Weanlings heifer that's failing

locky76

I have a weanlings heifer who's mother died back in October from grass tetany. Anyway the weanlings has been in the shed with the cows and other weanlings and has been failing for a good while. While moving them recently she got knocked to the grind and wouldn't get up again, it was then I realised how bad she is. I called the vet and she has quite bad diarrhoea and has refused to get up since. The vet gave her a 3 litre drip and all the usual medications. I have confined her to the creep in a small corner surrounded by pallets and straw. I am bottling her with milk replacer 3 times a day but she keeps failing. Should I pull the pin and get her put down?

Never wrestle with pigs

Keep trying. When there is life there is hope. Keep her moving. Put on one side one feed and the other the next feeding. Is she big? Could you stand her up with a square bale under her? A drop of gluecos with the feed willl be good for energy too.

greysides

As I see it, there's a reason why she's failing. If you sort that then the rest will follow. You may need to call the vet again. If she's continuing to scour she'll need continuing fluid treatment.

I can't remember the biochemistry but glycerine is better than glucose. About a cupful, twice a day.

_Brian

Is she still scouring ??
If you think about it a scouring suck calf of 60kg needs 6l of fluids a day, what weight is this animal, she might need 8-10l a day to counteract the scour.. Maybe look up the recipe for diy electrolytes, I don't have it to hand but if your administering a lot it will save you money and we find it effective. Google "skin tent test calf" - its a good indication of hydration levels to tell if the animal is getting enough.. Remember a dehydrated animal from scour will have lowered blood pressure which makes them feel like **** no appetite and weak, it also reduces their ability to absorb food properly.

I would also be thinking about sulpha powders from the vet,

In sucks we found 500ml natural youghert (not low fat or fat free), 4 table spoons kaolin powder, add warm water to a liter mix and dose, its good to slow the scour and ease the stomach.. Kaolin powder is the main ingredient in scour tablets, its a binding agent and slows the scour, a good traditional chemist will have it or vets office.

Just adding, with a weak animal like that we in the past have mixed two eggs into the milk replacer, just extra feeding and increased protein. Don't be tempted to mix the milk replacer stronger for extra feeding as its a fine balance, too weak or too strong would be cause for scour in itself.

whelan2

Has she been dosed for worms?

Lady Haywire

This is the solution i use anyway.

_Brian

any news on her ??

Base price

Lady Haywire wrote: »

This is the solution i use anyway.

That can't be right - a half a tablespoon of salt and a tablespoon of breadsoda in 2 litres :eek:

J.O. Farmer

Base price wrote: »

That can't be right - a half a tablespoon of salt and a tablespoon of breadsoda in 2 litres :eek:

Actually it looks fairly okay as an electrolyte I think. It's only 0.4% salt.

Base price

J.O. Farmer wrote: »

Actually it looks fairly okay as an electrolyte I think. It's only 0.4% salt.

I didn't see the "Low" salt bit. Breadsoda seems strong to me too.

patsy_mccabe

Lady Haywire wrote: »

This is the solution i use anyway.

I've used this in the past but I added natural yogurt to the mix. Seems to work fine. Had a calf a while back that got crypto. Was giving this mix for nearly 2 weeks before I got Vet. He reckoned I was nearly there but the Halcur (I think that's the name) Cleared it up quickly after that.

The man in red and black

Base price wrote: »

I didn't see the "Low" salt bit. Breadsoda seems strong to me too.

You need lots of bread soda to buffer the acidity that builds up from a scour. They lose lots of bicarb in the scour and essentially end up with lactic acid build up in the blood. This is a more important cause of the depression and lethargy they get than the actual fluid loss. Replacing fluids is important but replacing bicarbonate is essential.