lethargic 4 week old calf that didn't get colostrum

[brett]

We have an angus heifer calf that didn't nurse as a newborn. We managed to keep her alive, to the surprise of our vet. She's now 1 month old, and has gained good weight and looks normal - but she is very low energy, and stiff-legged when she walks. She's now on good green pasture, and is getting good nutrition via a bottle (which she suckles weakly). Our vet has no explanation for her lack of energy. Am wondering if others have raised calves like this, and if they eventually improved? Thanks.

 

[Beefy]

well having not gotten her colostrum shes susceptible to just about anything. she may have some kind of navel infection type bug, navel/joint ill can vary a lot. it doesnt always show the same signs but whenever i have a depressed calf that didnt get colostrum i always kind of suspect something along those lines. i have seen some really come on eventually and others that never did...

 

[cowvet]

It could also be a "chicken or egg" scenario - did she not nurse because something was wrong with her from birth, or, is she like she is because she didn't get colostrum.
Either way if it has been like this from birth then it is less likely that it is something you can fix - that's my general experience !

 

[millstreaminn]

I have a bull calf out of a first calf heifer about the same way. He was born Saturday evening at 5pm. I viewed the calf from a distance and assumed (my fault) he was nursing. Anyway, at 5 pm Monday evening I found him laying in the creek barely alive. I took the calf to the barn and got the cow in. I milked her and tubed 2 quarts down the calf. I know the calf never nursed because the heifer still had the "plugs" in her teats.

Anyway, the calf will lay around all day and only nurse when I get him up. When he starts nursing, he's very aggressive and eats his fill. Like you said, he just seems to have very low energy. I'm going to put the heifer and calf back out tonight and I'll watch to see if he gets up and nurses on his own.

 

[kiwimoo]

If they haven't had their colostrum, forget it. if they survive one set back, and maybe the next or even the one after that, something will get them. Calves that don't get their first good feed will alway let you down one day. We have to watch for that when we buy 4 day old calves to rear, by law, the dairy farmer has to feed them colostrum for 4 days, but some don't, can't be bothered, too lazy. The calves look fine to start, but then they get pneumonia, or scours, or something. Sad to see nice calves fade and there is nothing you can do to save them, the gut has closed and they can't absorb the iGs they needed at the start.

 

[tertiary02]

My last bottle calf sounds at lot like yours. I had to give it a couple of shots of A and D a week apart and a shot of Selenium before it walked without stiffness. I could even hear the joints creaking. So far she's been sound since this.

 

[msscamp]

She's now 1 month old, and has gained good weight and looks normal - but she is very low energy, and stiff-legged when she walks.

Calves that don't get colostrum at birth require a much more pro-active stance as far as illness goes, and you really have to be on top of your game with them - but they can and do survive, thrive, and do well. Your describing this calf as walking stiff-legged makes me wonder if she doesn't have a naval infection. It also sounds to me, based on the 'to the surprise of our vet' comment, that your vet has written this calf off, so I believe I would be finding me a different vet and getting the naval ill possibility checked out - ASAP.

 

[mnmtranching]

She's now 1 month old, and has gained good weight and looks normal - but she is very low energy, and stiff-legged when she walks.

Calves that don't get colostrum at birth require a much more pro-active stance as far as illness goes, and you really have to be on top of your game with them - but they can and do survive, thrive, and do well. Your describing this calf as walking stiff-legged makes me wonder if she doesn't have a naval infection. It also sounds to me, based on the 'to the surprise of our vet' comment, that your vet has written this calf off, so I believe I would be finding me a different vet and getting the naval ill possibility checked out - ASAP.

Yup, That sounds right on to me. Good advice.

 

[cowvet]

If the calf has navel ill and is walking stiffly (sore in the joints) then I would probably write it off too. I've seen lots of similar calves - you can't patch them up for a while with antibiotics etc but generally if the bacteria have been in the bloodstream and gone to the joints you can also bet there are abscesses in the liver, lungs and kidneys etc!

I have learnt over the years that antibiotics aren't a good substitute for colostrum...

If the calf is growing well and just a bit "slow" then maybe it is a mental thing - not everyone can be rocket scientists and maybe this calf is just "a few sandwiches short of a picnic" !!!

 

[msscamp]

If the calf has navel ill and is walking stiffly (sore in the joints) then I would probably write it off too. I've seen lots of similar calves - you can't patch them up for a while with antibiotics etc but generally if the bacteria have been in the bloodstream and gone to the joints you can also bet there are abscesses in the liver, lungs and kidneys etc!

I have learnt over the years that antibiotics aren't a good substitute for colostrum...

I understand what you're saying, and I agree that antibiotics are a poor substitute for colostrum. I also agree that fighting naval ill in a calf that has not received colostrum is an uphill battle, and is generally a losing proposition. My point of contention, however, is that a vet should not write off a calf (especially since it sounds like the vet in question has not even seen this calf) simply because he/she THINKS they know what the problem is - vets are human, and have been known to be wrong.