Really congested after bottle

[Kay]

I have a 3 week old calf that was born with contracted tendons,tube fed for 2 days and then he started nursing off mom,nursed for 2 weeks but never seemed satisfied,and wasn't thriving.Pulled calf from mom and started bottle feeding.He is up to 3 pints 3x a day.My ? is sometimes when he eats he so raspy and coughing when he finishes his bottle.He eats calf starter and nibbles on hay too.He only weighed 67lbs at birth.I'm not sure if he came early and his lungs just are not developed.He doesn't have a temp. poop is ok.Any thoughts........

 

[alisonb]

Milk in the lungs?

 

[rockridgecattle]

Unless he is getting the milk really fast, my thought is pnemonia. Do you have this calf housed in the barn? That has been my luck in the past.

PM Mscamp and Larry Shoat. They raise alot of bottle babies.

 

[larryshoat]

Now would be a good time for a shot of draxin. Anytime I hear a substantial amout of coughing during feeding or raspy breathing after eating, I assume as Rockridge stated, respiratory problems.

Larry

 

[showing71]

We had a calf like that a few years ago, couldn't figure out why he was raspy after bottle feeding. Turned out he had a cleft pallet.

 

[msscamp]

I have a 3 week old calf that was born with contracted tendons,tube fed for 2 days and then he started nursing off mom,nursed for 2 weeks but never seemed satisfied,and wasn't thriving.Pulled calf from mom and started bottle feeding.He is up to 3 pints 3x a day.My ? is sometimes when he eats he so raspy and coughing when he finishes his bottle.He eats calf starter and nibbles on hay too.He only weighed 67lbs at birth.I'm not sure if he came early and his lungs just are not developed.He doesn't have a temp. poop is ok.Any thoughts........

He's drinking his bottle too fast, it's a pretty common occurance with previously starved calves. If you opened the hole in his nipple, swap out the nipple for a new one and leave the hole alone. Another trick is to hold his bottle more level as opposed to the usual upright position, because that will slow down the milk flow. Listen to his breathing during feeding, and when he starts rasping/huffing/coughing, tilt the bottle down to a more level position to slow down the milk flow. Keep an eye on him to make sure he doesn't develop pneumonia due to milk in his lungs.

 

[Kay]

Checked calf for cleft palate.Doesn't have that.He was a little better this morning.I do have a new nipple,and I do hold the bottle level,plus we take little breaks too.Calf is lively and always wants his bottle.I know he is not sick and I don't give medicine unless they r sick.He gets probios everyday too.Just windering if he was early would he have lung problems and do they ever develop,or do they always have problems?? THANKS

 

[js2743]

he is getting milk in his lungs. think how a cows utter is and the way they have to hold their head to eat, try holding the bottle lower towards the ground not up high.