New Calf passing dark colour dung

Sugarbowl

I’ve a 2 day old calf and he has passed a few bits of dung after sucking. They are solid but blackish/tar colour. But there’s no red blood. His vital signs are healthy and he is sucking. Have any of ye come across this before? Does it come normal itself or is there something up?

tanko

Maybe i’m wrong but as long as he’s he’s sucking, in good form and carrying on as normal i wouldn’t be worried.

Jb1989

As long as he's suckling milk and not blocked tits. Dung should start to change colour anytime now if milk is being swallowed.

Sugarbowl

Thanks Tanko and JB. I’ll keep an eye on it. Something I haven’t noticed before going on this long anyway. Hopefully it’s just the stomach getting going. At least it’s solid not runny and he’s passing it out.

wrangler

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118762199#Comment_118762199

Calves usually don't dung inside the cow and their first dung after birth called meconium is usually black, It is passed within the first 24 hrs and usually pushed out after the first feed of colostrum

Sugarbowl

Cheers Wrangler. That’s put me at ease. When I think about it he was born Monday night but it was Tuesday before he passed dung to my eyes and it was always dark. Never the yellow colour yet. He a CH so he was a bit slow getting going but did suck after the first hour. All I could think about was internal bleeding. He sucked good this morning and he’s in a straw bed away from the cow so I’ll see what he passes this evening. He’s a Dovea Mark bull calf. Fine calf actually. Thanks for the input guys!

wrangler

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118762305#Comment_118762305

while it's natural you'd like to see it changing colour now

_Brian

The worry with dark coloured dung from calves is usually coccidiosis, however a 2 days it should still have immunity from the mother, from a week onwards its more possible, maybe i'm wrong on this but its what i've been told

chances are this calf will clear up once bowel gets moving food through from the stomach

whelan2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118763817#Comment_118763817

Calves don't get coccidiosis that young

Sugarbowl

No this isn’t coccidiosis. Just seems to be slow passing dung. He didn’t pass any after sucking tonight while I was there. Did pass urine though. I take them back off the cows for the night. He’s healthy in all other senses and a fine calf. Will watch out again tomorrow.

whelan2

It can take a few days for the dung to become normal after birth, if he's healthy In every other way I wouldn't worry about it

Sugarbowl

Passed a bit more normal looking dung this morning. His comrade who is the same age as him is passing the more stereotypical colour dung. It was more him that drew my attention to the other chap. Hope we’ve turned the corner. Thanks for the advice guys