How many times can i tube feed?

[jagerbeef]

I got a calf that was born at the sale barn a day after its mother was sold. I know it got chilled and mother, first calf heifer, didn't want anything to do with it. I got it home put it in the basement next to the furnace and tubed it with colostrum replacer and gave it our normal round of shots for newborns. It stands and bellers but won't suck on my fingers or a bottle, so I have been tubing it since Wednesday. My question is how long can I keep tubing before I screw something up with its throat? Any tips for getting it to suck? I have given 2 3cc shots of bose already and don't know what else to do.

Thanks

 

[Nesikep]

I don't know of a limit as long as you're careful,.. especially being careful of not tubing him into the lungs and drowning it.

I have never had them get that dumb.. I did have a little heifer this year that was really hard to get going.. I was just really persistent with a bottle fitted with a nipple that had a big enough hole not much sucking was required... I had 1 or 2 fingers in the side of it's mouth, fiddling with her tongue while the other hand worked the bottle.. it was messy for sure, but after a while she got the idea.
It helps to have good fresh milk/colostrum that really tastes good.. some replacers aren't very appetizing

Good luck and welcome

 

[regolith]

Round about now the calf should be starting to get strong enough and hungry enough to start seeking its meals.
There isn't a time limit on tubing - you do it, carefully, for as long as its necessary to keep them alive. I suspect your calf already has a sore throat.
If the calf is otherwise strong and active let it skip a feed; then try again at the next feeding time with the teated bottle, squirt milk in then clamp his mouth round the teat and squeeze. If you try that three times with a breather between attempts and he's still not suckling you'll need to resort to the tube again.
Backhoe's usual suggestion of grooming the calf like momma would while it's feeding also works pretty well.
Calf should be starting to clatter about and explore by now, not just getting up and down. Certainly don't try skipping a feed if it's still weak.

 

[AllForage]

Round about now the calf should be starting to get strong enough and hungry enough to start seeking its meals.
There isn't a time limit on tubing - you do it, carefully, for as long as its necessary to keep them alive. I suspect your calf already has a sore throat.
If the calf is otherwise strong and active let it skip a feed; then try again at the next feeding time with the teated bottle, squirt milk in then clamp his mouth round the teat and squeeze. If you try that three times with a breather between attempts and he's still not suckling you'll need to resort to the tube again.
Backhoe's usual suggestion of grooming the calf like momma would while it's feeding also works pretty well.
Calf should be starting to clatter about and explore by now, not just getting up and down. Certainly don't try skipping a feed if it's still weak.

Good stuff here, I have also taken a needle less syringe and squirted milk onto the back of the tongue then clamped the mouth like a sucking impulse. Did it over and over

Key is to make sure calf is getting enough nutrition but then to entice hunger and eagerness.

Careful taking it outside after being near the furnace, ie pneumonia

 

[bird dog]

Get someone to help you. One gets the bottle in the mouth and makes sure it stays there. The other straddles the calf and strokes the calf under the chin and down the neck. This seems to help them get the swallowing thing going.

 

[cowgirl8]

I've had them do this...such a pain. Play around with the bottle. Cut a bigger opening in the nipple where he cant help but have to swallow, while you work his jaw to make it come out. Its back breaking, annoying, but nothing better when all of a sudden they take off. There is no one thing to get them going, if one thing isnt work, try something else. Keep tubing and do it gently until he figures out nursing a bottle, i've tubed one for weeks which reminds me i need to buy a new one for calving season right around the corner...

 

[Till-Hill]

With any calves dairy or beef I get colostrum into them so if I have to tube them that's once.

12 hours later if they don't drink right away I hold that feeding.

12 hours later if they don't drink asap again I will tube water with electrolytes and give 5cc Vit B and if they are not drinking because they are doing the tounge trick .5cc Banamine in mouth.

After 2 times of tubing they either drink or they don't. I have tubed a calf for a month only to watch it die when it was 4 months old from an absese in throat.

Just what we do but sounds like to me your calf is not hungry. And I NEVER TUBE MILK, only electrolytes and water. Vit B works wonders. It's like $8 for 250 cc bottle.

 

[regolith]

With any calves dairy or beef I get colostrum into them so if I have to tube them that's once.

12 hours later if they don't drink right away I hold that feeding.

12 hours later if they don't drink asap again I will tube water with electrolytes and give 5cc Vit B and if they are not drinking because they are doing the tounge trick .5cc Banamine in mouth.

After 2 times of tubing they either drink or they don't. I have tubed a calf for a month only to watch it die when it was 4 months old from an absese in throat.

Just what we do but sounds like to me your calf is not hungry. And I NEVER TUBE MILK, only electrolytes and water. Vit B works wonders. It's like $8 for 250 cc bottle.

How much do you give in that first feed Till-Hill?
I confess I don't much like how it looks written down but it's not too far off what I'd do. Usually a calf that comes in and won't drink at the next scheduled feed has an obvious belly full of colostrum - four to six litres or more - and in that instance I'll wait another twelve hours for it to get hungry enough to suck.
Will tube if I don't know that it's had much of a first feed, but I avoid tubing if at all possible as it creates problems if done with healthy calves, in my opinion. Though it can save the life of a weak one.

 

[Till-Hill]

6 quarts first feeding asap after birth. If they don't suck I tube. Also 6-8 of water solution too for next time if they need a tube.

If you watch beef calves. They drink like crazy first 12 hours then usually they kind of lay around, belly full and rest.

3rd feeding always hardest I say. First 2 times they drink great, 3rd time they are still full and getting used to milk!

Just way I do it I guess. Skipping a feeding as long as calf had colostrum they 99% of the time drink the next time and never miss a beat.