B- Calf starting

[Deleted]

I wrote this as a response to another post but it has some ideas to keep calves healthy from day one.

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I think that I am lucky that the 3 youngest calf babies I have now seem to be OK. Today I celebrate that I share my world with them and I am thankful each day that they do OK. I get nuts and desperate when calves sicken. It's so dreadful.

The youngest I got while she was still wet from birth and she was never given a bottle by anyone besides me. She never had scours, and has been easy by compairison to so many that I have had.

I think it is important to feed all bottles in such a way that the milk goes to the stomach and not the rumen. I got to feed her first 3 bottles of colostrums and the 4th half colostrums & half fresh raw milk. None of the first bottles were ever heated over 102oF, (cow body temp, no microwaves, no very hot water baths, all were warmed slowly & fed at temps between 80 o F - 95 o F)

All the bottles were held so low (nipple below my knees) that the babies had to arch their necks to open the groove that directs milk to the stomach. A 5 min time to drain 4 pints is ideal.

All the babies are kept warm until they are stable and seem able to regulate their body temperature and then eased away from needing a jacket over a couple days.

When I feel they need them, my calves get antibiotics, (even massive doses) but I understand that others may have different ideas about this. My calves get pro-biotics, warm live culture yogurt mixed with their milk or the sulfa drugs if those are administered orally.

I try to check my calves several times a day, generally feed them 3X per day and only let them run around for brief periods when they are healthy. I do not play with them or let any humans run with them. I do give them affection, pats and gut rubs. I vocalize in deep tones to them, (try saying good girl slowly and lowly kind of growley) I look them in the eyes.

I hope everyone has success with raising their future neonate calves.

There is nothing that anyone can do for many calves with problems like broken spines or necks, neurological abnormalities or birth defects. Still, we do our best each day regardless of tomorrow.

[Deleted]

;D I hope everybody will add some to this.

Here are some calf raising do's & don'ts:

Do use real raw fresh milk.
Warm it slowly in a hot water bath, never boil, microwave, or subject the milk to conditions that will destroy the enzymes & gooness of the milk. Do not use milk more than 6 days old.

Do use a nipple bottle that takes 5-10 min for the calf to empty. Try not to cut a big hole in the nipple as a calf does better with really working and foaming to get the milk.

Watch for snotty noses and URI - keep baby warm with a calf coat if URI developes.

[Cricket]

???Sally, I'm gonna feel really dumb here, but what are URI's?

[AnnB (NE)]

Cricket said:

???Sally, I'm gonna feel really dumb here, but what are URI's?

URI = Upper Respiratory Infection

Ann B