# Can You Give a Calf Too Much Electrolyte?



## Judy in IN (Nov 28, 2003)

Well, I was a bad girl at the dairy sale. Brought home two Jersey or Jersey cross bottle heifers. One is just a little rough; got her onto a bottle this morning. The other little girl only wants the "magic finger." ( a finger with a syringe full of stuff snuck in alongside) She's scoured pretty badly, as in the whole back end, but is better than when I loaded her yesterday afternoon. 

Both heifers have had 3 cc of Baytril and electrolyte offered every 3-4 hours. 
I've got a smaller green nipple on the bottle for bitty calves, but maybe she's too small for that, even? The other heifer, Willow, has good poo this morning. I think we can move on to MR with her. This one, Maisey, is going to be a project. I'm going to give her another 3 cc of Baytril about 2 p.m. I'm adding Beef Consume to the electrolyte for the protein. My old vet told me that you can keep them going indefinitely with that, although it's expensive. Hey, for a $50 calf, I've got a little leeway. 

She may stay. I like her a LOT. I'm going to have her tested to see if she's A2
I have to get her to live first, though. I'm giving her a LOT (almost 2 qts) of electrolyte, but I figure that she was probably dehydrated when I got her. I stopped twice on the trip home to give electrolytes. She didn't want to suck then, but now she'll stand up and latch right on to the finger. 

Both girls will get Fast Trak as soon as they are on MR. Forgot to say that it got down to 38 here last night, so they have a heat lamp.


----------



## Bret (Oct 3, 2003)

I have heard that more calves are hurt by overfeeding than underfeeding. I don't think it really applies to electrolyte. It looks like you are the expert on these two calves and that you are doing fine.


----------



## myersfarm (Dec 24, 2004)

what about the eyes and skin does the neck tent or the eyes sunk back in ...if she has to much electrolyte this is what is hard to tell since you just bought her...

i do not know if you got the baytril idea from me or not but the 3 cc is for a 100 pound calf....and i would cut down on it according to size.....Baytril is also hard on the kidneys....but scours will kill them so keep that in mind


----------



## Judy in IN (Nov 28, 2003)

Sorry, I thought you used Banamine & LA 200. I will cut back on the dosage. She was a little tented at the sale, but no sunken eyes. The hide is supple at present. She had a geletinous pie this morning, and no teeth grinding now, but has labored breathing. She did pee last night.


----------



## myersfarm (Dec 24, 2004)

Judy your right when I put them in the trailer right at the acution.....but not to cure scours


----------



## Judy in IN (Nov 28, 2003)

I was more worried about possible pneumonia, but wasn't happy with the scours. Her last pie looked liked she had been eating jello, which I guess would be close. I gave her 3 pts. of MR tonight, which she appreciated. 

She looks better; just not as good as the HoJo.

She's sunken around the hind legs, but I'm hoping to pull her through.


----------



## Judy in IN (Nov 28, 2003)

Well, the MR perked Maisey up, but it sure didn't do her back end any favors. She did take a bottle this morning, almost 2 qts of Re-sorb. Willow got MR. She's ready to jump over the moon! 

Two not very good pics: Willow









And Maisey:









I'm going to start putting yogurt in her MR, which she'll get once a day until she does better.


----------



## allenslabs (Feb 6, 2005)

Awww they are cute!


----------



## Ruralnurse (Jun 23, 2011)

Please update as you go along. This can be very educational for some of us. I have read the sticky above on this but all info can be helpful. And seeing pics is fun too!

Ruralnurse.


----------



## RedRider (May 15, 2012)

They are so cute! Hope she gets better. I'm loving my first babies.
Saying prayers for her and you.

RedRider


----------



## G. Seddon (May 16, 2005)

Judy, how about an update on these little ones?


----------



## Judy in IN (Nov 28, 2003)

LOL! The update is that I'm a mean ole person, who won't feed these girls a gallon at a time like they want!

Both are doing well. I'm adding in yogurt to their MR to help kick start their guts after the shots. 

The little red one knocks that bottle (and me) around the pen. She says that she's big enough to have a bucket now!


----------



## G. Seddon (May 16, 2005)

Oh, happy to hear it! You obviously know what you're doing!!!


----------



## willow_girl (Dec 7, 2002)

Good job!


----------



## Judy in IN (Nov 28, 2003)

Well Willowgirl, I can't let your namesake down! I'm positive that she is a Holstein/Jersey cross, with the Jersey head, and the brown coloring underneath the black. She is a very striking calf.

Little Maisey I'm not so sure about. Jersey, for sure, but not pure? I've never seen a straight Jersey that red before. So, maybe a Milking Shorthorn? That wouldn't hurt my feelings. Red Devon? Feel free to jump in with a guess.


----------

