Neighbor gave me a calf that the cow had earlier in the week. He didn't realize that the calf wasn't eating, the cow had mastitus. We took the calf and gave it the milk substitute colostrum because the neighbor wasn't sure how much calf had eaten. The calf took some of the milk about 1/4 of pint every two hours on Friday. Saturday morning he ate a little more, by lunch time he was up and would come to the bottle. This morning (Sunday) he ate about 1/2 bottle and we left to go to church. When we came back home he is laid out with his head down and looks like he is dying. He had him in the barn with warm hay but he was cold. Brought him in the house by the fire to get him warm. He hasn't eaten anymore today and he is barely able to hold up his head. We gave in Penicillin and LA200 but he is alot worse now. He has shallow breathing and his mouth and extremities are still cold. I have him wrapped in a blanket in front of the fire. Can anyone tell me what I can do? I hope it will not be to late
Sick calf
- Thread starter lgarcia
- Start date
Help Support CattleToday:
It sounds like it's too late for this little guy, but you might try tubing him with a quart or so of electrolytes - watch his belly and don't overfeed. If he's still alive in 2 hours, tube him with a quart of milk replacer. If you have some yogurt on hand, feed him a tablespoon or two of that, too.
I appreciate all your help...I really don't know what to do...I don't really know alot about cattle and I really don't think that I can tube him....I guess my best bet is to try to get alittle milk in him tonight (with a syringe) and take him to the vet tomorrow if he makes it. I appreciate your help though and keep us in your prayers...this little guy is just one of the family now....
lgarcia":tqjmguva said:
You buck up to the job you accepted when you agreed to take on this calf, and you do what you need to do. You need to get more than a 'little' milk into him. Do you have a turkey baster, and a gallon of whole milk available? If so, it's better than nothing! Warm up the milk and slowly feed him a quart of warm milk with the turkey baster. You continue doing that every 2-3 hours until he is able to suck a bottle. Then you buy a bag of milk replacer, a bottle, and you learn how to bottle him. Here is a receipe(sp?) for emergency milk replacer:
Emergency use:
For every litre of real milk / quart of milk - add the following:
Two table spoons of corn syrup, maple syrup or something like that - brown sugar if necessary.
One egg.
Some porridge or pablum - about enough to cover a small rock in the palm of your hand.
Grind up a one a day vitamin. I use whatever the kids have on hand. Use only one of these per day - morning feed for this house.
Shake the heck out of it - blender - warm it - shake it again - in the bottle - let 'er suck!
Got some left over - drink it yourself - it is good.
Milk what you can from the cow and add when able.
There ya' go.
Use the lamb stuff if you have to - I figure it would work in a pinch - might be a little rich - cut it down a bit.
Bez
This calf is still alive, I'll admit the prognosis does not look good at this point, but your determination could make the difference here.
rockridgecattle
Well-known member
do you have the stuff to tube him?
if you do
gentlely insert the tub in his mouth kinda let him do the work with the tongue movement if he can if not do your best.
Usually my husband inserts the tube (he puts the calf in the sitting postion and sits on top of him and raises his head to tube the calf) and i hold the bag and have my hand on the calf's throat. this way you can feel the end of the tube going in. If you can't it's in his lung. try again. When you are sure it is in his stomach open the bag slowly so only a little fluid goes in. A double check cause if it is in his lung he will cough.choke. Then when you are sure open it up and watch like the mmscamp said. go gentle and calmly.
I hope your calf makes it.
Talk to your vet. he/she might be able to teach you how.
good luck
if you do
gentlely insert the tub in his mouth kinda let him do the work with the tongue movement if he can if not do your best.
Usually my husband inserts the tube (he puts the calf in the sitting postion and sits on top of him and raises his head to tube the calf) and i hold the bag and have my hand on the calf's throat. this way you can feel the end of the tube going in. If you can't it's in his lung. try again. When you are sure it is in his stomach open the bag slowly so only a little fluid goes in. A double check cause if it is in his lung he will cough.choke. Then when you are sure open it up and watch like the mmscamp said. go gentle and calmly.
I hope your calf makes it.
Talk to your vet. he/she might be able to teach you how.
good luck
hillsdown
Well-known member
lgarcia":uhzedlb6 said:
A 1/4 pint every two hours?How much did it get all together in a day?????????The reason you got the calf is because it was sick and if the dam had ecoli mastitis then it is really sick .If it is not scouring DO NOT give it electrolites it needs milk and if all you have is powdered colostrum then try to get that into it by gently raising the head and carefully pouring "LITTLE" amounts at a time into the calf until it has about 1 and a half pints in his tummy.If it survives take it to the vet.You have a kind heart and hopefully your attentiveness can go through to this little guy.
hillsdown
Well-known member
Msscamp what do you disagree with?I agree that the little guy is probably gone but which part are you perplexed about?Why do people think that electrolytes and probios are the answer to any illness.If that calf was on a cow that had ecoli mastitis it is pretty much a lost cause and if they are not leaking through their backside then why on Earth would you give them electrolytes? JMOmsscamp":codahw7x said:
hillsdown":376jnk5v said:
Granted, scours are the fastest way to upset the electrolyte balance, but electrolytes go far beyond scours. They also become depleted when he is not being fed enough to maintain proper system balance. They help provide the necessary vital elements to bring a calf back when it is not getting enough nutrition, the balance has been upset, and the systems have started shutting down. Electrolytes are the balance of necessary potassium, calcium, etc, that are required to keep the heart beating, the cells interchanging necessary fluids, etc. Electrolyte balance can be upset by much more than just scours, it can also be upset by lack of food causing demands to be placed on systems that aren't mature enough to handle it.
hillsdown
Well-known member
I agree with that but the problem here seems to be not enough feed intake and electrolytes are not feed they are a balancer.If your baby is starving to death would you give milk or electrolytes?Ask the Docs they would say milk.
rockridgecattle
Well-known member
Igarcia, did your calf make it?
msscamp and hillsdown do you not mix electrolytes with your milk when you are tubing? mix the powder in the milk and kill two birds with one stone and hopefully save the calf?
Tammy
msscamp and hillsdown do you not mix electrolytes with your milk when you are tubing? mix the powder in the milk and kill two birds with one stone and hopefully save the calf?
Tammy
hillsdown
Well-known member
NOrockridgecattle":1xho8o4s said:
rockridgecattle
Well-known member
It works well. Just add a bit of warm water to the electrolytes to make sure it disolves and then add to the milk. Then the calf gets the milk for nutrition and the electrolytes for balancing the calf's system. Revibe/revibe H.E. or Calf Lite/Calf Lite H.E can both be mixed to milk.
AngusLimoX
Well-known member
lgarcia":2p6vz36u said:
Why did he give it to you?
hillsdown
Well-known member
ALX that is what I was wondering also.But since we haven't heard anything back I don't think the little guy made it.
hillsdown
Well-known member
Twice in two days we agree again MssC .I know why some would like to do it that way though but easier doesn't make it so.
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