# Preemie Calf



## randiliana (Feb 22, 2008)

A couple of days ago we had a heifer calve with this little preemie calf. Weighed 32 lbs. It is the smallest live calf (out of a regular sized cow) that I've ever seen. He is at the very least 3 weeks early and, I'm guessing he'd be longer than that. He is fortunate that we even knew his mama was calving, and that the weather is warm! He is a fighter though, been trying to get up since he was born (Mar 12), we finally had him standing a little bit yesterday afternoon. And this afternoon he took his first steps. Wants to eat and get moving, hard to say no to that! But, his new mama (Holstein) isn't sure whether she loves him or not yet. And it is going to be a bit before he can reach her udder! The little white calf (really it is little, only 70 lbs) is a day older than the black one. 

Video of his first few steps, and comparison to the white, 70 lb calf.
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10205124828813943&l=429348437671028973

Told DD that if she wanted to do the work with him, that he would be hers.









Really makes him look tiny!









Shortly after he was born,


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## collegeboundgal (Jul 17, 2005)

good grief! did she cough and squirt him out!?!


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## randiliana (Feb 22, 2008)

Pretty much!


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## G. Seddon (May 16, 2005)

A precious baby calf! Somehow I know that you will take all the care necessary to ensure his survival! He will be fine because you know what to do!!! 

Please keep this thread updated, with photos if possible.


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## CIW (Oct 2, 2007)

Did he have eye lashes when he was born? That is one sign of premature state. It may be just a small weak calf, beings it is from a heifer.
Have you thought of putting them in a smaller confined space, something like the size of a horse stall. It will help them interact. Another thing that has been sucessful for us is to bring a dog around that they haven't before. It can kick in the mothering up instinct.
Just some food for thought.


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## randiliana (Feb 22, 2008)

Thanks, G. Seddon, as long as he has the fight we will fight with him. I will try to keep this post updated.


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## randiliana (Feb 22, 2008)

CIW, he does have eyelashes, but he is definitely premature. He only weighed 32 lbs, his hair coat is really short, and the group is due Apr 5. I put him at least 1 month premature, maybe longer. For a preemie, he's a very strong calf. 

Born Mar 12, he has been trying to stand since he was born, Mar 13 he could stand if you helped him up, Mar 14 he could stand with assistance, and took his first walk. Today (Mar 15) I expect he will be standing up on his own. 

As far as the milk cow goes, I will not be forcing that issue for a while yet. He is too small to reach up and suck her anyways, and it would only take one good kick, or he rubbing him into the ground and he'd either be dead or badly injured. And, I think she is going to take him without much of a fuss, she's just confused. We just got her on Mar 10, and its been quite an adjustment from her previous life! But she took the white calf in 24 hours and she shows a lot of interest in this one, too.


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## genebo (Sep 12, 2004)

Here is the result of a similar experience:

http://dextercattleworld.proboards.com/thread/316/gracies-story


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## randiliana (Feb 22, 2008)

Awesome story!


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## MO_cows (Aug 14, 2010)

Wow, that is tiny. I have seen young Corriente calves that small but never a beef calf. Amazing that he has so much will to live, and hope you guys are able to pull him thru. Sure seems like he is going in the right direction. I guess the weather is warmer than usual since you don't have him in a "sweater" and he's outside.


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## randiliana (Feb 22, 2008)

Yesterday was a rough day, i was pretty sure we were going to lose him. The weather, which has been really nice, cooled off a bit, and it was just too cold for him, even with the heat lamp I set up for him. His lungs are struggling, and the cold air really set him back. He has become a house pet, when I brought him in he was having a very hard time breathing, he was breathing through his mouth. He quit sucking, and mostly just laid their gasping for air. In the end we had to tube him. Which was a challenge as he is way too small for a normal tuber. We had to improvise, and I was very worried that we might drown him by accident, and I've tubed lots of calves over the years.

In the morning we gave him Metacam (anti-inflammitory pain killer). Then on the vets advice gave him Resflor, and an internet search suggests Dexamethasone, so we gave him that as well. 

When I tubed him again at midnight, I was pretty sure he wouldn't last til morning. I sat there and cried, his fighting spirit had really gotten to me... It is very humbling to sit there and know that as much as you have done, it probably isn't enough, and that there just isn't anything more you can do...

But, this morning, he had been up and moved. He sucked a bit for DH in the early AM, then ate really well for me later. In the afternoon he got up and wandered around a bit. Peed and pooed. But wouldn't eat any more. He is still having trouble breathing, but is much better than yesterday. I will probably give him some electrolytes tonight.


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## Chixarecute (Nov 19, 2004)

Hang in there little calf!

We had a pregnant Ayrshire with cancer, kept her going hoping for a heifer. She gave us a 35# bull calf, early, in March of that year. LisaBug raised him in her kitchen. After a month or so, he graduated to the barn. 

Good Luck! They sure are cute.


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## collegeboundgal (Jul 17, 2005)

just wondering how the little fella was doing...


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## randiliana (Feb 22, 2008)

Today he was doing really good. Appetite was better, he ate 3 times (little over 2 cups per feeding) and was very active, getting up and investigating the porch.


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## randiliana (Feb 22, 2008)

So far, so good. Baby is coming up on 10 days old (born on Mar 12) he still doesn't have a name though, lol! 

He is eating like crazy now, would explode I think if we let him eat what he wants. He is starting to bounce now, and he moos. They are pretty pathetic, and I laugh every time I hear him, but they are moos. I have discovered that cows are not meant to be house pets however, but the weather sucks so he gets to stay in. Crossing my fingers that he has gotten over the hard part and now he should start to grow. The sooner he can suck the milk cow, the better, lol...


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## MO_cows (Aug 14, 2010)

That is just awesome! You really had some ups and downs but seem to have pulled him thru.


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## myheaven (Apr 14, 2006)

Zeus for a name. I'm so glad he's better. 
We currently have Braveheart who was born overly small and contracted e coil shortly there after his birth. Not on my farm. And Hercules more of the same as Braveheart. I'm a suckered for a sick fighting baby. Both are great now. About 100 lbs now. 
Good job and keep on fighting the good fight.


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## Bountiful Ranch (Jan 11, 2010)

I have a premmie myself right now and can't decide on how much to feed the poor boy. Born 3 days ago I only found because of vultures circiling him. He weighs 25 pounds even but born from a small Angus cow. She has no milk and is old so the sale barn she goes next week. hooves need little more development and his teeth are just coming in. I've given him store bought colustrum a few times and now on milk replacer. Couldn't tube him because the tube was too big for him. But he sucks great so I am wondering how much milk ounces do you think a little one like that should have. I did get him to stand today but only with help. Thanks. First time in 16 years this has happen and I have 30 mamas out there. If it works I am going to try to see if I can get him adopted out to one of my other mamas.


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## randiliana (Feb 22, 2008)

We are giving ours about 600 mls 3-4 times a day, depending on how he's acting. That's about 1/2 a quart per feeding, or slightly more than 2 cups.


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## Bountiful Ranch (Jan 11, 2010)

That is what the vet said for 26 pounds. I have him on antibiotics right now because he had a fever. He is walking much better today but still they give him 40 percent to make it. I'll just do my best.


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## randiliana (Feb 22, 2008)

Good luck BR! hope yours comes around! 

Well, DH named him, Bulwinkle, lol....

Today seems to be a rough day for him, not as bad as we've seen, but his breathing is rough and he's panting a bit. Another shot of of Dexamethasone helped a bit, but in the end he also got another shot of Resflor. That seemed to make a big difference, although his breathing is still a bit off. His appetite is down a bit as well, but he did eat one full bottle. 

Today, though, I notice he's getting his teeth in. That got me thinking... I wonder if he's the same as a human baby that is teething, I know that teething can make some babies feel really bad....Maybe that's what's going on with him. Resflor has a painkiller in it, so that may be why it helped him out...


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## troy n sarah tx (Dec 31, 2005)

Dexamethasone is a good idea, but you need to keep it consistent in his body because when we give them big doses of steroids, the body's adrenal glands production is shut off. If you stop them quickly without tapering you can sometimes do more harm than good.

Has your vet thought about a bronchodilator? Theophylline may help this little one get past his respiratory distress. There is a study showing Oral theophylline at 28 mg/kg of body weight daily for 3 days has been shown to help bovine with shipping fever and respiratory distress. 

I'm not a vet but I do have a dog that has collapsing trachea and often requires respiratory medications and I also take care of human patients with respiratory distress, so I have seen both of these meds in practice 
(although we don't use theophylline as much in humans anymore due to better replacement drugs). 

Sarah, RN



McKenna DJ1, Koritz GD, Neff-Davis CA, Langston VC, Berger LL. (1989). Field trial of theophylline in cattle with respiratory tract disease. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 195(5):603-5.


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## troy n sarah tx (Dec 31, 2005)

also a humidifier would help. The humidified air helps loosen mucus and helps keep the lungs open in the absence of the surfactant (which is why preemies have lung problems).


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## randiliana (Feb 22, 2008)

And today was the worst, we made the decision to put him down. The last 3 days he progressively got worse. His breathing got to where he was gasping for air and nothing we tried was helping. A trip to the vet confirmed what we thought, and she put him down.:'(


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## G. Seddon (May 16, 2005)

Sorry to hear this. Sad for you and your daughter!


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## MO_cows (Aug 14, 2010)

So sorry! That had to be a heartbreaker.


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## genebo (Sep 12, 2004)

How sad! My heart goes out to you.


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## genebo (Sep 12, 2004)

Death is the proof of life, that life has existed.

This calf lived it's entire life in a short span, during which almost everything it experienced was derived from you. It never had the expectations for itself that you had. It never expected to grow old. It only lived in your presence.

It was a short life, but it was a valiant life. You can be proud that he lived it well and that you helped him do it.


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## collegeboundgal (Jul 17, 2005)

Aww. How awful. I was really rooting for the little guy.


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## randiliana (Feb 22, 2008)

Thank you for that Genebo! That is the truth in a nutshell! They don't live with great expectations, or really any expectations, they know only what they experience.


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## randiliana (Feb 22, 2008)

It is hard to believe how attatched to them you can get in 12 days, and how you can root so hard for something that you know has the odds so badly stacked against them...

Thank you all for your kind words.


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## aoconnor1 (Jun 19, 2014)

I'm so sorry:-(


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## LittleAcres (Apr 2, 2015)

That is just horrible, sorry to hear that.


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