Well folks, I know the horse is out of the barn so to speak, and the calf has died, for which I am sorry, oddly, I am a long distance from you, but knowing that hurts my soul anyway.
May I disagree with a few points made here? Or at least offer a less 'invasive; mode of feeding a 'dummy' calf this is a little bit closer to natural feeding, and much cheaper then having to buy a tube feeder that may never get used again?
Whisky and any alcohol is NOT a stimutlant, it acts as a depressent, so the thought that is will work a calf UP may not be correct, the miss'us, being a physician often has to council folks against drinking during very cold weather, especially when you desire to be active. Sorry, but thats the truth. Not to say that a bit of the devils brew cannot be good for alot of other purposes on the farm. it can be a fair pain reliever for man and beast when drank in commodities proportionatly to the injury if ya get my drift.
As far as feeding a calf that won't take a bottle, and all else fails with the nipples, try popping the nipple off, take a turkey baister (about $1.25) and put the milk toward the back of the calf's throat so it HAS to swallow! About 15 or so fills of the baister empties the bottle. But unless of course it is absolutly refusing to have any of that, then tube it. A calf goes through much less stress that way, and it gets to taste and enjoy, thus eventually crave the sweet milk on it's tongue, instead od a cold plastic or metal tube sliding down it's throat. JMHO.
Also for further reference, a calf, who has had a chance to suck mom for a while, knows what a natural nipple should feel like, rough etc. (evidenced by the lolling tongue)You may also try taking a older nipple and taking either a file or very course sand paper to roughen it so the calf can feel the texture with it's tongue.
Now, last but not least..............Milk Maid ...Love ya.......but I might have advised antibiotic treatment as a preventative for several reasons...............first being that a calf being ripped from it's mother is to say the very least traumatic, and thus opens it up to so many stress induced illnesses via bacteria gathered from the sale barn, and it's new surroundings.
Secondly, the cow calf pair was sold for some reason, perhaps due to illness of one or the other or both?
Thirdly, the calf being possibly injured internally, may develop infection internally as well if not treated. Fourthly, when a pressing injury to the skin, where upon it becomes bruised, it will often slough off in a matter of days or weeks, seperating the skin from the muscle in what resemble a tear, or cut. One needs to have an antibiotic in place to prevent infection of the site.
Also, while not advising leisure use of antibiotics for any reason, I feel that in a case were so many variables and an injury such as this has occured , it is called for as prophalactic treatment, although, it would not in fact cure traumatic injuries in itself, given a chance to heal same, can help prevent opportunistic bacterial invaders when the poor little thing is at it's lowest.
Humans , when being treated for traumatic injuries are immediately put onto a very potent regime of such antibiotics for the very same reasons.
Again, I am very sorry for your loss, perhaps next time will turn out much better. Good Luck! :cboy:
