I AM RELATIVELY NEW TO BOTTLE RAISING HOLSTEIN BABY STEERS. I AM HAVING A FEW HEALTH PROBLEMS, NEED SOME INPUT. THESE CALVES ABOUT 10 DAYS OLD AND HAVE HAD THE USUAL PROBLEMS-RESPITORY, SCOURS, TEMP. ETC. LET ME RUN A FEW SCENARIOS BY THE BOARD. IF I GO TO FEED IN THE MORNING AND ONE CALF DOES NOT WANT TO NURSE, PULLS AWAY FROM THE BOTTLE AND DOES NOT ACT INTERESTED WHAT SHOULD I DO FIRST? IF I NOTICE A CALF THAT ITS EARS ARE DROOPY AND HAS A TEMP OF 103.5 BUT IT NURSES VERY WELL AND IS LIVELY WHAT SHOULD I DO? IF I NOTICE A CALF HAS A MESSY REAR END WHAT SHOULD I DO? IF I GO TO FEED AND ONE CALF WILL NOT GET UP, HAS A LOW TEMP. AND WILL NOT NURSE WHAT TO DO? I WILL APPRECIATE ANY SPECIFIC REMEDIES. THESE ARE THE TOOLS I HAVE IN POSESSION, LET ME KNOW IF I NEED ANYTHING ELSE. NUFLOR, BAYTRIL, BANAMINE, BOSE, SULFUR PILLS, SPECTUM ORAL, B12, LA-200, TUBING EQUIP, ELECTROLYTES.
HOLSTEIN BABY CALF TROUBLES
- Thread starter jd35154
- Start date
Ok - I'll try. Have raised a few Holsteins myself. Milkmaid is a real pro at this though. The most important thing is the milk replacer. Don't scimp. Very important. Nothing else will help if not using good replacer. If one doesn't want to nurse, make it anyway. I have never used electrolytes like some on here. I have never withheld a feeding either. Can't advise you on those. We keep with up with regular feedings - 2 qts 2 times a day. Enlarge the hole in the nipple enough so milk will run out freely. Keep the nipple in the mouth, the calf will have to swallow. It is a slow process. We never withhold milk because if it isn't nursing, it's loosing energy, nutrition, and fluid fast. Needs to be replaced. Droopy or just not right gets hit with LA200. Only other drugs we have ever used are Excenel and Nuflor. Scours need to be stopped ASAP. Have excellent response to Pro tec. Mixes in with the milk replacer. Easy to give. Works great. Get it from the vet. Other treatment is smz tablets from the vet. Have no use for the worthless tablets sold at Bomgaars(farm supply store). Any calf that doesn't get up is assisted with standing and put back down on opposite side as last time. Put legs back under in a natural fashion so they breath easier. Have never tubed a calf so can't help you there. We just use a bottle and take our time. If a calf doesn't want to nurse, find out why if possible. If there are no stools, then could be constipated. If runny, then scours. One thing I would add to your supply list is maximum strength pepto bismal. Generic is fine. Anything not eating or has scours gets 60cc of pepto at each feeding. Hope this helps.
GMN
Well-known member
A few other comments, I use Deliver at the first sign of scoots, anything that has the ingredient (physillium) this gels fasts, so needs to be fed fast, but stops diarrhea usually in 2 feedings. I use Excenel, Nuflor, and Penicillen. having multple antibiotics on hand is a plus, every calf is different, some do not respond to the same drugs.
Dirty rear ends are a sign of diarrhea. If bloody diarrhea, use any kind of sulfa tablet, use for 3-4 days, this is a must complete treatment.
Respiratory infections, coughing, isolate the calf, these infections, spread fast, I've had one get sick in the morning, by night I've had 4-5 more with same symptoms.
Keep them plenty warm, heat lamps if necessary.
If they aren't eating, tube them, especially in winter these babies need their nourishment. my vet has suggested to me to feed 3 times a day, when temp drops severely.
Hope this helps!
GMN
Dirty rear ends are a sign of diarrhea. If bloody diarrhea, use any kind of sulfa tablet, use for 3-4 days, this is a must complete treatment.
Respiratory infections, coughing, isolate the calf, these infections, spread fast, I've had one get sick in the morning, by night I've had 4-5 more with same symptoms.
Keep them plenty warm, heat lamps if necessary.
If they aren't eating, tube them, especially in winter these babies need their nourishment. my vet has suggested to me to feed 3 times a day, when temp drops severely.
Hope this helps!
GMN
It sounds like you have what you need to treat the symptoms. First off you will be wasting time and money with the keopectate and pepto. Never had any success with it at all. First off I would back the milk replacer powder to half the normal quantity and use the same ammount of water. Scours will usually dry up with 10cc of spectam orally at each feeding. Normally two or three feedings. If they have a severe case I give Sustain III tablets in conjunction with Spectam. The Sustain is good for two days. Tube the calf if he doesn't eat. If he doesn't want to eat in the morning I won't tube him unless he doesn't eat at the night feeding. Nuflor or Micotil would be my choice if the calf is coughing. Sometimes you are gonna lose one. Keep records of symptoms and treatments. It's a learn as you go deal. Hang in there.
Pepto Bismal coats and soothes upset stomachs. Makes the calf more willing to eat/drink if its not feeling so upset. Had a vet suggest it and it worked great. It is now part of our scour treatment because you know how awful your stomach feels if you have that problem. Does seem to make them more willing to take a bottle/feed.
Pepto and Kao-Pec by themselves are one thing...but I won't mix them with oral meds. I'm convinced they bind with any oral medication I give and render it almost ineffective. That's why I don't use it very often...because I prefer oral antibiotics, like Spectam, for scours, and KaoPec + Spectam doesn't seem to get any response.
I appreciate everyone's suggestions and help. I am having good luck with these guys. It seems that when the calf has alot of congestion Baytril is working much better than Nuflor. My question is. I am giving the Nuflor 3cc IM. Once I give the first dose, how long do I have to continue to make sure the problem is fixed? I am seeing alot of reaccuring problems in each calf.
First thing you need to make sure of is colostrum in a timely fashion. If you lose there its uphill the whole way. I have seen/had good success with scours by pulling calves off milk and using electrolytes. Tubing you need to up the amount cause it goes into the rumen and then spills over into the abomasum. Bottle goes straight to the abomasum. good luck.
Farmhand":3cvrrzij said:
Well...if I remember correctly what I was told by my vet once, Kaolin Pectin (KaoPec) is what "binds" with the toxins in the gut. The action of Pepto or Bismu is to coat the intestinal lining; BismuKote contains subsalicylate which is also in aspirin. So I guess a person could make the case that Bismu or Pepto would be fine for administering with oral meds - but not KaoPec. I've just felt like the oral antibiotics without anything else were working better than oral antibiotics with Kao or Bismu.
REPOMAN
Member
I myself am new to this but I posted a question simular to yours and got alot of usefull info!!! go to the search section and type in "scours" read the post about scours and white discharge from nose. also is your milk medicated? i had a problem with that where it was to potent for the calf and he didnt want to drink anymore but would devour electrolights. try electrolights also if they have scours put 1-2 tbs baking soda in with their milk or electrolights 2x day for 3 days or so it helps to equal out the acid in the stomache.(look because there are some electrolights that have sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) in them like .... save a calf electrolight plus. i switched over to a non medicated 20% fat no soy milk replacer and now he drinks like a fish!!!!
good luck! this board was like a 24 hour vet for me!!!!!
good luck! this board was like a 24 hour vet for me!!!!!
