Possible sick calve from sale barn, what to do?.?.?

[SSS Angus]

OK, here is the scenario;

I got up to the sale barn early this morning and did the usual walk around to check out any prospects, mainly smaller calves and saw a few. The sale started at about 10 o'clock and around noon or so they ran a brangus pair through. Didn't pay a whole lot of attention to the pair as at the time I was not interested in anything over a couple hundred pounds. While in the ring they got the mother stirred up and she inadvertently stepped on her little(I would guess around 2-3 weeks of age) bull calve. I thought the calve was dead because he didn't get up and then they picked him up and carried him away. When I got ready to leave which was probably about 4 hrs. later curiosity got the best of me as to what happened with this little calve. I started asking around and was finally led to where he was at, he appeared to be fine as he was standing and walking around with no limp but was missing a little hair from where momma stepped on him. I wound up buying him for $35 in hopes of nursing him back to health. He is moving around but seems a little lethargic, I can't get him to take a bottle but he makes a half ass attempt to eat the hay/straw that we spread around on the barn stall floor for bedding. So here is the question:

Any suggestions on getting him to take the bottle or should I just let him eat what hay he wants to and throw down some good feed to see if he will eat that as well?

Also, what antibiotic could I hit him with to help ward off any parasites/diseases that may try to attack him?

Any comments or suggestions would be much appreciated.

TIA...

 

[clampitt]

Give him about 5 aspirins in a drench bottle with replacement milk.Git a nurse bottle mix up aspirins in it. You will have to teach him to suck a bottle keep it up stick the calfs head between you legs his head forward hold him and stick the nipple in his mouth and work with him a while he'll get to where he will suck do it several times a day.The aspirins will take the soar out and make him feel good and wont hurt his kidneys.If he got stepped on hard eneough he may not make it.Put syrup or honey on the nipple make it really sweet.Give it a try.

 

[milkmaid]

He probably just got the wind knocked completely out of him. I had a nurse cow do that to a calf I was attempting to graft on about three months ago...scared me half to death. I was afraid I'd inadvertently killed that $125 calf. I just penned him off by himself for the night, and he was a little slow for the next day or so (bruised ribs, perhaps?), but recovered fine. I don't recall having given him anything but milk; no pain meds.

Just keep an eye on yours, maybe some electrolytes would do him good, but I wouldn't give antibiotics yet. No reason for it. Mix up a bottle of warm milk replacer (maybe on the low end first feeding or two to avoid scours), straddle him, and stuff the bottle in. May have to support his lower jaw, and you will likely have to be very patient first feeding or two. Know how to tube? that might not be a bad idea if he won't drink right off. Otherwise I'd just let him skip a feeding as they don't generally transition to the bottle well if they've been on a cow, and by the next feeding he'll be ready to drink.

Sounds like you got yourself a pretty good deal.

 

[Texas PaPaw]

He probably just got the wind knocked completely out of him. I had a nurse cow do that to a calf I was attempting to graft on about three months ago...scared me half to death. I was afraid I'd inadvertently killed that $125 calf. I just penned him off by himself for the night, and he was a little slow for the next day or so (bruised ribs, perhaps?), but recovered fine. I don't recall having given him anything but milk; no pain meds.

Just keep an eye on yours, maybe some electrolytes would do him good, but I wouldn't give antibiotics yet. No reason for it. Mix up a bottle of warm milk replacer (maybe on the low end first feeding or two to avoid scours), straddle him, and stuff the bottle in. May have to support his lower jaw, and you will likely have to be very patient first feeding or two. Know how to tube? that might not be a bad idea if he won't drink right off. Otherwise I'd just let him skip a feeding as they don't generally transition to the bottle well if they've been on a cow, and by the next feeding he'll be ready to drink.

Sounds like you got yourself a pretty good deal.

I second Milkmaid's advise. Don't know about the aspirins. Probably would make the little guy feel better if he is bruised. Don't know that it will hurt anything. Have seen aspirin in the vet supply places before.

Good luck

Brock

 

[SSS Angus]

Haven't had much success..Tryed giving him a bottle last night around 6:00pm then again at 12:00am, didn't take anything either time. Tried again this morning around 8:00 and got maybe a pint or so down him by letting it dribble into his mouth and keeping his head up. There was no manure in the stall this morning and he appears a little hollow on the sides. Took me about 30mins this morning just to get a pint or so down him. I have been trying to get milk replacer down him but I'm going to go by the feed store and pick up some electrolytes to get in him. Any other suggestions?

 

[dun]

Tube him

dun

 

[msscamp]

If you have bottle that the nipple will fit on (we use one of the old glass 16 oz coke bottles), might try a sheep's nipple for a feeding or two. It's a little easier for a calf transitioning from Mom to a bottle to get ahold of. I've had good luck with it on quite a few occassions. As already suggested, coat the nipple with Karo Syrup or molasses.

 

[SSS Angus]

Tube him

dun

If I knew how to I would just the make sure there is something in him. Any suggestions?

 

[SSS Angus]

If you have bottle that the nipple will fit on (we use one of the old glass 16 oz coke bottles), might try a sheep's nipple for a feeding or two. It's a little easier for a calf transitioning from Mom to a bottle to get ahold of. I've had good luck with it on quite a few occassions. As already suggested, coat the nipple with Karo Syrup or molasses.

Thought about trying that but haven't yet. He is a pretty good size calve, about 80lbs. He will take the cow nipple but hangs his tongue out the side of his mouth. I guess I will try the sheep's nipple as that is the only thing I haven't tried.

 

[milkmaid]

Tube him

dun

If I knew how to I would just the make sure there is something in him. Any suggestions?

Know anyone who can do it for you, or else someone who can teach you? maybe someone from the auction? ...or if you're like me, put the calf in the car, drive him over to the nearest vet clinic, and say, "teach me". LOL. :lol:

 

[msscamp]

If you're going to attempt tubing, try to find a tubing kit that the tube disconnects from the bottle. Grasp the tube in one hand, back the calf in a corner, straddle him, grasp his lower jaw with the other hand and insert the end of the tube at the corner or side of his mouth. Feed it slowly down his throat. When you have it inserted, if the tube disconnects, put your ear next to it and listen/feel for breathing. If the tube does not disconnect from the bottle, raise the calfs head until his throat is stretched out, then feel for two tube-like structures - one is his trachea, the other is the tube in the esophogeous. This is harder than it sounds, that's why I like the kits that the tube disconnects from. Tubing can get a little complicated - if you get the tube in the lungs without realizing it and deliver milk into the lungs, the calf can either drown or develop pneumonia a lot of times. As you haven't done this before, it might be worth the cost to get a Vet or Vet Tech out to help you the first time. Just a suggestion.

I don't like tubing unless I absolutely have to as it tends to make their throat sore and they don't like to swallow when nursing at the next feeding a lot of times. Just my thoughts.

 

[DiamondSCattleCo]

First, its been long enough without chow, so tube him at least once. MSSCamp gave you some good tips on tubing, but if you can't get a tube disconnect type, make sure you get a tube with a ball on the end of it. When you stick the tube in the back of the calf's mouth, the gag reflex will either make them try to spit it out, or if you move a little further back, they'll simply swallow the tube. As you move the tube down the throat, you'll feel it moving along under the hide which you won't feel if you've got it in an airway.

When its time to try sucking again, get a fenceline hanger for your bottle, that'll at least help you free up a hand. Coat the nipple with molasses, and put him on it. Stuff your thumb into the joint of the jaw (inside his mouth), and pry open his mouth to get the nipple in. Then massage this area to get his jaw opening and closing on the nipple. Since the calf was sucking, its going to be a tough sell to get him taking milk replacer. Its not palatable to them. You may also want to mix a little molasses in the replacer.

Another trick I've used is to give the little fella a shot of whiskey. It gives them a little shot of energy and "burns" the throat a bit, making the calf want a drink.

You may want to enlarge the hole in the nipple a bit as well. I've never managed to buy a nipple that allowed enough flow.

Rod

 

[dph]

Lift his head up so his nose is pointing towards your chin with him between your legs. When you insert the tube, almost always this well ensure that you get the tube down the right way.

 

[DiamondSCattleCo]

Almost forgot. If hes active and you're having a tough time holding onto him, grab a square bale and set him on it, with the front legs hanging over one side, and back legs over the other side. He should be tall enough that all his weight isn't on his belly, but he also shouldn't be able to get moving.

Rod

 

[SSS Angus]

Just got back from my Vet and he hooked me up with a tube feeder, electrolyte and some LA-200. The tube feeder is actually pretty nice as it is virtually idiot proof because it has a little ball on the end of the feeding tube that with only allow it to go down the calf's throat and not it's airway. He also suggested hitting him with a shot of LA-200 to help him fend off any sickness' that he may have issues with. Wish me luck, we shall see how this goes..

 

[SSS Angus]

He now has 2qts. of milk replacer/elctrolytes in him and here in about an hour he is going to get his la-200 shot. It was actually pretty easy to tube feed him, not nearly as bad as I was guessing it was going to be. I guess we will see how the next 24-48hrs. goes.


Thanks for all the help....

 

[msscamp]

No problem. Good job!!

 

[Bret]

Nice job. Now just stay with it. It's rewarding when their engine starts making real power and you can't hold them between your knees any longer. You may have a couple of tuff days but you'll make it.

 

[cypressfarms]

SSS Angus,

Good job, it's always nice to hear encouraging news. Good luck with the calf!

 

[go-pokes-osu]

Whiskey?