I have a small beef....

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ClemKadiddlehopper

ClemKadiddlehopper

hayseed
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Dec 5, 2017
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Location
rural western Canada the other side of the mountai
It is now residing in the laundry room but I don't think its going to become a big beef. I have had some dumb calves born, but this one has me stumped. Absolutely no suck reflex. It doesn't even have a gag reflex when the tube goes down. I cannot trigger a tongue movement no matter how much I mess with it's palate. It has had Se/E, B12 and now, a dose of PenLa. In two more days, I put her down. Ordered up some extra special minerals for the other cows just in case the mommas are lacking something critical.

Just voicing my frustration.
 
Sounds like veal to me! Nature has its own way to deal with genetic problems that are debilitating. That and tender steaks are really good!
 
Sometime you can stimulate their digestive system by holding your hands on their stomach for 5 minutes or so, it the stomach starts to gurgle, it is working, we have had pretty good results with unresponsive calves doing this.
 
I tubed it with colostrum, but almost at the point when it wouldn't do any good. The problem is that food can be gotten into it via a tube, but that isn't a real solution. A calf cannot be tubed for ever. If they have no instincts to eat, it is not going to end well. Any ways, the problem resolved the way I thought it might; the calf died last night. Something was definitely wrong as it got up, turned about and died without a fuss soon after.
 
Tirediron said:
Sometime you can stimulate their digestive system by holding your hands on their stomach for 5 minutes or so, it the stomach starts to gurgle, it is working, we have had pretty good results with unresponsive calves doing this.
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Yeh, I tried every thing for 3 days straight until there was no option due to death.
 
last time i had a cow that wouldn't eat the local vet did an autopsy for me (at a price of course) and the conclusion was that something had to have hit it's head somehow. Either another cow had kicked it or I have no clue but I do not abuse my animals but his brain was mush from swelling. Bad thing was is this one was my registered black angus bull
:cry:
Luckily I found a fella not to far from here that was in need of some hay and just so happened he had a bull or two he was needing to thing out!
 
ClemKadiddlehopper said:
I tubed it with colostrum, but almost at the point when it wouldn't do any good. The problem is that food can be gotten into it via a tube, but that isn't a real solution. A calf cannot be tubed for ever. If they have no instincts to eat, it is not going to end well. Any ways, the problem resolved the way I thought it might; the calf died last night. Something was definitely wrong as it got up, turned about and died without a fuss soon after.
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That's a sad thing. What do you think was wrong with the little thing? Or do you just not give it much more thought? I mean, you're a farmer, and they're not your pets, so that's the way it goes.
 
Farmers do not differentiate as to whether or not an animal is a pet to determine the level of care it receives. We take care of all of our animals. A vet was called and could not do anything other than what was done already. The calf was in my house for three days so that it could be given full attention and not have to deal with the cold. Of course I gave it some thought, that is why I posted; to compare notes with others who had similar experiences. I am not proud that I had a problem calf. There is no way to tell what went wrong. The calf simply would not eat and unlike humans, it could not be placed on life support.
 
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Thank you, I didn't think you were judging by all of your other posts, but the last part of this particular post could easily be misconstrued by future readers who may not read through the whole thread and then decide to jump on a particular band wagon; a band wagon that is causing good people a lot of grief these days. I thought about it, and decided to make sure the thread ended clearly and concisely . No offence intended; none taken. :heart: :huggs:
 
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