Newborn calf

ceannfort

Hi everyone, Some advice needed. Pedigree charolais heifer calf born on the 1st november. has done well so far but this morning it is buckling on the front knees when it walks. is this a deficiency? does it need treatment or will it grow out of it?
Thanks

Muckit

ceannfort wrote: »

Hi everyone, Some advice needed. Pedigree charolais heifer calf born on the 1st november. has done well so far but this morning it is buckling on the front knees when it walks. is this a deficiency? does it need treatment or will it grow out of it?
Thanks

Sounds more like a difficult birth. Did you use the calving jack?

Has the calf sucked more importantly?? I know from experience that some pedigrees can be very weak when born, a fart would knock them over.

If she wasn't strained during birth and has sucked, your calf should come good after a while. In saying that, some other lads on here might have some more experience and ideas.

Best of luck with her ceannfort, hope she comes good

reilig

If she's been walking fine up to today its possibly a deficiency. If she has been like this since born then it could be the calving.

We could speculate about it all day, at the end of the day, you need to load the calf into the trailer and bring her to the vet if you suspect that there is something wrong. No one here is qualified to make a diagnosis AFAIK

ceannfort

No calving juck used, a nice easy calving and has walked fine up to this morning. is sucking fine and other wise perfectly healthy and thriving.

snowman707

check to see if her temperature is normal, could be beginning of pneumonia or scour

as mentioned a course of vitamin injections or sachets wouldn't go astray

if her temp. is ok and she is suckling i would just give the vitamins and monitor her carefully

capslock88

Had a calf with similar problem a few years ago...one front leg kept buckling forward when walking....the vet said just to exercise it everyday, so each day i'd catch the calf and spend a few minutes straightening and bending the leg...working the joints...after about a week he was perfect and had no more problems..try it!

Shauny2010

Check its temperature, if it has one it could be the onset of joint ill and you should contact vet asap. Pedigrees can be susceptible to this

Bizzum

If I owned that calf, I'd be at the Vet with haste.
It could be any of the ailments listed by the other posters. I'd be terrified of joint ill, but I had a ped. Charolais heifer of my own a few years ago staggering around the place at a week old out of pure hunger. The dam wouldnt colour your tea with milk, and was culled. A big Charolais calf can get a knock back very easily and go downhill rapidly.
So Vet asap.

limerick farmer

could possibly be meningitis also. any drooping ears ?

whelan1

had to laugh after reading the replies ,the op said the calf is drinking fine etc , so people said the calf could have meningitis , joint ill , pneumonia , scour or a deficiency :rolleyes::rolleyes:

Bizzum

I aint gettin the humour.
It must be me.

Any account of the calf?

whelan1

look i have pedigrees too, i would monitor the calf if it is drinking and otherwise ok i dont see the need for a vet call- different folks different strokes

Muckit

Wel Ceannfort

Any feedback for us? How is your calf, any improvement?

snowman707

Bizzum wrote: »

I aint gettin the humour.
It must be me.

Any account of the calf?

same here

especially since I posted my reply before OP second's post

anyhow good to see whelan laugh for a change, she's usually whining about something or some one

whelan1

i am just pointing out that the op said calf is fine apart from funny legs no need to be scare mongering with deadly ailments...

pakalasa

I had a heifer calf like this before, she turned out fine.

How bad is she, she's not doing the hucklebuck by any chance?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBH-ESoX9RM&feature=fvsr


Sorry couldnt resist!

UPCS

The calf has an infection in the navel, might show no swelling in the navel, but will effect the front legs, she needs to be treated with lincoject made by norbrook.

Muckit

.... and Ceannfort has left the building...:rolleyes:

If your still checking this post it would be great to hear back on how you are getting on with your calf....

Hope all went well

whelan1

did any one put drainpipes and splints on calves legs with success?

ceannfort

Thank you all for the help and kind wishes. I gave the calf vitamins and have let it out of the pen for a while an it played. Seems to be getting stronger though it still buckles one knee a lot.

snowman707

ceannfort wrote: »

Thank you all for the help and kind wishes. I gave the calf vitamins and have let it out of the pen for a while an it played. Seems to be getting stronger though it still buckles one knee a lot.

good news, it will take a little time but each day will see an improvement,

good luck with her !

Sundy

My girlfriend has a pedigree charolais with the exact same problem. Swelling around the knee and the calf never puts its weight on its heel. Its two months old now and not much improvement, had the vet out to it a few times too. Its hard to know how long to let the calf live for cause were wondering if it will improve at all now its in on concrete.

Just out of interest what bull is your calf out of?

kay 9

I seen a good few BB weanlings this year with crooked back legs just above the hoof. Like they were wearing high heels almost:rolleyes: What causes that? Genetic tampering maybe or malnutrition?
Ps. them weanlings I'm talkin about were all over 420kg, so mustn't have been malnutrition ???

ceannfort

sundy i believe my calf has a slightly different problem, or at least i hope it has, there is no pain, swelling or anything in the joint, just a weakness, which gets worse as the calf tires. is improving with age. The sire of the calf is FAKIR.
Kay 9 - This is genetic, and more common in well muscled animals. think its called sickled leg.

reilig

kay 9 wrote: »

I seen a good few BB weanlings this year with crooked back legs just above the hoof. Like they were wearing high heels almost:rolleyes: What causes that? Genetic tampering maybe or malnutrition?
Ps. them weanlings I'm talkin about were all over 420kg, so mustn't have been malnutrition ???

Caused by feeding. If you go to one of the winter fairs you will see it in some of the over fed animals being shown there. Their bone structure is not made to support the extra weight of a double muscle and extra fat from feeding. Most common in BB's but often seen in Chaorlais too. Usually just shows as tender legs, but can often lead to crooked legs.

reilig

Sundy wrote: »

My girlfriend has a pedigree charolais with the exact same problem. Swelling around the knee and the calf never puts its weight on its heel. Its two months old now and not much improvement, had the vet out to it a few times too. Its hard to know how long to let the calf live for cause were wondering if it will improve at all now its in on concrete.

Just out of interest what bull is your calf out of?

Sounds like joint ill. Vets can't do much for them. In the old days, there was a cure for it made from poteen - remember my father getting it a few times for calves or lambs.

vanderbadger

reilig wrote: »

Caused by feeding. If you go to one of the winter fairs you will see it in some of the over fed animals being shown there. Their bone structure is not made to support the extra weight of a double muscle and extra fat from feeding. Most common in BB's but often seen in Chaorlais too. Usually just shows as tender legs, but can often lead to crooked legs.

i think they say too much protein very early is bad for the legs, especially for the likes of blues

Bizzum

Nutritional mismanagement will exhibit itself occasionally in preparing say, a young bull, for show as laminitis. You sometimes see them at shows, picking their steps.

This has nothing to do with this young calf though!

reilig

Bizzum wrote: »

This has nothing to do with this young calf though!

Totally agree. Didn't mean to suggest that it had anything to do with the calf in question. Apologies if anyone took it up that I did.