# new Here and need some help with a stumbling baby



## Roy and Vicky (Feb 29, 2012)

Hi all.

We just got a week old black Angus. He had a rough start getting into this world..  His mother suffered a prolapsed uterus and he spent too much time in the birthing canal so he's not quite the brightest bulb in the box.  The folks we got him from felt he was limping on his front left leg because of some how maybe the way he was stuck in the birth canal.  Is there anything we can do for this poor guy.  He stumbles when he steps on that foot.  The foot and ankle are not swollen, nor is the upper joint of the leg.  Any suggestions?

We decided to have some fun with our first "Son" and since he had such a hard entrance into this world and seems a little dumber than a rock we have named him "Well Duh Mass"  He's getting better, the first day here he had to be prompted to get up all the time, last night he didn't want to eat but half his bottle, and he had some loose dark stool.  Today is like a new little guy out there, He got up when I went out with very little prompting, he ate all his bottle this morning, his stool is pudding consistency now, he walked outside though he's still stumbling a little on the front leg, he even 'Moo'd"  which made me feel a lot better, and he's pushing against me and trying to play but the leg is slowing him down, he was trying to jump around like a "normal" baby calf would, but the leg stopped him.  

Any and all suggestions or insight would be greatly appreciated since we are first time parents.

Vicky


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## ThreeBoysChicks (Feb 29, 2012)

. I can not help you, but there will be someone along soon who can.


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## Chirpy (Feb 29, 2012)

I'm no help for you either but I also wanted to welcome you to BYH!

Oh, as soon as you can... you need to post pictures of the little dude.


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## Roy and Vicky (Feb 29, 2012)




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## WildRoseBeef (Feb 29, 2012)

You should get the leg checked out by a large animal vet.  Does he hold it up when he's standing at all? Does he respond when you touch the foot or leg or move or anything?  It's possible it's an injury from having one leg jammed back further in the pelvic cavity than the other, and caused injury when the heifer tried to push him out. It sounds like he was in that position for quite some time, hence the injury.  So it's probably that he got a tendon pulled or something.  It'll heal up, but nonetheless I'd take him to the vet to get the injury checked out and get a more professional opinion on it. 

 BTW


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## redtailgal (Feb 29, 2012)

Difficult births often show leg injuries in the calves.  It not being swollen is a good sign.

If you are very worried, or if he is acting at all painful, or lethargic then by all means, consult a vet.

If he were mine, I'd give him a day or two to work the kinks out.  I'd encourage him to walk, and I'd have him out in the sunshine, if you have sunshine right now.  I've always found that a light leg massage helps them, as well.  Usually within a week or two, they have it worked out and are bouncing around.  

He is a handsome little guy, dont worry too much about him not taking all of his bottle right now.  When you are bottle raising, it's better to ease up on the amounts rather than throw a bunch of replacer at them all at once.

Dark loose stool is fine and normal, it may turn yellow and soft, but should not be runny or watery.

Check out this pages:

http://www.backyardherds.com/web/viewblog.php?id=2952-bottle-calves

http://www.backyardherds.com/web/viewblog.php?id=2952-calves-scours

Good luck with him!  Bottle babies are lots of fun as you will soon learn, I hope!  Please, keep us all posted about how he progresses.


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## Royd Wood (Mar 1, 2012)

Deff give it a few days as I'm sure he will work it off. Let us know what happens
Nice pics and I always have to laugh at oversized ear tags


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## Roy and Vicky (Mar 1, 2012)

Thank you for the responses.  We're thinking of calling the vet because we've had him for four days now and still no improvement on his leg and walking.  He may just be "Duh" because of his birth circumstances and that is adding to the leg issue, but we'd hate to have a steer that can't get around or is in pain.  He was trying to bounce around like a calf normally would yesterday but when it came down on that leg it showed pain so gonna give the vet a call today.   

I love his poor little ear tag, he winces when I touch that side but loves to have his neck and behind is ears rubbed.

Thank you for the links redtailgal they were a lot of help.  I'll be reading them more too]
Vicky


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## redtailgal (Mar 1, 2012)

Yeah, if he is showing pain I'd definately call a vet.  I'd be worried about a break.  Hopefully, its a torn muscle or pinched nerve.

Cute little bugger, hate to hear that he is in pain.....let us know what the vet says ok?


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## Roy and Vicky (Mar 1, 2012)

I'm waiting for Roy to get home any minute now so he can help me get him to the vet.  The ones we got him from are thinking he might have a mild case of the scours.  His feces is medium brown and pudding consistency.  The day after we brought him home it was watery and we put it down to stress of moving and changing from a serogate mom to a replacer, but his over all health is not good, so we're crossing our fingers he'll be okay and we won't lose our investment or this cute little "Well Duh Mass"


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## Roy and Vicky (Mar 1, 2012)

Well Duh is at the vet right now.  He's lying next to another calf who is getting some IV fluids.  Just waiting for the vet to call with a verdict.  I've cleaned out all the straw and everything from the chicken coop where we've been keeping him and sprayed everything down with a bleach solution, so now just waiting to hear the verdict and the bill.

Duh is at the vet for the night.  He has the scours and they want him to spend the night so he stays at least in a room at 50 degrees, which is fine with me, I just want him healthy   So I call in the mornin to see how he's doing.


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## WildRoseBeef (Mar 2, 2012)

Well?? Any news?


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## Roy and Vicky (Mar 2, 2012)

I'm supposed to call the vet in about two hours.  I'm impatiently waiting for the time to tick by.


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## redtailgal (Mar 2, 2012)

hope you got a good report!


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## Stubbornhillfarm (Mar 2, 2012)

He is super cute!  Hoping for good news for you and him.


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## Roy and Vicky (Mar 2, 2012)

I'm just waiting for Roy to get home so we can go pick Duh up.  Have to give him some oral antibiotics but he is doing great!!!  Just got done hanging a tarp and setting up a heat lamp to keep his little area of the chicken coop warmer for the next few days.  Vet is staying around 50-60, seems kinda high since he has his winter coat.  I'm excited to go get him!

Vicky


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## kelsey2017 (Mar 2, 2012)

What of the leg issue?  Just curious.


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## WildRoseBeef (Mar 2, 2012)

kelsey2017 said:
			
		

> What of the leg issue?  Just curious.


I was just about to ask the same thing.  What's the verdict Roy and Vicky?  Good news or bad?


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## Roy and Vicky (Mar 2, 2012)

Good news.  he had the scours.  he's good to go.  Brought him home this afternoon, have to give him oral and sub-Q antibiotics for the next three days.

He has a bum leg from being in the birth canal too long.  The vet feels that it will straight out on it's own and he's bouncing around like he should be so we're pretty happy.

He's still pretty "Duh" tho.


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## WildRoseBeef (Mar 2, 2012)

Great to hear!   Most calves are a little dumb the first little bit until they start figgering things out.  He's just a baby after all.


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## Roy and Vicky (Mar 2, 2012)

He's stinkin cute tonight.  Bouncing around.  I would go towards the coop and say his name and he would moo.  Roy was on the phone with his brother and they were both laughing at me because I was playing with him,.  I said I would rather have him familiar with me then try to run over my hiney later on if I have to get in the pasture with him lol.


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## redtailgal (Mar 3, 2012)

lol, its cute when they talk to you.  

Are you gonna halter train him?  I'd start now, if you havent already.


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## Roy and Vicky (Mar 3, 2012)

Explain halter training please?  Do you mean getting him to walk around with you like you would leash train a dog?


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## redtailgal (Mar 3, 2012)

Yes, It would betting him to walk calmly beside you as you led him.  It's normally very easy, and if done early can result in a very calm adult cow.  For example, I have an angus/jersey who had her first calf this year.  Because of her early training (and her disposition) I was able to lead her and her calf along with her, by simply holding her ear.

Granted, it's not likely that he will be as calm as she is, but the training now will help greatly.  It's an easy process, and I'd be glad to walk you thru it.

You'll need a halter for him.  I like pre-tied rope halters.  We make our own, but you can get very nice ones at your local farm store for a minimal amount of money.  You may want to have someone at the store show you which end is up, but once you see it, it's very simple.

The first day, just put the halter on him.  I dont mess around with this, I dont do the food tricks, I dont comfort or beg.  I put their rear end in a corner, and just slap the halter on them.  I've found that the more you drag it out, the more stressed they are and the more they fight.  Be gentle, but firm.  Once you start, dont stop.  At his age, it will be fairly quick and simple.

THen just let him wear it for a little while.  He may walk backwards and he may buck....enjoy the show, it can be cute.  Once he stops fighting it, take it off of him.

After that, put that halter on him each time you feed him.  Prepare his bottle/feed, put his halter on him and LEAD HIM TO IT.  You may want a person behind him to push him a long for the first couple times, but once he learns that walking on the lead ends up with a reward, he will eagerly look forward to it and will ASK for his halter.


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## Roy and Vicky (Mar 3, 2012)

Awesome.  We're going to the feed store later to get a bowl for water and one for calf starter so I'll look for a halter there.  It is going to be getting warm this coming week so I've been entertaining the idea of something for him to wear that I can have him out in the yard with me while I work on the yard to get it ready for spring, if it ever gets here!!!!  

My brother-in-law keeps saying come time for him to be turned into burger I'll be screaming you can't kill him he's my pet.  I don't want him as a pet, castrated or not he's still going to be a huge animal that could hurt me pretty badly, but I want him tame enough I can deal with him and not be scared of him.

I went out to feed him this mornin and he was right full of piss and vinegar bucking and playing around, bouncing like a young calf should.  I played with him a while and he slimed my pants pretty good, but it was good to see him feeling better.  When he would try to head butt me then I slapped him on the hind quarter and told him no, cause I can't have him trying to feed off me and knocking me down, I'm too old, I don't bounce anymore!


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## redtailgal (Mar 3, 2012)

I'm glad that your not letting him push you around.  So many of the things he does now are cute, but will they be cute 900 pounds from now?

He'll be better beef from your handling.  Proper handling makes calmer cattle that make better beef.

Sounds like you are doing a wonderful job.


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## Roy and Vicky (Mar 3, 2012)

We got a halter for him.  Roy thinks I'm a little strange but that's okay too cause I know I am  We all have to be since it took me, him, and his brother to name the poor thing.  The halter is too big and I can't adjust it down further so I just put it on him and pulled it snug with my hand and let him be annoyed and talked to him and when he calmed down I took it off him and gave him his bottle.  I was out earlier just to check on him and he decided his head belonged between my knees so I let him go for it then trapped him there for a few seconds, he didn't appreciate it anymore than I did but after he stopped trying to fight me I let him go and he bounced around and followed me so all was good.

I gave him some calf starter after he had his noon bottle.  He wasn't too interested in it.  He's spending most of his time laying outside in the small yard we have for him.  Should we offer him a dish of water too or wait a few days for him to get over the scours first?


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## redtailgal (Mar 4, 2012)

Go ahead and give him water, it wont hurt anything.  

He would take to the grain and gain weight better if you'd take him off the bottle and give him milk in a bucket.

Good job on the halter, do what you did today one or two more times, then ask him to walk to his bottle.


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## Roy and Vicky (Mar 4, 2012)

He took the grain from my hand but wasn't all that interested in the dish of it itself, I figure in a few days if I keep offering it to him then he'll start eating it more from the dish.

He was so mad at me with the halter lol, but I was persistent and he stopped fighting me and I kept telling him he was a good boy and praising him then I took it off him, going to be hard to walk him until he grows into the halter since I hurt my back and bending over to cinch it up right now is pretty painful.  Roy is not much of an animal type so it's pretty much me for doing any kind of training with him.  

I know he's bound for the freezer and that is okay with me, cause that is less money out of pocket for meals when we are just starting out and buying a house OH MI!!!!I just need to be able to control him to some extent and not be afraid of him.  I hate the thoughts of having to carry a 2x4 into the pasture if I need to go in there for something.  

Thank you so much Red for all of your insight you've really put me at ease on handling Duh, he's awesome now, but I know he's going to be a handful in a few months


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## Cricket (Mar 4, 2012)

My jersey heifer, Peanut, had 2 floppy legs for weeks and she's fine now.  I'd have to hold her up to feed her and the minute I let go, she'd collapse.  Seemed to irritate her more than hurt.  Where I work we also have a holstein cow who was born that way and you'd never know it now.  Peanut has a really small mom, so was probably cramped.  The vet said form follows function and to let them use it as much as they will.  Good luck--he is adorable!


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## Royd Wood (Mar 4, 2012)

Roy and Vicky said:
			
		

> I know he's bound for the freezer and that is okay with me, cause that is less money out of pocket for meals when we are just starting out and buying a house OH MI!!!!I just need to be able to control him to some extent and not be afraid of him.  I hate the thoughts of having to carry a 2x4 into the pasture if I need to go in there for something.
> 
> he's awesome now, but I know he's going to be a handful in a few months


Have you banded him yet - I would steer him sooner rather than later and before the flies kick back in


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## Roy and Vicky (Mar 5, 2012)

The folks that we got him from are going to give him his next shots and castrate him for us, I believe sometime this coming week.


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## redtailgal (Mar 5, 2012)

Why not have them teach you how to do it?  With them coming to do it, you have a wonderful opportunity to learn it for yourself and that way, you'll have the knowledge in case you need it with your next calf.  

Cuz, admit it.  Your gonna be hooked after this little guy!


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## Roy and Vicky (Mar 5, 2012)

Hooked after?  LOL I'm already hooked now.  We're looking for a play mate for him now.  Got a friend who hopefully has one for us to at least "borrow" for a while.  She offered their 1,200 pound steer but didn't think he would fit in the chicken coop door very well so we passed hehee.  Her father in law has a cow that tipped last night and has a baby so hopefully he will want to sell it, would be nice to have two to raise together.  

We've entertained the idea of getting a goat, but not sure if we're ready for two new animals to us or not.  That would be a good play mate for Duh.  He's so playful right now and after lifting him out of the jeep friday when we got him home from the vet, i'm not much of a playmate for him since he kicked and tweeked my back on me.  Roy stood and laughed yesterday when he came up behind me and butted me between the knees looking for food an I trapped him between my knees til he stopped fighting me.  not gonna deal with that at all until he's truly big enough to knock me on my hiney.  

Roy looked on line for a halter because the one we picked up is way too big for him right now.  So we found some soft rope out in the garage and he made a halter for him, works perfect!!! So i'm working on putting that on him, yesterday I brought him out of his pen and walked him a little in the yard, he fought some, but did okay for the first time so I was pretty happy.  Now just to get him a buddy to play with and both of them off the bottle before it's time to open up the airport office, then I'll be busier than a one armed paper hanger.


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