Tubing a Calf

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Bernard

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I ran a "Search" on this topic and found the below post someone had offered last year. I am a little slow and don't understand much, but I am very confused by what I think I'm reading here. It almost sounds as if the post is offering instruction on how NOT to tube a calf - at least to me. I don't want to make anyone mad, and I'm not trying to belittle anyone - I'm just confused. Can someone please straighten me out?

Thanks.

Quote:

"In a calf, the windpipe is in front of the "foodpipe" or esophagus, and is close to the skin. I would not cut the bulb off of a tube feeder, as a calf that needs to be tubed is too weak to "swallow" the tube, anyway. You will physically be passing the tube down the windpipe. This is true in all cases of tubing a calf. They do not passively & willingly swallow the tube - there is some action on your part to push the tube down to where it needs to be.

The bulb helps you feel the end of the tube as it travels down the windpipe. Hold the calf between your knees with its butt in a corner or against a wall so it can't back up. CLAMP the tube closed and double check to make sure the clamp is closed. Open the calf's mouth, slide the end of the tube into the calf's mouth, usually on the left side, and slide the tube down the calf's throat. As you are advancing the tube, feel the outside of the calf's throat with your other hand. If the tube is in the windpipe and not in the esophagus, you will feel the bulb passing just barely underneath the skin. If you don't feel the tube just barely underneath the skin, you are in the wrong pipe. Pull the tube out and start over.

Do not lubricate the tube with vaseline or any other petroleum products. Getting those products into the lungs will give the calf pneumonia. I don't usually lubricate the tube with anything.

Cutting the end off the tube is risky because the tissues in a calf's throat are delicate, just as yours are, and can be easily damaged.

Once the tube has been advanced down the calf's throat, oh, probably about 18 inches or so, open the clamp slowly and carefully. Allow the liquid to run into the calf's stomach. If you see any signs of the fluid bubbling back up into the calf's mouth or other signs of breathing problems, clamp the tube and remove it immediately. Fluid in the calf's lungs causes a "chemical pneumonia" that the calf may not recover from. When the bag of fluid is empty, CLAMP THE TUBE AGAIN, THEN pull the tube out. That's it. Clamping the tube before pulling it out keeps any residual fluid in the tube from running into the calf's lungs on the way out."

Endquote
 
what are you confused about? Basics.... electrolytes or milk replacer should be warm, don't allow any fluid to run into the calf 'till the tube is in place in the stomach. You can feel the tube on the calf's left side going in if you put your hand on the side of his throat. After the tube is in his stomach, then tip or unclamp the tube. Go slowly with the fluids. After all the fluid is out of the tube give it a few extra seconds to make sure there is no fluid in the end of the tube and then clamp it shut or tip it down and pull it out. Make sure the calf is standing or in as much of an upright position as possible. Good luck!
 
Yep. Definately a no - no on the windpipe, or trachea. Tube a calf that way and he'll drown.

A tip on tubing is that once you get the tip of the tuber past the back of the mouth, most calves will swallow it a bit if you go slow and are going down the esophagus... it's never failed for me, and I've tubed some real down and outers (unfortunately).

Once you start to allow the liquids to go down the tube, the calf will keep swallowing. A lot of times the calf will grind it's teeth on the tube, so keep an eye on it to prevent them perforating it.

A word of warning: be darn careful about getting your fingers in the calf's mouth. Those molars are razor sharp! I wasn't paying attention this spring, and ended up with a nasty gash on one of my fingers. Got rather infected, and ended up doing the Epsom salt soak for a few days before it went down.

Best advice I'd offer is to ask someone that's experienced to give you a hand the first time. Have them walk you through it. It'll give you a good idea of what you're doing for the next time.

Take care.
 
"The tube is put into one nostril, to the back of the throat, where the calf must swallow it so it goes down to the stomach. It goes down most easily if his nose is tucked toward his chest: it's easier to swallow the tube and the tube is less likely to go into the windpipe. If head and neck are stretched out, the tube may go into the windpipe instead."

Raising Beef Cattle by Hether Smith Thomas
 
Ref as above.
"If it goes down more than two feet it's in the stomach.
...blow on your end. If it makes burbling noises or you smell stomach gas coming out, it's in the stomach. If blowing makes him cough, it's in his air passages..."
 
I used to like Heather Smith Thomas.

The tube should NEVER be inserted through the nostril if using an esophageal feeder--you will destroy the ethmoids and cause the nosebleed from he**. If it has a ball on the end to prevent entry into the trachea, it MUST be put through the mouth and down the esophagus.

If this isn't clear, PM me.

V
 
Yep, who ever wrote those directions doesn't know his / her anatomy. Forget everything they say and talk to your vet, or read a reliable book, or talk to a seasoned cattlmen/cattlewomen.
 
i have always been able to feel the bulb of the tube, after i get it inserted, just under the skin on the left underside of the calf's neck.
jt
 
Ryder obviously doesn't know what he is talking about. Must not know what an esphosgeal tube feeder has reference to. It sure isn't the nasal passage. If you haven't had personal experience or don't know the correct answer or advise, don't post it and misled others.
 
Oh boy, thanks for the clarification, everyone. I really goofed when I posted those tubing instructions. It must have been one of those migraine induced dyslexic nights when I wrote that one. My apologies to all.
 

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