5 day old calf not eating, not active... Cause for concern?

BigMac

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Hi all, I am brand new to the world of bovines, so bear with me if I ask any repetitive or stupid questions... My family jumped into the world of cattle yesterday with the acquisition of our first calf, a 5-day-old Jersey bull from a local dairy. Cute as a button, but he seemed lethargic and refused to eat for hours. The wife and I got aggressive and decided we didn't want to chance him dehydrating in the heat of a Utah September, so we did an esophageal tube and loaded him up on 2 quarts of what our kids are calling "Cow-Gatorade", electrolytes and water. Two hours later, we gave him 2 quarts of milk replacer from IFA, again, via tube. By that time, he seemed somewhat more energetic and was willing to stand up and walk around a little bit with the kids, but soon sought out a shady spot in the weeds to lie down in again.

This morning, he seemed a little more bright-eyed. We continued feeding with the tube: 2 quarts of milk-replacer at 7 AM. 2 quarts of electrolytes at 11 AM. 2 more quarts of milk replacer for lunch/dinner.

He's been pooped bright yellow yesterday and this morning. Cows being cows, he was covered in poop. Kids being kids, they decided to give the little guy a bath! He seemed to enjoy the rubbing and hosing, and fought us only a little bit as we worked all the manure out of his coat. He even stood pretty still to let the kids brush him afterward.

This evening, he went right back to his choice little spot in the tall weeds at the back of his little "field" and laid down. He's been there for the last three hours now and doesn't seem interested in moving or doing anything.

We've had a 30 gallon pail full of fresh water available to him all day, and a little dish with about a pound of calf-starter. He's nosed the water a little, and sniffed the calf-starter, but hasn't eaten or drank anything we haven't literally shoved down his throat.

Is this normal? Should we be concerned? Or are we doing everything right and we just need to be patient? We're concerned he was separated from momma so young, but apparently the dairy farmer was ready to cull him if someone didn't take him. PLEASE SETTLE MY NERVES ABOUT THIS LITTLE GUY!
 

redtailgal

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Was he on the mother prior to you getting him? or was he on the bottle?

Cows covered in manure.....this is NOT cows being cows, this is a sign of a problem. A healthy cow or calf keeps itself clean. Also, I wouldnt recommend allowing your kids to wash him again, at least until he is more acclimated to his new home, and is eating/drinking/pooping normally. RIght now, his system is compromised and he doesnt have the ability to fight off pneumonia very well (and tube feeding and lethargy GREATLY increases his chances of getting it even without the bath)


Moving can be stressful on them and cause some bowel discomfort.

here is what I would do:

Keep him warm, dry and off grass until he is pooping normally.

Do not feed milk replacer for the next 12 hours. Puring milk in a scouring animal is a pretty bad idea, their system needs to rest, AND all you are doing is pouring your $$$ out their rear end. Think about it this way.......when your belly is upset and you have the squirts, how would your system react to being bombarded with milk? Honestly, forcing milk in him right now will only make this problem last longer.

Take the grain away for a week. Feed ONLY electrolyte enhanced water and have fresh hay and water out at all times.

After that 12 hours, mix milk replacer at full strenth, then feed one part milk replacer and one part electrolyte solution

Do this for 12 hours.

Then feed two parts milk replacer to one part electrolyte solution.

Do this for 12 hours.

Then feed full strenth milk replacer.

Monitor closely for watery bowels. If there is wet poop on his back side, start over at day one.

ALso, goto your local feed store and find some corrid or dimeth, as he probably has some coccidia going on. This is important, coccidia will stunt his growth pretty bad if left untreated. With his age, and the recent relocation this is likely part of the problem. Its a cheap and easy fix.

As for the tube feeding, go easy on it. Never tube feed without first trying to get him to take a bottle. Do it only twice a day, so his belly is empty and he is hungry. This will not only encourage him to take the bottle, but will also lessen the possibility of bloat. Have a large container of baking soda available, and if he does bloat, tube him about 2-3 tablespoons mixed with enough water to make it liquidy. While the tube is down in the gut, bang (I mean BANG) on his belly to see if you can get a burp. If you dont think you are hurting him, hit harder, with an open hand. SLAP the snot out of his belly.

Each time you tube feed, you damage the esophagus. It makes them sore and less likely to eat properly on their own, thus creating a "snowball" effect. When you do tube him, lubricate the tube with a little vegetable oil (NOT mineral oil).

Back him into a corner, straddle him, and put a bottle in his mouth. Hold his jaw shut over it and wiggle it. PUt some pancake syrup on the nipple if you want.

I'd also try him with bucket feeding. I've had several calves that would not take a bottle but took to bucket feeding right off the bat. Have a helper to hold the bucket. Get him to suck your fingers if he will and lower your hand into the bucket while he is sucking it so he will suck it up. If he wont suck your fingers, add a LITTLE pancake syrup to the mix and dunk his nose in it a couple times. We are not talking waterboarding him, so be gentle and considerate.

Your best chance of saving him is with a little tough love. You'll feel mean doing these things, esp making him get good and hungry before trying, but keep reminding yourself its for his own good. Remember that, right now, the goal is NOT to get him to gain weight, it's to keep him alive and get him well.
 

bonbean01

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I'm sorry that I don't know the answers to your questions...but that is very young to be taken from his Mama...of course you really didn't have a choice....would have been culled if you and your family hadn't stepped in. From what I know, you are all doing your very best and keeping the little one hydrated which is important. Hope someone who knows about calves responds soon with advice. Have you tried a bottle or nipple on a pail for feeding milk replacer? My Dad did that with our calves from our milk cow, but not this young...just a thought.

Good luck and hope you get good answers soon!
 

BigMac

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He was on his mother prior to us getting him and got his colostrum and sucked her dry several days in a row. I'll let his system rest for the next day and put him on the electrolyte program suggested by Redtail. How do I know he is bloated as opposed to just being full of food/poop?

Also, wife wants to bring him inside for the night and let him sleep on a blanket in our room to keep a close eye on him. Good or bad idea? His outside setup is a 8X8 chain link dog run covered for shade and filled with straw and hay for bedding.
 

bonbean01

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Whew...glad Redtail Gal responded...she must have been posting when I did...I know nothing about calves, but she does...I would follow her advice exactly! Hope your little calf does well!
 

BigMac

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No kidding! Redtail sounds like a seasoned pro, and I will be following her advice to the letter. You're off the hook Bonbean! Thanks for your concern though. Just went to check on him, and he is scouring. Am I ok to rinse off his hindquarters to keep him clean and keep flies away?
 

redtailgal

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BigMac said:
He was on his mother prior to us getting him and got his colostrum and sucked her dry several days in a row. I'll let his system rest for the next day and put him on the electrolyte program suggested by Redtail. How do I know he is bloated as opposed to just being full of food/poop?

Also, wife wants to bring him inside for the night and let him sleep on a blanket in our room to keep a close eye on him. Good or bad idea? His outside setup is a 8X8 chain link dog run covered for shade and filled with straw and hay for bedding.
Bloat shows up as an enlarged belly. It will be larger than a "full of food" belly, and will have a very hollow drum like sound when thumps. He'll probably stand with his back roached up (curled upward) and may bet up and lay down often in an attempt to find a comfy position. He wont poop and may moan. He'll act VERY lethargic. Watch for very droopy ears, that will be your first sign. Notice how his ears are now, take a pic if you need to (and post it here, so I can see the baby, lol). This way you will have a good comparison if you think his ears are droopy but are not sure.

As for bringing him in......I've brought a few in the house IF it was bitter cold outside. None of them did well, and seemed to go downhill faster once inside. If he is able to keep warm and dry, then he should be fine outside and that is what I would recommend.
 

BigMac

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I'll try and get a photo posted for you... still need to figure out how to do that! He definitely is not bloated (at least not anymore). He may have been earlier, but his gut looks good, and is not "thumpy" at all! Between my last post and your response, I, being overly concerned, went out and brought him into the house. He is now wandering around the house following my little, black miniature schnauzer from room to room, mooing all the time. That is a big change from his norm the last day and a half. He's not moo'd except when I had a tube down his throat. Now that he's in the house, he's all sorts of talkative. And whatever room my little dog leads him into he keeps coming back to me at the computer until my dog comes back and leads him off again. Any feedback on all of that?

Glad to have the instructions of a pro to back up my inclination to keep the farm outside. Even if I am a little late in following it. :) It's always good to have an authority to reference when stating my own opinion. :lol:

I'll probably be keeping him in here a little longer and then taking him back out to bed when I go to bed.

Any tips on posting photos?
 

redtailgal

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BigMac said:
I'll try and get a photo posted for you... still need to figure out how to do that! He definitely is not bloated (at least not anymore). He may have been earlier, but his gut looks good, and is not "thumpy" at all! Between my last post and your response, I, being overly concerned, went out and brought him into the house. He is now wandering around the house following my little, black miniature schnauzer from room to room, mooing all the time. That is a big change from his norm the last day and a half. He's not moo'd except when I had a tube down his throat. Now that he's in the house, he's all sorts of talkative. And whatever room my little dog leads him into he keeps coming back to me at the computer until my dog comes back and leads him off again. Any feedback on all of that?

Glad to have the instructions of a pro to back up my inclination to keep the farm outside. Even if I am a little late in following it. :) It's always good to have an authority to reference when stating my own opinion. :lol:

I'll probably be keeping him in here a little longer and then taking him back out to bed when I go to bed.

Any tips on posting photos?
Pics: you'll have to have several posts before you can post pics. I dont know how many you need, though. Go meet some people and then come back and try. When you do get the ability to post pics, use the IMG button you will see in the top of the frame when you hit reply.

If he is walking around the house and mooing, he is well enough to be outside for sure. If you dont take him out, you will have a long night and a messy morning!
 

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