Tiny newborn

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Farmgirl

Farmgirl

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Calf was born yesterday at 261 days gestation. 32#. Vigorous as you could expect for one that small. I believe he has nursed because he was keeping up with the cow last night. Problem is it is 96 degrees here and supposed to be 100 or higher later this week. Cow is 10 years old and very cooperative. Gave the calf Inforce 3 vaccine. Plan to give Multimin today and may electrolytes.

He has teeth and a shiny coat. Mama cow is bcs 8 or so. Fat, fat wormed and vaccinated regularly.

Any other suggestions on how to help this little guy make it?

Thanks,
Farmgirl
 
Keep a close eye on him. Wee ones lack sufficient body mass to effectively deal with high & and low temps. In a perfect world I'd put the pair in a well vented barn (shade) with a fan. Good luck with the little guy!
 
He is nursing and keeping up with mama in the pasture. Even in the hottest part of the day he seems to be getting along well. Not panting or even breathing heavy.

76, Wish I had a barn to put them in. They have good shade and are in a small pasture.

Thanks for the feedback.

Farmgirl
 
Glad to hear he's doing well. Even at ~ 2 weeks early 32 lbs is decidedly abnormal and cause for major concern. Be prepared you might lose him down the road in spite of your best efforts. Keep us updated.
 
I had a 7 week premie that was 34#'s at birth. She thrived with careful supervision and is a productive part of our herd however she is dramatically smaller as an adult than other cows from the same breeding. Doesn't raise the absolute best calves compared to her "sister" from the same breeding either. She stays because she was found by one of my nieces and holds a special place as "her" cow so we keep her.
 
I don't have any experience with a summer born preemie (mine were born in Feb) but with a lot of TLC they can survive and thrive. Both my preemies are now productive mamas, one of which raises some of the biggest steers in the herd (would it kill her to give me a heifer?!). Unlike Double R, both my girls grew full size - you'd never know they were preemies.

Good luck!
 
An update on the little guy. Temperature was over 100 today. Got out to the pasture late and he was in pretty bad shape. Limp as a rag. Put him in the floor board of my truck and turned the AC on. Started feeding electrolytes and mamas milk. Got a quart or so of milk down him and probably a pint of electrolytes. He perked up and was doing much better when I left. Tomorrow is supposed to be as hot or hotter than today. Not out of the woods yet.
 
Last year my oldest cow had a premie or at least I think she did. I wasn't sure on the date she was bred due to a community pasture. But that poor lil heifer didn't make it. I lost her at exactly 2 weeks old. It was my first calf I lost in my few short years raising beef. I keep her as the background pic on my cell. With that being said i have a Jersey cow i bred to a beltie bull 2 years straight. Full term but a bloody small calf maybe 40 lbs. They hit the ground running though.
 
Years ago I had a first time heifer drop a 26lb heifer calf, I was surprised but I could see her nursing and ended up giving her to some friends when she was weaned. They kept her for two additional years and butchered her at just over 700 lbs. it is a need to cull but health wise she did fine.
 
Wish I knew the outcome here...

Had one born today and temps near 100 degrees. Big strong bull calf.
This heat bothers me tho. I've got 1 more about to pop anytime. They will be moving to fall calving.

Anyone have experience with heat and newborns??
Full size or tiny calves either one!

I got him tagged and banded. He was sleeping. Mama came to life so I couldn't move him to the shade. He's laying in the dang sun
 
MurraysMutts said:
Wish I knew the outcome here...

Had one born today and temps near 100 degrees. Big strong bull calf.
This heat bothers me tho. I've got 1 more about to pop anytime. They will be moving to fall calving.

Anyone have experience with heat and newborns??
Full size or tiny calves either one!

I got him tagged and banded. He was sleeping. Mama came to life so I couldn't move him to the shade. He's laying in the dang sun
Click to expand...

When I did Fall calving it was really summer calving. We had some of them born in August when it was not only hot but humidity was miserable. I didn't have any issues.
 
Farmgirl said:
Calf was born yesterday at 261 days gestation. 32#. Vigorous as you could expect for one that small. I believe he has nursed because he was keeping up with the cow last night. Problem is it is 96 degrees here and supposed to be 100 or higher later this week. Cow is 10 years old and very cooperative. Gave the calf Inforce 3 vaccine. Plan to give Multimin today and may electrolytes.

He has teeth and a shiny coat. Mama cow is bcs 8 or so. Fat, fat wormed and vaccinated regularly.

Any other suggestions on how to help this little guy make it?

Thanks,
Farmgirl
Click to expand...
Don't complain, it's alive...
 
I haven't had any real problems with calves in the heat. We have shade in all the pastures and the cows seem to take them when they go down to the trees around 10-11 when it starts to heat up. We try for spring and fall calving groups but with buying some, never know what you are going to get. Had one born last week and it is doing good.

Had a bought heifer have a premie in Feb... was sure it would not make it.. but it has and aside from the heifer not having as much milk as I would have liked, it has done well. It comes in the creep gate and eats feed regularly, and I see it nurse but she has a small bag. I am going to give her a second chance if she turns up bred at preg check time since she has been a very good devoted mother. The calf won't make the "top grade" when it comes time to sell, but he will be close to average. Since I only paid $450 for her bred, I have no complaints. If she is open she will go. Part of the deal with buying unknown animals.
 
I had one born a few years ago that weighed about 20#. It was too short to suck. I bottle fed and helped it with mama. When it got to about 650lbs it bloated and died. I think the heart was not developed. If they do not get enough milk fat when nursing the heart does nt develop right.,
 
Does anyone know what makes a heifer or cow deliver a premie? Is it stress...or high heat? I had two born last week when it was 95 degrees...both calves and mothers are fine. These Angus calves do look smaller and thinner around 60 to 65lbs....then some of my other calves born in cooler weather. Both are healthy eaters and playfully learning the ropes.
 
Not to sound the alarm as you did not say the stage of development, but have you had them checked for bangs?
By premie can I assume you mean born dead or not developed enough to survive?
 
TexasRancher said:
Does anyone know what makes a heifer or cow deliver a premie? Is it stress...or high heat? I had two born last week when it was 95 degrees...both calves and mothers are fine. These Angus calves do look smaller and thinner around 60 to 65lbs....then some of my other calves born in cooler weather. Both are healthy eaters and playfully learning the ropes.
Click to expand...
My 2 preemies/subsequent orphans were born to dams that had hardware disease. Could be a coincidence but I doubt it. Both preemies were 40 lbs, the 2nd couldn't even stand for 10 days, both born in late January, both are now two of my most prolific cows and I've kept every one of their heifer calves.

60-65 lbs. is not typically considered a preemie. Do they have a full coat & teeth, appear fairly well developed? Summer calves are usually smaller than winter/spring calves.
 
TCRanch said:
My 2 preemies/subsequent orphans were born to dams that had hardware disease. Could be a coincidence but I doubt it. Both preemies were 40 lbs, the 2nd couldn't even stand for 10 days, both born in late January, both are now two of my most prolific cows and I've kept every one of their heifer calves.

60-65 lbs. is not typically considered a preemie. Do they have a full coat & teeth, appear fairly well developed? Summer calves are usually smaller than winter/spring calves.
Click to expand...
Yes, they're complete and healthy. Interesting on the hardware disease was that an autopsy or some kind of scan -metal detector? I spent days and days removing old fencing, dragging magnets over my field...even the little lead roofing nail caps i pick up...anything that's i have control over to help my cattle.
 

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