Calf will not take the bottle. He has no suck in him. It's been 4 days. He doesn't even seem hungry. We have been drenching him about 6 pints of milk a day. Put out some calf manna and he is nibbling on it. Can he live off of calf manna alone? Any other suggestion other than a bullet? Not ready to do that yet.
Starving Calf- About 3 weeks- & Calf Manna
- Thread starter ffamom
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Anonymous
Try a shot of BoSe. Sometimes that helps the dummies.
NMVaquero
Well-known member
Try an IV of saline. Perks them up when they are down.
Any signs of scours?
Any signs of scours?
No scours and doesn't appear to be sick. I don't know if he is mentally challenged or if the starvation has something to do with his desire to be hungry or suck. Give him a few more days, then time for the bullet.
TN Cattle Man
Well-known member
ffamom... does the calf respond normally other then not eating (standing, etc.)? We had a similar case with a big bull calf that we (vet) determined to have suffered brain damage from lack of oxygen due to birthing problems. We didn't catch it during birthing so we don't know how long the birthing process took (only speculating).
Calf never acted right and didn't want to stand even with momma's persistant nudging... head always laid back and no suckling instincts. We tube it twice before putting it down. Always sucks but stuff does happen.
Keep us informed.
Brian
Calf never acted right and didn't want to stand even with momma's persistant nudging... head always laid back and no suckling instincts. We tube it twice before putting it down. Always sucks but stuff does happen.
Keep us informed.
Brian
Fire Sweep Ranch
Well-known member
Can you give more information about the calf? Has it always been a bottle baby, if not how long has it been on a bottle? Did it get colostrum? What was the birth like? Have you temped it?
I have a hard time telling someone to kill a calf when there just is not enough information to make that determination! Please provide more information at to what led up to this event. Pictures are always helpful also.
Best of luck!
I have a hard time telling someone to kill a calf when there just is not enough information to make that determination! Please provide more information at to what led up to this event. Pictures are always helpful also.
Best of luck!
Background Information:
Calf was on the cow until last Sunday. So 3 weeks on the cow. At that point, he lacked energy and was being left behind by the herd. We knew he wasn't in great shape, but that we were erring on the side that it was best to leave him on the cow. Cow (14 years old) doesn't like human interaction with her calves. Hind site, not the best choice to leave him on her. We don't know if she lacked milk or if he didn't nurse properly. He did survive 3 weeks, so he had to be getting something.
When we brought him in and got our hands on him, he was much thinner that me thought. We have tried to bottle feed him (still try every time we feed him) but after a pint we end up drenching him. He will move his jaws but has no suck and doesn't appear to even be hungry. We have seen him munching on some calf manna. He gets 3 pints of formula 2 times daily.
We have given him b-12 injection (one) and well as oral minerals. His temperature is 102.0 and no sours.
Calf was on the cow until last Sunday. So 3 weeks on the cow. At that point, he lacked energy and was being left behind by the herd. We knew he wasn't in great shape, but that we were erring on the side that it was best to leave him on the cow. Cow (14 years old) doesn't like human interaction with her calves. Hind site, not the best choice to leave him on her. We don't know if she lacked milk or if he didn't nurse properly. He did survive 3 weeks, so he had to be getting something.
When we brought him in and got our hands on him, he was much thinner that me thought. We have tried to bottle feed him (still try every time we feed him) but after a pint we end up drenching him. He will move his jaws but has no suck and doesn't appear to even be hungry. We have seen him munching on some calf manna. He gets 3 pints of formula 2 times daily.
We have given him b-12 injection (one) and well as oral minerals. His temperature is 102.0 and no sours.
Fire Sweep Ranch
Well-known member
Hopefully someone with more experience with bottle calves will chime in, but maybe because he is three weeks old he does not want to accept the bottle? Have you tried putting it in a bucket and getting him to drink it that way? Have you seen him drinking water? Have you got access to a vet for advice? He might be dehydrated, and an IV of fluids might be in mind if he is that far gone. It might be time to get a vet involved. I would guess, just by the age of the cow, that she just did not give enough for the calf, and it is a case of failure to thrive.
Just a thought, if he is eating calf manna, what about soaking the pellets in milk???
Just a thought, if he is eating calf manna, what about soaking the pellets in milk???
