Any Suggestions

[magpie]

We had a heifer calve 48 hrs ago, this was a hard pull as calf weighs about 100-110lbs. Don’t know why this one is so big , but the problem we are having now is that it will not nurse, so we are tube feeding. This calve will not get up just lays flat most of the time. We prop him up in normal position only to find him flat after awhile. He was delivered in the proper position. His back legs seem a little stiff ,but his front seem fine. We had a hip lock for a brief time when we were pulling. All in all he is rather alert for his ordeal .We were told to give him vitamin C along with Vitamin E which we do anyways . Does anyone have any other suggestions as to what we could do to help him along. I was told he might be down for a week. Much Appreciated!!!!

[farmers_son]

I am concerned that the calf is not sucking after 48 hours. You may already be doing some of this. Try to encourage the calf to suck with a teat bottle. Try stirring two raw eggs in his milk. Remember to let the heifer know she has a calf or she might not want to take this guy if he does get up. Sometimes selenium helps if you are in a deficient area. Keep him warm and rub him as much as you have time for, work his legs and hold him up if you have to. Might work, might not. If he is not gaining any control over his tongue by now he is pretty far gone. Is his mouth warm or cool and clammy?

[bnyoung]

I was told by our vet to try to not tube feed. if at all possible get him on mom, or even bottle feed. But try to avoid tubing. I guess when you tube a calf, a lot of the nourishment is lost. It's not abosrbed properly. So try bottle feeding it if you can't get him on mom. Also, how much vit E did you give the calf. One that size should have 1cc.

[magpie]

Farmers-son we tried the teat bottle no response but not with the two eggs, will see how that goes. We started tubing him to make sure he got is colostrums and haven’t stopped since he won’t nurse. Will try getting him real hungry before his next feeding . Nose feels warm but we have him under a infra red lamp. Mother still wants him badly and we are milking her to keep her milk flowing. Bnyoung we gave him 2 cc of vitamin E with selenium. So I suppose we will have to wait see what happens, not much else we can do, thanks again

[whiteface]

He'll be okay, he needs some time but definatly keep giving him his moms milk either bottle (preferred) or tube if he doesn't suck and keep them together so he feels like he's loved and theres a reason to live. Rub him lots when you feed him, poke at him a bit and encourage him up. I'm not huge (although I have done it) with medication, shots, eggs whatever, just mom's milk and love has got more calves up for me than anything else. Good luck!

[mcfarms]

Is the heifer with him/her?

So much depends on the stimulation from the cow, I wish you luck those big dumb calves are never easy.

[kato]

These calves are discouraging and easy to give up on. Try and keep at it. They do come around as a rule.

If he seems to be sore from the pull, a shot of something like Predef or dexamethasone can help bring down the swelling and pain. This works really well on those poor little guys who have swollen tongues or heads from difficult labour too.

We've had luck in the past by tying up the heifer, or putting her in a chute, putting the calf over a square bale to hold him up, and then trying to line him up and encourage him to suck.

It may take him a couple of more days to get 'bright' enough to suck, but eventually he will do it.

Another thing about the tube feeding, make sure he is vertical when you do it, and doesn't lay down on his side right after. Stomach contents can come back up in a calf that's flat out, and that is not a good thing.

Good luck. Let us know how it turns out.

[blackjack]

kato...even though I normally feed a calf a bottle or tube the weak ones...when the calf is strong enough to suck its mother...your bale trick seems like a great idea for saving the bad back...thanks for the tip...

magpie...good luck but the quicker you get the calf to start sucking a bottle the better...it just seems the sucking stimulates their body...if the calf doesn't seem to be in any pain...it should come around...

[blackjack]

1cc of flucort will reduce any swelling of the brain which in turn may get him interested in nursing . I agree that the sooner a calf sucks a bottle or nurses the cow the better, I never tube feed unless absolutely necessary. I have spent hours getting a calf to suck a bottle and once they do it seems they never look back.

[kato]

True. It's almost like a light bulb goes on in that little head! Trick is to find the switch.

[redcountry]

try some molasses on your finger this has worked
I take it that he did not pull his spine when hip locked? has he reflex in back legs.
Years ago we had a product called "Bells Remedy" it was given with a eye dropper I never saw anything like it to start a slow calf.
I hav'nt seen it for years should have stored up, we got it from the drug store not the vet.

[magpie]

Update!!! Well we are still at it with this calf, Redcountry you are right, the back legs are the problem, he is trying to get up but back legs are not strong enough to lift his weight. It sure is a slow process but I can see some improvement and he is trying. The sucking of a bottle isn’t that great either, that tongue just not getting the hang of it. I remember that bells remedy, Redcountry was it maybe called DR Bells? I remember my father having a bottle of it in the barn, haven’t seen it in awhile.

[grassfarmer]

I saw a product like this in use on a purebred farm once - don't know if it was called Bells or not. They could still get it in the US but it is banned here. They used it to revive calves that were all but dead - also to put some spark into show animals that weren't looking alert enough going round the ring.
I told my brother the ingredients (he's a chemist) and he was shocked - it contains 3 of the 5 deadliest plant extracts known to man!