New born calf problems

[DT86]

This afternoon a calf was born and I arrived just a few minutes (10-15) later. His mother was cleaning him off but I quickly noticed something wasn't right. He had problems breathing, quick breaths and a rapid heart rate. I cleared the junk in his nose and mouth and laid him on a table with his head hanging over the edge. A good amount of crud came loose but he still has that nasty crud sound when he breathes, almost like snoring.

I tube fed him and gave him the usual meds all the calves get, 1/2cc of Muse and 2cc B12 (puts a little pep in their step) and also gave him 1 1/2cc of la300 to be on the safe side (for pneumonia, scours, ect)

He is several hours old and has not tried to stand. His condition is no better than when I found him yet is no worse. I've got him setting upright which seems to ease his breathing. He also seems to enjoy the space heater in the laundry room.

I need to figure out how to clear this fluid from him, I've tried a long rubber tube and a syringe with no luck.

I know there are some cattlemen on TBN so I thought if ask if anyone has experience with this.

If he makes it through the night we are going to be waiting at the vets office come 8am.

Thanks a bunch,
DT86

 

[DT86]

Seeing how much TBN enjoys pictures here are a few. Here is the newborn in question piled up in the laundry room and my Red Heeler "Layla" in mommy mode.

 

[RobertBrown]

The only thing I know about calves is: They grow up to be cows or steaks and cows are where milk comes from.
I would like to help though.
I found this stuff onthe web.
Treating common problems
Calf Sessions: Newborn Calf With Rapid, Shallow Breathing

 

[DT86]

Robert,

Your learnings are spot on. Just remember, chocolate milk comes from brown cows and anything with horns is a bull.

I need this one to grow up to be as big and healthy as he can be, to become the best steak he can be. :licking: $$$$!

I did read that link and many more prior to posting.

Thanks for looking though. I do appreciate it.

 

[grsthegreat]

I used to pull calves as part of my job in the 1980's. we sometimes had this issue with calved born with difficult ..long labor. We had to hang the calf upside down by gripping the hind legs while they expelled the fluids. Let me tell you, that was back breaking job, especially with the heavier calves. Nearly all made a full recovery. but i do remember loosing a few. Keeping them warm and draft free is a must. We had a heated area of barn for this. We always kept them with the mother so they would bond and she would allow the calf to nurse. If you keep them apart too long, the cows tended to reject the calf.

I did find a way to get the wild cows to accept the calf that it rejected....i had my dog get real close to calf. The cow naturally tried to protect the calf, and the calf would start nursing. For some reason the cow would always let them nurse even though they were rejecting the calf earlier. Once the milk passed thru the calfs system, the odors tended to make the cow re-accept the calf.

Good luck. I hope you got all the fluids out.

 

[Depmandog]

It's been a long time since I worked cattle on a consistent basis...Also worked for a vet back in high school. I have probably forgotten more than I ever knew about cattle...

Was it a heifer or a cow? Do you know if she went full term? Did this cow have problems last year? Early birth can complicate things as in underdeveloped lungs.

Regardless, I suspect the calf has inhaled the merconium contaminated fluid. If memory serves me right, not too much can be done other than what you have done. Keep it warm and dry, and try to get it to suck. The fluid in the lungs will get absorbed by the body. It's the contamination that causes an inflammation of the lungs and airways. Don't think the vets have any meds that cures this.

Has the calf taken a bottle yet? If it's eating any at all - that's a good sign. If the calf won't eat, keep trying every few hours. If the calf is strong enough to live 48 hours, good chance it will make it.

Wish you the best.

 

[DT86]

I am calving heifers. They are about 18-20 months, bred to low birth weight bulls. She couldn't have struggled with him long, I check them religiously.

I didn't check my paper work to see but he does appear full term.

He will suck a bottle a little but mostly just plays with it, getting a mouth full of milk and then spit it out. The majority of what he has had was tube fed.

For the most part if I have seen a calf alive it has lived. The ones I've lost were premature (1) , still born (1) or froze to death (2) before I got to them. Sometimes it takes up to a week of keeping them in a pen to get a stubborn cow or stupid calf to get along, but so far so good.

 

[Creamer]

We used to put a little whiskey in the milk we were feeding them. The alcohol will help clear the fluid from the lungs.

 

[texasjohn]

grsthegreat is right.
hang the calf from a gate, upside down, for a short while...hopefully stuff will drain from lungs and air way and it's easier on your muscles...you have done everything else I can think of...

Sometimes, things happen. Wife and I once watched a mature cow calve normally and quickly...calf did not move once after being born...I tried all tricks...it never took a breath...full term, attentive mom, I was there less than a minute after the cord broke. Nothing wrong, just dead.

Hope your calf survives, you are doing all that can be done.

 

[farmer2009]

Hope the calf is better this morning. Just seen this thread. One thing I see in your explanation is the mama seems to be a little young. Our vet doesn't recommend calving before 24 months and I prefer 30 months so you have fewer problems. Otherwise you are doing everything you can. Other than hanging the calf as others have mentioned and making it stand and suck, even if it's from a bottle. Might try to milk mama to get her colostrum. And so she will start to drop her milk maybe keeping her from rejecting calf.