new calf need help asap

[kypops]

calf was born yesterday had to have the vet to pull it. he was weak and would not suck. so i milk the mamma heifer and feed it milk got about a 1/2 gal in him last night. went out this morning about 6 am and tied the mama cow up and the teat in it mouth and it drank find. Went back out about a hr ago and it is still real wobbley just dont have any strenth.and would not drink even when i put the teat in his mouth .please help
thank char

 

[Little Cow]

Is he pooping? He might be nursing on his own and just not hungry when you tried to get him to nurse this morning. If he can get up and move around okay on his own and he's making good poops, maybe he'll be okay. Sounds like he got colostrum, which is great. I'd watch him very closely to make sure he's nursing and pooping. I had a calf that panicked me a little until I realized just because I didn't see her nursing didn't mean anything if she had the poops to prove she was nursing. If he looks weaker and/or isn't making any poops, there are people on this board that have excellent recipes for replacement electrolytes to keep him from getting dehydrated. Can you tube feed, if necessary? I use the commercial stuff because I just haven't been doing this long enough to be that good.

 

[2/B or not 2/B]

A calf that has been pulled can take longer to get it's strength, but hopefully if you keep it with its mother and continue to care for both of them, they'll get it together within a couple of days and be fine. If it was a hard pull, it's not unusual for the calf to have trouble walking and getting around at first. Holding the calf up to the teats is good. If the calf doesn't nurse on its own, I'd keep milking the heifer and bottle feeding it. You say he nursed at 6am and isn't hungry now. Maybe he's still full from a few hours ago? If not, some calves just won't take a plastic nipple and have to be tubed until they get their strength. In addition to poop, watch for pee. Pee is a great sign too.

 

[kypops]

update on new calf. had vet over today again he said the calf was healthy and had no fever.would not suck the mamma,so he milked her and feed it in a bottle.he sucked it fine.so we fed it a gain tonight,the same way. as long as we are milking mamma and feeding it to the baby ,do we have to feed it milk replacer or something else ? the calf was up when we went out this eveing and laid down when we walk in, had to feed the bottle while it was lying down . still a little shakie, Is a 1/2 gal of mamma milk twice a day enought.


thanks char

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Yes, that is enough. I sound like a broken record, but did you give it a Selenium shot? (BoSe) Ohio is Se deficient and all calves should get a BoSe shot at birth (and all herds should be supplimented 24/7/365 with a Se loose mineral program.
Does the dam have white teats? you can use food coloring to "color" the teats, so you will KNOW if the calf sucks her without you around.

 

[jilleroo]

Just another thought - I assume someone has felt it's navel? If we pull a calf in our crush (squeeze chute), their navel will most likely blow up the next day and they'll be sick. (Yes, we disinfect the crush regularly and soak the navel in iodine before it even hits the ground, makes no diff.) If his cord is up, he'll need antibiotics quick smart.

 

[backhoeboogie]

Yes, that is enough. I sound like a broken record, but did you give it a Selenium shot? (BoSe)

It probably wouldn't hurt a bit to paste the cow with some CMPK too.

 

[Little Cow]

Oh good! The cavalry has arrived!

 

[hillsdown]

Yes, that is enough. I sound like a broken record, but did you give it a Selenium shot? (BoSe)

It probably wouldn't hurt a bit to paste the cow with some CMPK too.

I would do that too, as well as b12 and a&d vitamins. Always disinfect the naval with a strong iodine tincture and you can give it a broad spectrum antibiotic as well JIC..

Watch your cow as well, as after a hard pull they do not clean right away and have complications sometimes..

 

[2/B or not 2/B]

Yes, that is enough. I sound like a broken record, but did you give it a Selenium shot? (BoSe)

It probably wouldn't hurt a bit to paste the cow with some CMPK too.

I would do that too, as well as b12 and a&d vitamins. Always disinfect the naval with a strong iodine tincture and you can give it a broad spectrum antibiotic as well JIC..

Watch your cow as well, as after a hard pull they do not clean right away and have complications sometimes..

Multi-min/BoSe, B12 and ADE paste, iodine - all are great to have for helping weak calves. Another good one, especially if you're using antibiotics, is ProBios to support the digestive system.