Sale Barn Calves

[fourstates]

I did something I swore I would never do, but bought 2 calves at the sale barn today. They were pulled off their mothers and sold by the head, the cows were old, zeros.

The calves weigh about 105-110 each. They look healthy enough, just a little scrawny. I got them home gave them fresh water and some good hay. They both ate the hay, took long drinks and are settling down. They are chewing cud and their poop looks good, looks like healthy calf grass poop.

I was going let them calm down before I chase them around with a bottle. But I took up their water and put a bucket of milk out.

I am really curious how old these calves might be? I know that I made sure their umbilical cord was dried and gone. But that's all I know...But since they are chewing cud, They must be at least three weeks old, right?

I have searched to see if I could find any info about the teeth to help me age them, but all the data seems to be for older cattle.

Don't worry, they will get their water back, I'm just hoping they will try the milk.

I was looking for some advice on what I should do to prevent some of the inevitable health problems that may pop up. And, any other tips will be appreciated.

Thanks

 

[hillrancher]

Give a shot of nuflor 6ml/100lb and A,Dand E. Then cross your fingers.

 

[cowlady1]

I buy sale barn calves. You may have to bottle feed these . I'm giving mine c&d and pastuerella vaccine keep them from any other livestock for 2weeks. Check with vet for any other vaccines IBR PI3 BVD1&2 BRSV. This is what I've run into.

 

[rockridgecattle]

Sound advice!!
Separate water is also a good idea for Quarantene animals

 

[cowlady1]

Coccidisosis is also a problem. corrid or sulmet works. corrid as dirrected. Sulmet 1/2 dose 2 times a day is better. corrid 21 days sulmet 5 days. I've had lesser problems since I started using corrid or sulmet /c&d /pastuerella.

 

[fourstates]

I have them together, but almost 1/2 mile away from my herd. They are in a stall behind my house. One of them drank the bucket of milk. I can't tell which one! They are really scared and I haven't forced handling them yet.

I'm going to pick up meds tomorrow. The RX ones will have to wait til Monday. By the meds suggested, I assume my biggest risks are scours and pneumonia.

I have put sweet feed on top of their hay. I hate that one of them probably didn't get any milk, but hopefully I will figure that out tomorrow.

Thanks.

 

[dun]

Calves wit htheir mother can/will be chewing their cud by the time they're 10-14 days old. They may not be able to get much of the nutrition from it, but they'll chew it.

 

[angie1]

Give a shot of nuflor 6ml/100lb and A,Dand E. Then cross your fingers.

Seriously? Why?
We give shot of vitamins, neighbors give LA200 along with vitamins, but I don't understand why you would start with nuflor. Could cause more problems than it cures I'm thinking and also, once you've used that, if you do run into health problems, you've already used your big guns, can't work up? Not saying you're wrong, just saying "hmmmmm?".

 

[hillsdown]

I have had calves chew their cud as young as 5-7 days old.But like Dun said they are probably not getting any nourishment from it;babies need milk.

If it were me that bought them I would separate them, quarantine them, and keep them in a small area so I could bottle/pail feed them and know exactly how much each is getting.

Good luck.It can be done it just takes a lot of time and patience.

 

[Alice]

I'd put out some dry calf feed, also.

Alice

 

[shorty]

I think they should have milk, if they're hungry enough it shouldn't be hard to get them to take a bottle . when I start calves I like to have them seperate so I know how much each one is eating.

 

[Joy in Texas]

Give a shot of nuflor 6ml/100lb and A,Dand E. Then cross your fingers.

Seriously? Why?
We give shot of vitamins, neighbors give LA200 along with vitamins, but I don't understand why you would start with nuflor. Could cause more problems than it cures I'm thinking and also, once you've used that, if you do run into health problems, you've already used your big guns, can't work up? Not saying you're wrong, just saying "hmmmmm?".

Thats my thought also. We give just vitamins. We include B-12.
You need to leave their water out at all times. I think I understand what you are trying to do. But do not take their water away. It's not going to make them drink their milk. They could end up dehydrated. I've had baby calves that would not suck a bottle for anything. However ,they would drink water ,eat feed and hay.
You need to get in there and man handle them to see if they will even take a bottle. Yes ,I know they are scared,but you need to start messing with them ,so they can get use to you.

 

[msscamp]

The calves weigh about 105-110 each. They look healthy enough, just a little scrawny. I am really curious how old these calves might be? I know that I made sure their umbilical cord was dried and gone. But that's all I know...But since they are chewing cud, They must be at least three weeks old, right?


Thanks

Not necessarily - they could be as young as 2 weeks of age.

 

[msscamp]

Give a shot of nuflor 6ml/100lb and A,Dand E. Then cross your fingers.

Seriously? Why?

Young calves don't have a fully developed immune system, and cannot fight off illness - stress only magnifies that. A lot of times hitting them with an antibiotic upon arrival will go a very long ways towards preventing pnemonia (aka shipping fever) from developing due to the stress of the salebarn experience/shipping to and from the salebarn/and being in a new, unfamiliar place.

 

[angie1]

Give a shot of nuflor 6ml/100lb and A,Dand E. Then cross your fingers.

Seriously? Why?

Young calves don't have a fully developed immune system, and cannot fight off illness - stress only magnifies that. A lot of times hitting them with an antibiotic upon arrival will go a very long ways towards preventing pnemonia (aka shipping fever) from developing due to the stress of the salebarn experience/shipping to and from the salebarn/and being in a new, unfamiliar place.

Yes, even though I don't practice that ~ I understand why people do. I was questioning the use of Nuflor.

 

[dun]

Give a shot of nuflor 6ml/100lb and A,Dand E. Then cross your fingers.

Seriously? Why?

Young calves don't have a fully developed immune system, and cannot fight off illness - stress only magnifies that. A lot of times hitting them with an antibiotic upon arrival will go a very long ways towards preventing pnemonia (aka shipping fever) from developing due to the stress of the salebarn experience/shipping to and from the salebarn/and being in a new, unfamiliar place.

Yes, even though I don't practice that ~ I understand why people do. I was questioning the use of Nuflor.

When we were buying bottle calves from the salebarn our vet recommended hitting them with Nuflor as soon as we unloaded them. That's the only time I would consider and he would recommend giving antibiotics with a diagnoses of a problem. Worked for us, never had a problem with shipping fever after we started doing it.

 

[GMN]

Are they dairy calves or beef?

GMN

 

[angie1]

In the state of Mn., and I don't know where else, I have been told that it is illegal to use antibiotics as a preventative. Its a widely ignored law, but there it is. That is not reason we don't use them off the trailor. Is this the case anywhere else?

 

[dun]

In the state of Mn., and I don't know where else, I have been told that it is illegal to use antibiotics as a preventative. Its a widely ignored law, but there it is. That is not reason we don't use them off the trailor. Is this the case anywhere else?

If that's the case then you can;t feed minerals with CTC or any other feed with antibiotics. Is that correct?

 

[fourstates]

I used 60cc of polyserum (antibodies) and a shot of Nuflor on each calf. The steer is sucking down the milk out of the bucket. The heifer won't drink milk out of a bucket or bottle, so, I am tubing her 1/2 gallon daily, but she is eating hay and creep. They have plenty of hay, which they both eat, fresh water, I also put out some calf manna, and dried molasses flaked beet pulp (a sweet to tempt).

The heifer looks thin, but her poop is bulky and healthy. The steer looks better, he showed signs of diarrhea on Sunday, but things are firming up ( probably was the Milk). They are both peeing good.

I hope a half gallon of milk daily for the heifer is enough, I want her hungry, but healthy. Both are bright eyed, moist noses, breathing normally. So far so good. Thanks