Bull calf not eating! Please help a newbie...

[ksj0225]

Ok, we just got two 5 day old holstein bull calfs. One is doing fine the other we are having a hard time with.


We are using milk replacer with bottles. We have tried straight nipple, making the nipple whole bigger, boiling a nipple, stroking the calf's throat, talking nicely, etc...

Today. I think in total he got one quart and we tried feeding him about 7 times. Each time taking extra effort and some of those time with two people. (Last night, the first night home, he got 2 quarts and drank like a champ!!!)

Please respond with any and all suggestions as we are first timers and would love to hear from ya'll with experience.

It's 10 pm now and we will be going back out at 4 am to try some more!

 

[ohne]

We have a cattle dairy and drench our calves when they do not drink. However I would say that you should only do this with a drench as it is very possible to miss the stomach and put it into the lungs. Also it really is best if someone experienced helps you the first time.

I would suggest that you keep trying to feed it with a bottle. It is easiest to straddle the calf and hold its head between your legs. This generally makes it easier to feed them the bottle if you have to force feed them.

 

[jhm47]

He's most likely got either scours or is coming down with pneumonia. The two quarts he drank quickly the other night was most likely too much for him. Cut him back to a quart or less at every feeding, and feed him 3 - 4 times a day. If he begins to scour, give him electrolytes and no milk replacer till he recovers completely. These really young calves can go downhill very quickly when they get sick, so watch him closely. You might want to have a vet look at him in the AM. Good luck!

 

[aggieterpkatie]

Is the replacer warm enough? Hopefully it's a quick fix like that.

 

[glenolam]

I'd first check him for scours, too. Is he up and walking? Is he bright eyed or lethargic?

What works for me is to stand and hold the bottle against my thigh pointing downwards. I like to make sure the vent hole in the nipple is facing up - it helps with the air bubbles and makes the milk come out easier. The calf then stands behind me facing the same direction and finds the nipple by my leg - it seems to stimulate more of the natural feel to them.

Of course, if he can't stand up you should try getting him into as much of an upright position as you can so the milk gravitates to where it is supposed to go.

ETA: are you making a new bottle each time you go out to feed him? And as aggie said, is the milk warm enough?

Try to think of it as a human baby - once you make the formula, that's it. If the "baby" doesn't drink it, you have to dump it. Try making less - even 1/2 quart if you have to - so you don't keep wasting it.

If someone is around to feed more constantly, try feeding him 1 quart 3 -4 times a day and has he gets stronger cut the feedings to twice a day, increasing the amount you feed at each feeding.

Good luck!

 

[Sara]

How did things turn out with this calf? The first thing I do when a calf goes off feed is take their temperature.

 

[Joost deGroot]

Sara said:

How did things turn out with this calf? The first thing I do when a calf goes off feed is take their temperature.

I would add to this to check his tongue and navel as well. Sometimes a tongue can be swollen and as a result the calf can't drink well.
If he has a thick or hard navel all kind of infections and/or fever can occur.

 

[ksj0225]

I never did update this thread, neither one made it. The livestock vet (that we finally found) said we didn't stand a chance with either of them and wasn't surprised when they didn't make it.

He told us not to buy from them again...

 

[glenolam]

That's too bad. Did they get colostrum after birth? Did you find out what went wrong?

 

[ksj0225]

Pretty sure they were yanked at birth, even though we were told they had had colostrum.

Ended up with scours and pink eye.

We treated both to the end... (The vet even removed one eye, trying to save it)

They were going to used for meat, but when they die as babies its hard...