sluggish premie

[uscott]

one of my heifers calved yesterday morning. The bull in date was may 1 so the earliest calf should be feb 7. so he was a little early. Anyway he appears to be a little sluggish. My dad says he saw him nursing but he laid in the same spot all day today, not sure if he nursed today or not. He did move about 50 yards to that spot though. Should i be worried??

 

[Backbone Ranch]

I wouldn't be worried. Sometimes a day after calves are born, they don't want to do anything but lay down. Even if you lift them up onto all fours they will just plop back down on to the ground. They quickly get out of that phase of their life. We had a heifer who did that for a day after she was born, after that she was running around being a typical frisky calf. As long as the calf is nursing the calf will be fine.

 

[Putangitangi]

I see them "laying in" for up to three days after birth, hardly move at all from their favorite warm spot. Don't worry about it, as long as you know it fed - either because you saw it, or can tell the udder's been fed from. I wouldn't say your calf's prem: that date comes inside ordinary gestation range, particularly for a heifer. On my calculator your calving period started on the 31st.

 

[uscott]

All is well he was up and bouncing today. Saw him nurse a little, seemed to have trouble holding on (moms nipples are about the size of two thumbs) but he is fine.

 

[ranchercowgirl]

I had a real early calf born off season, weight 45 pounds. I gave him a Vitamin B complex shot 1cc IM two days later another one and he really started to perk up. He is good now. Make sure he is nursing. Good luck.