Very sudden red nose on calf

[travlnusa]

Checked on cows about 4 hrs ago, all was well.

Just got back in house after finding 7 day old calf with a red nose. Not bloodly, but appears to be rubbed raw.

All other aspects are normal such as movement, nursing, running, etc. I did not temp calf as of yet.

Did she find something to rub it against, or is the onset of something I need to react to?

 

[Alice]

Take the calfs temp...and go from there.

Alice

 

[MikeC]

"Rudolph's" Syndrome.

Was it shiney? :lol:

 

[travlnusa]

LOL , that is what the boys want to name her.

Temp is 103.2

 

[Alice]

We always figured a red and/or peeling nose indicated fever. When did you see the calf last? I think a normal temp for a calf that age is 101.5. Were it me, I'd give the calf an antibiotic...and our antibiotic of choice is usually nuflor. But that's just me.

Alice

 

[cowwrangler]

was it cold when the calf was born?? if it was it is prolly frostbitten,it will showup afew days after being born.gets red then peels,looks kinda like sunburn

 

[born2run]

Chapped is usually a pretty good indicator of fever.

 

[travlnusa]

Thanks to all for the replies.

Vet came out and looked. He thinks that the calf found something to rub against. No temp, acting normal.

I failed to describe the red nose in better detail here. The entire nose is not red, but only 70% of the nose, above the nostrils.

Here is to hoping the vet is correct.

 

[Alice]

First, congratulation on getting a vet to come out to look at a baby calf!

Second, I'd still watch him...listen to him. If you notice in gurgly sounds or he coughs more than every now and then or he has a snotty nose, I'd see if I could get that vet back out again...

Alice

 

[milkmaid]

Does he have a white nose? and is there snow on the ground? if so -- probably just sunburn. I've seen it happen a lot in young dairy calves.