Update on Bloated calf

[Ky hills]

Calf was born in September, and bloated up at around 2 months old. We treated him and he went back down, but for a few weeks afterwards he would bloat back up about every week or so. He finally got over it seems like, and hasn't done it any more.
He's going to be weaned pretty soon, hoping he doesn't bloat again with the transition.
Cow is 1/2 Angus, 1/4 Hereford, 1/4 Shorthorn. She stays kind of thin all time, but he's definitely pulling her down.

 

[Nesikep]

big boy.. now he just has to make it to the sale barn!

 

[Dsth]

I had a calf that would bloat occasionally and go back down on its own. weaned it and it was doing fine until I found it dead and bloated up like a hot air balloon one morning. hope you have better luck.

 

[MurraysMutts]

I had a calf that would bloat occasionally and go back down on its own. weaned it and it was doing fine until I found it dead and bloated up like a hot air balloon one morning. hope you have better luck.

Neighbor had one as well. I kept telling them get him to the butcher before he does it again. It was too late.

Even if ya just make burger outta him it beats the heck out of a total loss.

I personally wouldn't sell him like that. He will taste good on the grill. My kids (grown) always need burger anyway. I don't mind feeding them.

 

[Ky hills]

Neighbor had one as well. I kept telling them get him to the butcher before he does it again. It was too late.

Even if ya just make burger outta him it beats the heck out of a total loss.

I personally wouldn't sell him like that. He will taste good on the grill. My kids (grown) always need burger anyway. I don't mind feeding them.

This calf has been 5 months since he's shown any signs of bloating. When it was happening it was anywhere from 3 or 4 days to a week inbetween times and and after a month or so it hasn't happened any more. He's gone on to be the biggest of the fall calves. I'm hoping that if he doesn't bloat during weaning with the transition of feed that he's over whatever caused it.
It was late fall and not really any grass when he was bloating, they were just on hay and he was getting milk.
This spring they've had pretty good grass and been moved to a new pasture, and so far so good.

 

[Dsth]

a few years ago, I had 3 or 4 calves doing the same thing. separate from the one I posted earlier. they would bloat up and they were treated by the vet the first time they bloated. they repeated bloating and reducing bloat on their own for a couple weeks. Not sure why but I did find a piece of Styrofoam insulation that had fallen from my old milking setup. it obviously had pieces chewed off and not laying around the main section. I think the Styrofoam was plugging them up and causing the bloat. ended up loosing one of them, but the others were fine after about 2 -3 weeks.

 

[Ky hills]

a few years ago, I had 3 or 4 calves doing the same thing. separate from the one I posted earlier. they would bloat up and they were treated by the vet the first time they bloated. they repeated bloating and reducing bloat on their own for a couple weeks. Not sure why but I did find a piece of Styrofoam insulation that had fallen from my old milking setup. it obviously had pieces chewed off and not laying around the main section. I think the Styrofoam was plugging them up and causing the bloat. ended up loosing one of them, but the others were fine after about 2 -3 weeks.

That very same thing could have been what happened here too. Had an old metal building in the field where they were and the door had some kind of foam in between the material in the outsides of the door, and over time that front panel came off exposing the foam which I'm sure they ate some of it.
Now I've got it gated off where they can't get to it

 

[blackladies]

That very same thing could have been what happened here too. Had an old metal building in the field where they were and the door had some kind of foam in between the material in the outsides of the door, and over time that front panel came off exposing the foam which I'm sure they ate some of it.
Now I've got it gated off where they can't get to it

Crazy what you have to worry about the cows eating. Eat the f ing grass and clover. It's like having a toddler out there.