# HELP- Sick Calf



## asparkie (Dec 3, 2011)

I got a pair of Jersey Calfs yesterday...one female one male. Probably only about a week old (livestock auction). I bottle fed both of them yesterday the female is doing great and very lively. The bull calf didn't want to nurse last night. I force-fed him. Temp was normal last night, slightly elevelated today. This morning he is limp and can barely hold up his head. Is there any quick fix? or is it too late for this guy? Should I treat the female with something to ensure she doesn't get sick also?


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## Cliff (Jun 30, 2007)

So many issues here. First I would never buy dairy calves at the sale barn. There is something wrong with them or they have been exposed to Johne's or something for them to be there generally. Even if they came there healthy they have just been exposed to every pathogen known to cows. That along with the stress of moving etc just about guarantees sick calves.
Also you have no idea if they got colostrum. 

Force feeding causes pneumonia. They always aspirate milk into their lungs. Get a tubing set up and learn how to use it - it can help save sick calves. The bag set up with the wand that has the ball on the end to make sure it gets in the right place is too big for jersey calves, it wont fit down them without tearing them up. Maybe they make a smaller one now, haven't looked in a long time. 

I'd say that unless you take the bull to the vet or can start an iv and have iv fluids to rehydrate him and have the appropriate antibiotics on hand you won't save him. Even if you took him to the vet it'd be real iffy at this point from what you describe. Jersey calves are small and just don't have much reserve when they get sick that young.

Hard to treat the heifer since you don't know what was wrong with the bull. She might be worth saving if she wasn't exposed to Johne's. You should call your vet and explain the situation and see what he says. The vet has far better antibiotics than you can buy over the counter if that's what you need.

BTW, look up Johne's to see why it's such a big deal to not have your herd exposed to. We don't buy anything from the sale barn anymore, only sell there.

Sorry about your bad experience, it's something most of us have been through at some point in the learning process. Good luck with the heifer.


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## allenslabs (Feb 6, 2005)

Personally I would tube him with electrolytes and give him some vit b complex. Easy shot you can get at the vet or tractor supply. Best of luck!


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## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

electrolytes...... I always feed mine elctrolytes when I just bring them home. Then I give them only part of a 2 qt bottle. THEN...if they are doing well, feed them a while bottle of milk replacer. I'd pull the heifer back on milk bit, not feed her all of a bottle at once. Maybe feed 3x a day instead.

If the bull calf is warm, feed him electrolytes. If he is not-warm him up a bit first with hot blankets and a heat lamp. It's too bad you don't know how old they are. No colostrum will come back nd haunt you. But you can't go back and give it to them later. If the bull has runny stools, you might take a sample to the vet so he can see what's wrong. 

My dad used to sell perfectly fine calves at the sale barn. Nothign wrong with them other than he didn't need more bull calves. What you don't know is what they have been exposed to in the sale barn or what they were fed before. Switching from whole milk, which is what most dairy farmers will feed a calf, to milk replacer all at once can set them off too.

I hope he gets better.


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## asparkie (Dec 3, 2011)

Thanks so much Cliff. You are right on. I didn't tube feed him just tore the nipple some on pretty much dumped some milk in. My vet says electrolytes and possibly someantibiotics but his breathing is getting worse and probably isn't gonna make.


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## Cliff (Jun 30, 2007)

asparkie said:


> Thanks so much Cliff. You are right on. I didn't tube feed him just tore the nipple some on pretty much dumped some milk in. My vet says electrolytes and possibly someantibiotics but his breathing is getting worse and probably isn't gonna make.


I'm sorry, it sucks to have to deal with sick calves 

Is the girl doing ok so far?


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## asparkie (Dec 3, 2011)

Okay, the bull calf didn't make it. Died yesterday. The heifer is still doing great. However last night she got weak and uninterested in her food too. I gave her some home made electrolytes and milk and this morning she happy and jumping all over. she still is having a diarhea though. Should i continue to give her electrolytes. If so roughly how much / often and is there a store bought mixture thats better than a home made mixture. thanks again.


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## Cliff (Jun 30, 2007)

For the best chance for her to survive you really need to get with your vet. She probably needs antibiotics. The vet needs to review what and how much you are feeding and will have the best advice about electrolytes. Jerseys babies have so little reserve as I said before... you don't have much time to do what needs to be done. Even experienced cattle people will lose about half the calves that are in the situation that yours were/are.

It is worth dealing with the vet with this calf because you can sell jersey cows for a decent amount of money, or have a home milk cow for the price of the calf and a little vet care.


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## ufo_chris (Apr 30, 2010)

It is worth dealing with the vet with this calf because you can sell jersey cows for a decent amount of money, or have a home milk cow for the price of the calf and a little vet care.[/QUOTE]

I'm thinking maybe they were twins so the heifer is a freemartin? 
I would have a vet look at her anyways, helps with future calves too.


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## Cliff (Jun 30, 2007)

Ugh didn't think of that. Another reason to have the vet take a look for sure.


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## topside1 (Sep 23, 2005)

How much did you pay for the heifer? How's she doing?....Topside


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## asparkie (Dec 3, 2011)

I was tod they were not twins and i got the bull for $90 and the heifer for $120. They looked perfectly healthy at the auction. The bull calf was just a little sluggish behind the heifer but not bad. Tonight the vet has me trying medicated milk replacer and an antibiotic she looks happy about an hour after the electrolytes then deteriates from there till i giver her more electrolyte. She dosen't like it though and i have to at times hold her head up and let it drip in. Thanks for the help. we'll see over the next few days which way she goes.


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## agmantoo (May 23, 2003)

Without tubing the electrolyte into the calve, it to will die from respiratory complications IMO


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## Cliff (Jun 30, 2007)

Yep you need to learn to tube a calf. It's really not hard. Gets the needed fluids directly into the stomach so you can give the amount needed. Sick calves won't drink what they need. Also keeps you from giving the calf pneumonia from trying to orally feed when they aren't sucking.


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## topside1 (Sep 23, 2005)

They always look healthy at the auction, that's because the vast majority of them are. It's the sale barn stress and bacterias that kill them. Take my advice whoever is reading this, buying your first calves from an auction is one big mistake. Buy from a farm, gain experience, then go to the auction. Hope the calf makes it,,,,Topside


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## springvalley (Jun 23, 2009)

I just hate to read on here so often about people having trouble with jersey calves. I have very little problems raising jerseys, but thats what I do, and I have also farmed all my life, and that helps. You all most have to starve a jersey calf for the first couple weeks to make sure they don`t over eat. They seem to be able to run with a cow and not have problems, but when you get man envolved , then you seem to have problems. I never give more than a 1/2 gallon a day to a new born jersey, then slowly up their milk every week. I have a tube feeder for a jersey and know how to use it, but have never used it more than three times in the last five years. And yes sale barns are not the place for new folks to the calf business to get calves. It is a problem waiting to happen, even for some of us old timers. I have heard of some of the old tricks sale barn people and calf sellers have used to get their calves through the sale ring. I also feed only raw milk, unlike most farmers, I feel that is the best bet for healthy calves. I also feed colostrum later than a lot of people do, and have fed later in a calfs life, I stillthink they get some good use out of it later. I also think the over use of antibiotics in baby calves is not good. So keep them calves healthy and DON`T over feed those calves. > God Bless and Thanks > Marc


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