Orphan bull calf

[nurseynicole]

Okay guys, I'm picking your brain again! We have a little bull calf who was born last Tues, husband considered pulling him in because he seemed to be bawling considerably and wondering a bit, but I of course nagged him and told him to leave that calf be that his momma would come back to him Well needless to say Friday he became a bottle calf when I caught him sucking on a steer in the pen up at the house. He is doing great and took to the bottle right away I did give him 2 doses of colostrum (mostly d/t guilt) even though he was 3 days old. He is on Snowflake, a good 20/20 replacer, in a clean dry pen with water and a little hay. If he does well he will be a bottle calf for fair. Can't find a thing to complain about him, navel and joints look good, no scours, breathing easy, takes his bottle like a champ. He plays with the kids and bounces around, nibbles at hay. My question is because of him questionably having any colostrum or little, we decided to prophylactically treat with some LA 200. So.......what do you guys think of that? Do you think we should continue with the LA or stop? If so how long? Thanks! We are assuming since he is a bit short and on the small side that he was a twin.. Thanks All!

 

[Lucky_P]

No need for antibiotics, unless he shows signs of illness.

Raised one like that 30 years ago - never got any colostrum, so far as I know; not the optimal situation, but she never had any problems, and made a decent cow.

 

[ANAZAZI]

No need for antibiotics, unless he shows signs of illness.
.

:nod: :nod:

 

[Stocker Steve]

Need to do a really really good job on vaccinations.

 

[Big Cheese]

You can use StressMate with him. Its not a Colostrum replacement or anything but it says on the bottle that you can give it for 3 days straight to a calf that your worried didn't get enough or any colostrum and it would be able to absorb those antibodies and everything through the part of the stomach that the colostrum goes too. Just a thought. I wouldn't keep giving the LA 200 though unless it gets sick.

 

[nurseynicole]

Thought I'd throw and update in: Our little guy is doing great! Zero issues, so we're assuming he must've received some colostrum from someone considering he was sucking on everything in site. Our daughter is working with him for 4-H as a bottle calf, so it's nice to see him pull through. Thrilled that he wasn't born with a will to die

 

[branguscowgirl]

Good to hear Nicole! :clap: