whats wrong with this calf?

[Richardin52]

Went out to check them tonight. I have a month old calf that has a lot of foam around the mouth and has his tung hanging out. He was kind of leaning against a bale of hay but moved away a little way when I went near him. Head down not moving fast.

I thought he may have eaten something he should not have but the pasture is clean so I don't know what he could have eaten.

 

[Sir Loin]

This should be good!
" month old calf" leaning on a bale of hay" with "foam around the mouth and has his tung hanging out"

Does he have water to drink?
SL

 

[Richardin52]

yes they have water, he also has his mothers milk.

 

[dun]

Sounds overheated to me. Some take high temps better then others.

 

[bbirder]

Where are you located Richard? Fill in your profile! Agree with Dun on the heat.

 

[Richardin52]

It was hot today but they have shade if they want it although the calves tend to stay with the crowd. He looks better now but panting a little. I think it was heat also.

PS Did my profile

 

[dun]

PS Did my profile

So where are you located?

 

[cow pollinater]

Could be summer pneumonia. I get a case or two every summer out of my spring herd.
FWIW, it's 105 here today and I saw my spring herd, all black, at a little after noon and they were all out grazing and none of them were panting.

 

[Richardin52]

Dun, I am in Maine.

Other calves seemed OK. This is also the youngest calf I have. I think it was the heat probably stayed with the other cows even though he got hot.

 

[dun]

Dun, I am in Maine.

Other calves seemed OK. This is also the youngest calf I have. I think it was the heat probably stayed with the other cows even though he got hot.

There is always a possibility that he's got a bug. I would keep an eye on him and if he isn;t right back to normal within a day I would hit him with some good antibiotics only available from/through a vet. Those young calves can get sick and die so quickly that it is scarey sometimes. Their thermostats don;t seem to be quite in sync when they're that young. Benign neglect but be prepared to act.

 

[Sir Loin]

yes they have water, he also has his mothers milk.

OK.
Well, let me spin my diagnostic wheel of fortune again.
OH darn!
Darn thing got stuck between Salinium deficiency and needs LA-300 so I guess I will have to wing it!

OK, seriously now.
The " foam around the mouth" could be from sucking milk from momma as could the open mouth with tong out could be from getting out of breath from sucking so hard because he was thirsty.

I have seen many cases of thirsty calves doing this because they are unable to reach the water after the cows have had their share and the water level is too low and the water pressure is to low to refill the old bathtub in a timely fashion. They simply can't reach in and reach the water.
Remember, the cows drink first and the calves last.

In addition I have also seen waterers that were placed to high for calves to drink out of, or that the ground around the water had eroded away making it to high for calves to reach the water.

That's all I got Rich, how's the little bugger doing?
SL