stomach tube

kealar

How hard is it to get the tube down the calfs troat,and do many farmers have to do it very often,where did ye learn the tecnic?? thanks

whelan1

there is a knack , i use the bag type one close the clip on it... gently put it in to calves mouth , push it gently , dont forcr , when the tube has gone doen half way- on my stomach tube their is a joining - open the clip slowly , if the calf starts coughing or bawling stop straight away ... slow is the word...

blue5000

The calf should sort of swallow the tube, a bit like giving a bigger animal a copper bolus, but a very weak calf probably won't do this. I don't think the tube will go as far into the windpipe if you get it wrong, but I'm open to correction on this.

Bizzum

kealar wrote: »

How hard is it to get the tube down the calfs troat,and do many farmers have to do it very often,where did ye learn the tecnic?? thanks

Like a lot of things in life, it's easy when you know how. A vet showed me I think firstly, it's a good while ago now.
Some farmers use it a lot to feed beastings, but I prefer to see a calf suck a pint than be tubed half a gallon!
The tube slides down the oesaphagus nice and neatly, you shouldnt need to apply force, they sort of "swallow" it down!
Get your vet to show you.

Highland

If you place your fingers along both sides of the windpipe you will feel the tube going down. if the tube is gone wrong it will be in the windpipe and you wont be able to feel it. If the calf is healthy it is almost impossible to get it wrong. If however the calf is very weak it may enter the windpipe - then keeping one hand on the calf's neck and feeling for the tube is essential

greysides

Highland wrote: »

If you place your fingers along both sides of the windpipe you will feel the tube going down. if the tube is gone wrong it will be in the windpipe and you wont be able to feel it. If the calf is healthy it is almost impossible to get it wrong. If however the calf is very weak it may enter the windpipe - then keeping one hand on the calf's neck and feeling for the tube is essential

Top marks! That's how to do it.

Technically, it's an oesophageal feeder and not a stomach tube. In other words, it's not intended to go into the stomach, just the oesaphagus, bottom half of the neck portion will do.

The windpipe is a solid corrugated tube. When the oesaphageal feeder is in it, it can't be felt.

The oesaphagus is like an empty, flaccid, sleeve, collapsed unless something is in there. When the tube is in it, it can be felt or seen, sometimes as a ripple as it goes down.

The bulge at the end is intended to make it hard to get into the wind-pipe, and normally it doesn't go, but it can on a very weak calf.

It's a good idea to lubricate the tube before insertion, liquid parrafin is perfect but dipping the end into the milk/colostrum is better than nothing. Calves can chew the tube, keep it smooth to prevent mucosal damage, especially when the calf needs repeat tubing.