what could be wrong with this calf??

[kaykay]

have a 3 mo old bottle fed calf. The last few weeks her stomach seems to be swollen or droopy looking. She doesnt appear to be sick or in pain. Does this sound like a hernia?? She was a huge calf and had to be pulled.

 

[Campground Cattle]

Common for bottlefed calves to be potbellied.

 

[TheBullLady]

Probably potbellied. Does she have grain to eat? Are you giving her plenty of replacer? What about good quality hay? Potbellied bottle calves usually get that way because they fill up on cheap hay and water because they aren't getting enough replacer. IMO of course...

 

[kaykay]

We have cut her milk replacer down to once in the eve and are about to quit it completely.....how long should she stay on it, she is 3 mo old now. We are feeding her calf starter, about a gallon a day and all the grass she wants. Do we need to give her hay this time of year, we have excellent hay available. I am so glad to hear it is probably just potbellied.

 

[tracy]

have had the same,wormed the calf and she has never looked better and there is no longer a potbelly.

 

[kaykay]

already tried worming her about 2 weeks ago, no improvemnet. How long should it take to see results if it was worms??

 

[Ann Bledsoe]

already tried worming her about 2 weeks ago, no improvemnet. How long should it take to see results if it was worms??

Worm twice, 3 weeks apart.
Calves don't have a whole lot of room in there, I feed 2% of their body weight in grain, along with the best leafy alfalfa I can find.
If they get that potbellied look while receiving that 2% of their body weight in grain, then I add 1/2 lb of Calf Manna daily and that takes care of it within a week or so.

Ann B

 

[kaykay]

I will try worming again and adding calf manna in with the calf starter. I sure appreciate the help all of you have been. We are newbies and can use all the help we can get. This board has helped me alot!!!!!

 

[txshowmom]

Potbellied bottle fed calf, normal.

 

[Beefy]

I think your calf is potbellied. This is normal with a bottlefed calf.

 

[Ann Bledsoe]

I think your calf is potbellied. This is normal with a bottlefed calf.

I bottlefeed all my calves -- around here, potbellied is not at all normal. It means that the calf is not getting adequate nutrition from the food it consumes. It's having to overfilling it's belly trying to consume enough nutrition -- increasing protein alleviates the problem.

Ann B