# Stunted calf??



## desertshi (Jul 23, 2008)

Can holstein calves be stunted in growth? My DH cousin gave us a holstein bull calf to raise and eat. He is four months old. I just brought home two more heifer calves today. One is a 6 month old holstein/angus x. She is like 2 or 3 times bigger than this bull calf. The other calf is an angus 4 month old heifer calf who is a good 6 inches taller and much thicker (normal to be thicker because she's a beef breed.)

Is the bull calf stunted!? Sure looks like it to me!! If he is, will he grow out of it, or will it not be cost effective to continue to feed him for later butchering. Should we just butcher him out now!?


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## francismilker (Jan 12, 2006)

I've had pretty good luck getting stunted heifers to come out of their slump that I've bought in the past, but it's no fast process. I usually see them do the growth catch up after their first calf. Some never really get the size they would've if they'd not been stunted. 
On the feeding out issue. I've got a friend that fed out a stunted bottle calf and it made some awful good beef. The calf got plenty fat and widened out, but once again wasn't as big as his non-stunted counterparts.


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## tinknal (May 21, 2004)

A picture would help. Could he have a load of parasites? Does he look rough coated or pot bellied? Can you get close enough to him to put your ear to his chest and listen to his breathing? I ask about the breathing because he could have chronic pneumonia. 


Parasites is pretty easy to fix. Chronic pneumonia on the other hand is hard to recover from.


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## MARYDVM (Jun 7, 2004)

There's also a dwarf gene that pops up from time to time. Those won't ever be normal size.


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## agmantoo (May 23, 2003)

From time to time I see a dwarf calf going through the sale barn. Often these calves will be bought by the uninformed wanting a cheap animal. Such purchases are bound to end in disappointment for those seeking a future source of meat. With your particular calf, compare not just the size of the overall animal to the two larger calves. Make subtle comparisons. Is the holstein's head proportional to its body? What about the legs length? Can you post a pic?


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## desertshi (Jul 23, 2008)

I will try to get a pic. If I can, next to the other 4 month old. I don't think it's chronic pneumonia, as he shows no other signs. worms....maybe!! I will worm him today. So if he's stunted, then he will grow out the sides, just not up? Am I understanding correctly?


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## tinknal (May 21, 2004)

A chronic pneumonia doesn't necessarily have pneumonia at a given time, but their lungs are shot, making them susceptible to every respiratory disease that comes along.


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## myersfarm (Dec 24, 2004)

Tinknal Is right no signs of anything 

But run them around in the pen 5 minutes and they will fall over breathing so hard some will die....you also find them in the field died in July when it hits 100 degrees


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