Getting New Born Calf to suck

doyleshill

Calf born Saturday morning. Had to use calfing jack but not a difficult pull. I have to stomach tube the calf to feed her as she will not suck even with a bottle teat.She is unable to stand without help but I think she is a bit better today.Got a 2ml injection from vet to clear up fluid like breathing .Any advise appreciated.

Kovu

There's an injection you can get as well that stimulates the calf to suck, always worked for us.
I always dip the teat in the beestings or else have the calf sucking my fingers while I'm dripping milk down my palm so the calf slobbers it up. Helps if you sorta massage the top of the calf's mouth too if that makes sense.

Limestone Cowboy

doyleshill wrote: »

Calf born Saturday morning. Had to use calfing jack but not a difficult pull. I have to stomach tube the calf to feed her as she will not suck even with a bottle teat.She is unable to stand without help but I think she is a bit better today.Got a 2ml injection from vet to clear up fluid like breathing .Any advise appreciated.

2cc of selenium under the skin has worked countless times for me but these would have been calves lacking a sucking reflex more-so than anything else and most would have been lively enough. Be careful tubing him if he has fluid taken, I have done a few like that and they are not always inclined to take the tube down the right path.

Bullocks

Maybe a bit more time too if she isn't standing yet . The selenium that LC mentioned worked for us a few times aswell .
Is the cow doing much to her ?

charolais0153

Patience is what is needed. I wouldn't tube him but if you are make sure the calf os standing. Lots of people lose them by forcing the tube down the throat while the calf is lying .let him swallow it. Squirt a dash of milk in his mouth so he gets a taste of it and a few cc of vitesel would be no harm. We have plenty of them ourselves so best of luck.

whelan2

put honey on the teat

Milked out

Once the calf has had 4 feeds if not drinking by then we'd skip a feed and 99% of the time they drink way mad next feed.

Capercaillie

get mederantil from the vet. O.5 ml into muscle and it works great.

Bullocks

whelan2 wrote: »

put honey on the teat

I find the honey great tack to get them to latch on but I think this calf is still a bit weak by the sounds of it

oneten

If the cow had been pushing for a while it can leave the calf sore around the middle and not inclined to suck, sometimes a painkiller will help but talk to your vet first as some painkillers / anti-inflammatories suppress the immune system, or so I hear.

doyleshill

Calf standing now.She is able to move about.No luck with her sucking ,Tried the honey but no luck. Head is down but ears up and eyes OK. Maybe breathing a bit heavy.

High bike

If the cow is quiet enough hold the calf up and milk the cow into the calfs mouth,hard to do on ur own but if u have 2 people it's easy enough if the cow is quiet

Wes Palmer Lee

Capercaillie wrote: »

get mederantil from the vet. O.5 ml into muscle and it works great.

If the calf is up and about then its an ideal time to use that injection.

Miname

Rest the calf on a small square bale. It was a tip I got on here and after a couple of days the calf got the message. Disheartening at times but great satisfaction when it eventually works.

whelan2

Miname wrote: »

Rest the calf on a small square bale. It was a tip I got on here and after a couple of days the calf got the message. Disheartening at times but great satisfaction when it eventually works.

This, but dont leave it on the bale too long, has the vet seen the calf?

doyleshill

Calf sucking mother today.Thanks for all the help,much appreciated.

jimini0

Big bull calf born yesterday afternoon. Ai used here Lim bull. But calf is definitely a charolais. Neighbours bull was in but didn't think he did any damage.
Anyways it was a tough pull with the jack. Cow is flying. Calf I a bit dopey. He can get up and walk awkwardly. He cant latch on to the test properly I have to hold it in his mouth and reinsert it after a few seconds.
His tongue is swollen and the cow has big teats too which does not help.
How long till the calfs tongue goes back to normal?