Post by briarrose on Apr 5, 2017 12:10:17 GMT -5
What a heart wrenching label that is.
Our local little livestock auction was Saturday. I haven't bought an auction calf in I can't remember how many years now as I have a wonderful source that I buy my calves from at a reasonable price and I know they are healthy. Plus they are Black Angus crosses and do really well for me. On occasion we will have a jersey calf come through and they are normally in pretty bad shape and I steer clear of them. But on this day there were 5 little ones. They were a pretty sad looking group, all really small, maybe 20lbs each and looked like they hadn't eaten regularly. So I tracked down the man that brought them in to see what there story was and it turned out he was some one I know quite well and this is what he told me.
He had to pick up a group of calves for a buyer of his and these 5 were given to him as they were considered " Throw Away Calves" that weren't worth any ones time. He did not have the time to give them so he brought them to the auction and told me I didn't want them as they were sickly. I decided to take a closer look for myself. They all had shipping fever and they all needed groceries really badly. 1 was probably coming down with pneumonia and 1 had pneumonia so bad that he couldn't stand or hold his head up. The other 3, a jersey and 2 jersey Hols crosses looked pretty good other wise. I felt so bad for them as they looked at me with those big beautiful eyes that were just begging for a chance. So, I broke my golden rule and bought the 3 best looking ones.
I paid a whole 30. for them and brought them home. They were starving! Boy did I have my work cut out for me. I started them off at 1/2 bottles every 4 hours, medicated the one that had pneumonia, treated them all for shipping fever and prayed. After 2 days they had all perked up and were looking really good so on a sunny day I let them play outside. The yard is dry except for one muddy spot that the one that had pneumonia decided he needed to eat mud non stop. Now I supplement all my calves with vit and minerals so this was a puzzle to me. For 2 days he did this and drank electrolyte water but not much milk. Very unusual but I have learned over the years if they eat dirt it is because they need it.
Then we have the 2nd calf who one night was feeling frisky and hit a wet spot, went down and I found him cast the next morning. That was 2 days ago and he is doing better and can now stand on his own for about 15 minutes at a time with help getting up. He is still drinking his bottle and is getting stronger. The 3rd calf other that being almost starved to death has had no other issues.
Now I bet you are all wondering about my dirt eater? He has since passed the most foulest nastiest poop I think I have ever seen and boy did it stink! But today he is healthy and happy and drinking his bottle like a champ. Guess he knew more what he needed than I did.
The verdict is still out on the little cast calf but if he continues at the rate he is going he should be up on his own in no time and running with his brothers.
The people who bought the other 2 calves had no calf experience at all and I doubt they had the meds and things that were needed to bring their calves back to health. I feel really bad about that but I know that my 3 little throw away calves at least have a chance.
To me, no animal is a Throw Away animal and it breaks my heart to see them considered as such so I thought I would share my 3's story.
Our local little livestock auction was Saturday. I haven't bought an auction calf in I can't remember how many years now as I have a wonderful source that I buy my calves from at a reasonable price and I know they are healthy. Plus they are Black Angus crosses and do really well for me. On occasion we will have a jersey calf come through and they are normally in pretty bad shape and I steer clear of them. But on this day there were 5 little ones. They were a pretty sad looking group, all really small, maybe 20lbs each and looked like they hadn't eaten regularly. So I tracked down the man that brought them in to see what there story was and it turned out he was some one I know quite well and this is what he told me.
He had to pick up a group of calves for a buyer of his and these 5 were given to him as they were considered " Throw Away Calves" that weren't worth any ones time. He did not have the time to give them so he brought them to the auction and told me I didn't want them as they were sickly. I decided to take a closer look for myself. They all had shipping fever and they all needed groceries really badly. 1 was probably coming down with pneumonia and 1 had pneumonia so bad that he couldn't stand or hold his head up. The other 3, a jersey and 2 jersey Hols crosses looked pretty good other wise. I felt so bad for them as they looked at me with those big beautiful eyes that were just begging for a chance. So, I broke my golden rule and bought the 3 best looking ones.
I paid a whole 30. for them and brought them home. They were starving! Boy did I have my work cut out for me. I started them off at 1/2 bottles every 4 hours, medicated the one that had pneumonia, treated them all for shipping fever and prayed. After 2 days they had all perked up and were looking really good so on a sunny day I let them play outside. The yard is dry except for one muddy spot that the one that had pneumonia decided he needed to eat mud non stop. Now I supplement all my calves with vit and minerals so this was a puzzle to me. For 2 days he did this and drank electrolyte water but not much milk. Very unusual but I have learned over the years if they eat dirt it is because they need it.
Then we have the 2nd calf who one night was feeling frisky and hit a wet spot, went down and I found him cast the next morning. That was 2 days ago and he is doing better and can now stand on his own for about 15 minutes at a time with help getting up. He is still drinking his bottle and is getting stronger. The 3rd calf other that being almost starved to death has had no other issues.
Now I bet you are all wondering about my dirt eater? He has since passed the most foulest nastiest poop I think I have ever seen and boy did it stink! But today he is healthy and happy and drinking his bottle like a champ. Guess he knew more what he needed than I did.
The verdict is still out on the little cast calf but if he continues at the rate he is going he should be up on his own in no time and running with his brothers.
The people who bought the other 2 calves had no calf experience at all and I doubt they had the meds and things that were needed to bring their calves back to health. I feel really bad about that but I know that my 3 little throw away calves at least have a chance.
To me, no animal is a Throw Away animal and it breaks my heart to see them considered as such so I thought I would share my 3's story.