# Occasional coughing in bucket calves?



## Cashs Cowgirl (Jan 26, 2006)

I've got an almost 2 month old and 3 week old holstein calves (they've been banded already). They have had a slight cough the last few days. Mostly right after guzzling down their milk buckets, but I've heard them a couple of other times. Neither have snotty or crusty noses and their eyes are clear. They are getting 7 cupsmilk replacer twice a day, plus free choice hay and a scoop of feed (cracked corn, alfalfa pellets, and a pelletized feed mixed). This morning after drinking his bucket, the younger one (though he's as big as the older one), had a good quick hard cough and out came two dime sized pieces of phlem that was slightly yellowish.

Should I give antibiotics to him or watch him? 

I've not raised ones this young, but so far they seem to be doing well. They've got shelter and the weather has been fairly mild (except the last couple of days, but it only got down to the mid 40's at night).


----------



## myersfarm (Dec 24, 2004)

the weather change is when i have the most problems with this.....FIRST thing I do is take temp should be around 101.3 1 degree high or lower is ok if not in that range they are sick and yes I would give a shot.....if temp is right...check how high you are feed the milk.....to high holding bottle will let it get in lungs espicially when they are drinking so fast..

.they need there neck crooked for the milk to go in right place...just like sucking a cow looks


----------



## springvalley (Jun 23, 2009)

Might be just from gulping down their milk, I have some that do this when sucking down bottles to fast. Crush a clove of garlic and put down their throat for a couple days, it`s good for them, and if they do have anything it will help take care of that also. > Thanks Marc


----------



## Cashs Cowgirl (Jan 26, 2006)

myersfarm said:


> the weather change is when i have the most problems with this.....FIRST thing I do is take temp should be around 101.3 1 degree high or lower is ok if not in that range they are sick and yes I would give a shot.....if temp is right...check how high you are feed the milk.....to high holding bottle will let it get in lungs espicially when they are drinking so fast..
> 
> .they need there neck crooked for the milk to go in right place...just like sucking a cow looks


These calves are not on nipple buckets. They are on just plain buckets drinking like they do from the water trough. I had the older one on a bottle, but when the farm called asking if I wanted another, I could not get another nipple and bottle in time. The store near me was out for almost 2 weeks, so I switched to buckets. 

I will check the temps this afternoon. Thank you for the information.


----------



## Cashs Cowgirl (Jan 26, 2006)

springvalley said:


> Might be just from gulping down their milk, I have some that do this when sucking down bottles to fast. Crush a clove of garlic and put down their throat for a couple days, it`s good for them, and if they do have anything it will help take care of that also. > Thanks Marc


Awesome, garlic I can do. I'd much rather something natural than chemical. But I'll still check their temps to see. Their moods haven't changed which is always good.


----------



## loislanefl (Nov 7, 2011)

Our most recent bottle calf would cough almost every time after she finished drinking her bottle. There was never anything wrong with her, I think she just tried to guzzle it down too fast.


----------



## springvalley (Jun 23, 2009)

loislanefl said:


> Our most recent bottle calf would cough almost every time after she finished drinking her bottle. There was never anything wrong with her, I think she just tried to guzzle it down too fast.


Yep, the older the calves get the faster they try and gulp their milk down, doesn`t matter if they are drinking from a bucket or a bottle. > Thanks Marc


----------



## haypoint (Oct 4, 2006)

Sometimes when calves are brought to a new farm, they are exposed to a whole new batch of bacteria that they aren't immune to. 

I'd want to treat them befoe there is damage to their lungs. You might want to ask your local Vet. Perhaps you can give them garlic and pray. Everyone has their own way to doing things.


----------



## springvalley (Jun 23, 2009)

haypoint said:


> Sometimes when calves are brought to a new farm, they are exposed to a whole new batch of bacteria that they aren't immune to.
> 
> I'd want to treat them befoe there is damage to their lungs. You might want to ask your local Vet. Perhaps you can give them garlic and pray. Everyone has their own way to doing things.


Haypoint, if they only cough when done with their milk, more often than not , it is from drinking milk. Have you had to have the vet out latley, they are not cheap, allmost spend the price of a calf on the first call. I guess cashs cowgirl could give the calves a shot of Pen. G, better safe than sorry as you would say. I sure don`t run to the doctor for every sniffle I get. Sorry for voiceing my opinion cc, home remedies probly don`t work anyway. > Marc


----------



## Cashs Cowgirl (Jan 26, 2006)

It's all good y'all. I 'popped' some garlic down him (that was fun!)...

Then later I gave him a penicillin shot...I'll continue that for the recommended time since he was running a slight fever. Better safe than sorry...


----------



## myersfarm (Dec 24, 2004)

Cashs Cowgirl what is slight fever ?


----------



## haypoint (Oct 4, 2006)

springvalley said:


> Haypoint, if they only cough when done with their milk, more often than not , it is from drinking milk. Have you had to have the vet out latley, they are not cheap, allmost spend the price of a calf on the first call. I guess cashs cowgirl could give the calves a shot of Pen. G, better safe than sorry as you would say. I sure don`t run to the doctor for every sniffle I get. Sorry for voiceing my opinion cc, home remedies probly don`t work anyway. > Marc


Most of us are busy enough that we don't have all night to listen to a calf. I made the huge assumption that the cow also coughed at times when the OP wasn't around. Clearly, we all are around when pail feeding a calf. The OP also stated that the calf coughted at other times, too. If it is a productive cough, and this one was, then there is real congestion and real treatment required. I also made the huge assumption that the calf was running a fever. 

I didn't say she should get the Vet out, I said she should ask the Vet. I assumed that she could make a phone call and get some free info from her Vet. Maybe not.

In a forum like this it is next to impossible to know exactly what treatment is needed, with the limited info we have to go on. Being there is a thousand times more acurate.


----------



## springvalley (Jun 23, 2009)

haypoint said:


> In a forum like this it is next to impossible to know exactly what treatment is needed, with the limited info we have to go on. Being there is a thousand times more acurate.


If I havn`t said this a few times before I`d miss my guess, very hard to say what is wrong with a bovine from a thousand miles away. I still have no idea why people ask what to do on this forum anyway, because they will get twenty differant cures from twenty differant people. > Marc:clap:


----------



## myersfarm (Dec 24, 2004)

what I do not understand is WHY AM I THE ONLY ONE THAT WANTS TO KNOW THERE TEMP...... BEFORE GIVING A TREATMENT...that tells me more than anything if they are sick or does the owner just think they are sick


----------



## springvalley (Jun 23, 2009)

myersfarm said:


> what I do not understand is WHY AM I THE ONLY ONE THAT WANTS TO KNOW THERE TEMP...... BEFORE GIVING A TREATMENT...that tells me more than anything if they are sick or does the owner just think they are sick


Very good point myers, point made. > Thanks Marc


----------



## myersfarm (Dec 24, 2004)

and if it was a HUMAN kid that could not talk THAT WOULD BE THE FIRST THING THEY WOULD DO


----------



## Cashs Cowgirl (Jan 26, 2006)

Because I couldn't get a temp at the time when I asked; he's a little wild and quite wiggly when caught. I was at home alone at the time. I was trying to gather info. Which I received, and I thank y'all. I have raised various livestock over the years, and currently have quite the managerie, but I haven't had calves this young. Thanks for the help.

Oh and the 'slight' temp was 102.6.


----------



## Cashs Cowgirl (Jan 26, 2006)

He's a little more himself today and still on antibiotics. He's a smart one and today didn't want to come to the bucket because he 'knew' I was going to stick him...he couldn't resist though. Tomorrow will be tougher . He's got a wild hair thats for sure.


----------



## myersfarm (Dec 24, 2004)

Great I would check his temp again and see if it is getting closer to 101.3 can be off by 1 .....that will tell if he is better or the same and you need to try something else as the shot


----------



## Cashs Cowgirl (Jan 26, 2006)

Thanks Myers! I planned on it today, but it stormed here something awful and then after a series of crazy events later in the day I was unable to get to that with my DH. So it'll be tomorrow morn with my teen to help me.


----------



## Evons hubby (Oct 3, 2005)

I raised baby calves for quite a few years, never took their temps. I just watched them. If their ears are up.... no need to panic over an occasional cough. If those ears drop, or they start humping up... get a vet out, or take the calf in. BTW, at two months I never fed milk replacer again. Usually weaned mine at around 6 weeks, as soon as the were eating a pound or so of grain a day.


----------

