Kat]

We raise holstein calves also.

I would be scared to get them from the sale. If they don't have the colostrum, there is really not to much you can do.

But , remember to keep all of your calves seperated. No nose to nose contact. Also , when they get scours it is SO important to give them electrolytes. Dehydration can kill a calf fast. Also you can give them fluid under the skin if nessecary.

Do they have a cough and congestion too? Or is it just the scours?

 

[eric]

Or you could just cross the state line to Jersey, put all your calf money on red, spin the wheel and hope to double your money that way. If you lose, at least it's a quick loss!

While I do admire you folks who buy days old calves and try and raise them, that has to be some of the hardest money earned. Has to be alot of heartfilled losses when one expires on ya, after you've done everything you can to save him. Personally, I'd probably put stock into the lack of colostrum following birth, especially since thats all my calves get when they're born, I've never supplemented anything for any calf. I let the cow do what she does best.

I know those medications are'nt cheap, so maybe you should consider buying a little bit older calf, say a few weeks old instead of a few days, at least he would be up and running around and you could get a better idea of what his future might be. Just a thought, as I know you hate to lose them as much as anyone else does. Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

 

[Cheyenne]

What are you feeding the calves when you get them home? If you are giving milk the first feeding, try giving a bottle of electrolytes first feeding or two and then switch to milk replacer. Remember that these dairy calves were probably getting "real" milk and not replacer, so you are changing their diet along with the stress of shipping, any bugs they may have picked up along the way ect. Try diluting the replacer, maybe starting out at 1/2 strength and then gradually increasing until you are using the full amount of powder required. This will help their systems adjust to the new diet.

Along with making sure they are hydrated, you can try giving some pepto or an anti-diareah med. My vet recommended giving them yogurt too, this puts the good bugs back in their stomach that the antibiotics are killing off too.

I would also recommend calling your vet to see exactly what type of bug if any these calves may have. If the scours are nutritional then all the drugs in the world won't help. If they are caused by a bug then the vet can get you on an appropriate treatment plan.

Good Luck to you

 

[Sara]

I bought the little ones mainly because I wanted to get the experience of raising them without investing a fortune. Last year I must have just gotten lucky.

I am definately trying to start getting them off the farm, but I need to make more contacts, cause I haven't gotten as many calves as I was yet...

I think I'll try diluting the milk replacer or giving the electrolytes as the first couple feedings, it seems like it takes several days before the scours start, so I wonder if it is from changing their diet. I'll try maybe buying two tomorrow and see what happens...

 

[Kat]

We do not get our calves from the sale barn. We have an agreement with several farmers and get them straight off the farm. We also have all of the calves colostrum checked. We use a simple blood testing kit to make sure they have it before we take them home. We also give them probiotics when they arrive to help their stomachs adjust. We also have powdered milk and cows milk. We have our own herd and uusally have at least 10 momma cows in milk. So we have choices, the first put them on milk replacer or put them on a surrogate mother or milk the mother and give them fresh milk.

It works out rather well. But raising these calves is not easy at all. We are now also raising registered Jersey bulls and I can't believe how tiny they are. They are from a top notch herd but it seems like they never grow! We are also preparing for where we are going to put them as most of you all know they are very mean little bulls......

I hope your calves do better... oh for medication we use Nuflor, or Micotil. ( but be VERY careful, this drug can kill you if you accidently inject yourself with it)

 

[Sara]

Nuflor, I think that is what the vet suggested when my husband had called to ask about it. Maybe I will have to call back and see if I can get that.

I grew up raising sheep for 4-H, but my hubby doesn't like them, so I thought I'd give cattle a shot. We have a few beef cows, but I was trying to start this as a way to make a little money since I stay at home with our kiddo...

 

[msscamp]

It just seems like Terramyacin pills aren't working...
I've used Resorb, but it seems like when I start mixing it back with the milk they just get sick all over again.

Sara, if the Terramyacin is not working for you, try SMX (I believe that is the name of it). I don't know anything about it, but PM Medic24 and he can fill you in.

PS According to this link you should not mix electrolytes with milk as it prevents curding and the milk cannot be utilized.

http://extension.usu.edu/files/agpubs/marnews.htm

 

[pdoramus]

I think the antibiotics are smz's not smx's, but they like nuflor are perscription so call you vet.

I buy day old calves from the sale too and have had good luck. The first feeding we give as soon as they get home is a resorb electrolyte. Then two hours later we give their first milk replacer. I haven't given the milk replacers with colostrum in them yet because I didn't see the need, but you may consider it for the first 3 or 4 days. They are definitely more spendy though. Reminder to give electrolytes at least 2 hours before or after the milk replacer so the milk doesn't curdle.

Goodluck and keep us posted.

 

[msscamp]

Pdoramus, you are absolutely correct, sorry about the flub.

 

[bgm]

You've gotten alot of good advice. Let me recommend a couple of things, which may or may not help since I can't see what's really going on there.

First off use only high quality milk replacer. Do not use the products that contain soy. They are intended for calves over three weeks old( and I won't use them at all). The better milk replacers are "milk" based. Look for whey as a key ingredient. These products cost more but they are worth it. Land Of Lakes, Merrick, MFA and Nutrena all make good ones, just watch the labels.

Stress can result from a wide variety of causes. It could be due to inappropriate milk feeding programs (such as overfeeding or irregular feeding), sudden changes in the concentration of milk replacers, incorrect milk temperatures or a poor quality milk powder. Calves reared on milk replacers are more prone to scours than those reared on whole milk.



Good luck

 

[ctlbaron]

Good advice bgm. Just make sure the milk replacer is 20/20 protein and fat. They need the fat as much as they need the protein in my opinion. They will be low energy calves without the fat. And be sure its a milk based product not soy. I've seen calves look worse in two weeks than they did when they were born on the soy based products. Land of lakes makes one that's about 25% fat. It's hard to find around here but you can find it. You may want to ask the folks you get the calves from if they vaccinate for Ecoli and rhoda corona virus. RC vac is only $65.00 for 25 calves. Worth every penny. Good luck, don't get discouraged, take it one problem at a time.

 

[Sara]

I didn't get any calves at the auction! I stopped by the one dairy farmer I got one other calf from, and he has two more bulls for me, and two cows yet to freshen, so hopefully for me there will be more bulls. My calf hutch is full. I need another one now! He is giving me a really good price for taking them both, so I am actually in the long run making out better than buying the little ones at the auction. Now I just need to find a couple more farms to get more from!

I also used lots of the suggestions ya'll gave me, and I think I saved the one calf I thought was going to die! Thank you all!