# New Calf, Any "I wish I had known" advice?



## Sycamore_Springs (Mar 21, 2016)

Hi All. I joined this site interested in goats. As it turns out, goats are on the back burner for now. My husband has been working hard to expand our pasture for my horse to move here this May and we got a call yesterday that someone had a bottle baby calf that needed a home. It is coming from a trusted source, so no worries there. My husband raised cattle as a teenager and had many bottle babies. It has been about 15 years, though.

We will be getting the calf tomorrow, at about 1 week old. We have a paddock for it and a small shed for it, so good to go on that front.

My husband is the one that is familiar with all of this, so I have no doubt we will do OK. I like to be prepared for everything, though.

My question for you veteran bottle baby calf raisers is:

What first time around advice do you have? Not the basics, really, but the stuff that no one told you? If you could go back to your first time around, what would you have done differently? Is there anything you would pay special attention to?

Wish us luck!!


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## Latestarter (Mar 21, 2016)

Well... goats, calves,  they all have hooves, right?  Grats on the new addition!


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## jhm47 (Mar 22, 2016)

DO.  NOT.  OVERFEED.  A hungry calf is a healthy calf.  This calf will be bottle fed for several more months, and when it finishes it's bottle it will act VERY hungry.  That is because it's brain tells it that it needs to suck longer, while it's stomach is actually full.  The sucking instinct is very strong, and many people think that since a calf is still acting hungry that they should feed it more.  This will cause scours, and can cause calves to die.  Good luck!


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## Sycamore_Springs (Mar 23, 2016)

Thanks! We are being careful not to. Right now it only finishes a bit over 3 pints, twice a day. It was a twin and seems to be a bit on the smaller side. It takes a while to finish what it does, but does suck aggressively.


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## raeleigh26 (Mar 24, 2016)

Watch him.  Often.  That fleeting half-thought that something is off,when there's no evidence of anything wrong can only be developed when you take the time to know when everything is right,  and their health can go from perfectly fine to nearly dead in a couple of hours.
Have all the supplies for the worst case scenario on hand. You don't want to be searching for scours bolus at 11pm on a Sunday.
Test the temp of the milk.  Don't guess.  A few degrees too cool can chill him and that opens up the door to all kinds of problems.
That adorable baby head butting you for his bottle will be a scary and dangerous baby very soon,  don't allow him to bully you, set rules and boundaries now, his mother would.
Avoid anything that causes the dead calf flop at all costs,  stress invites illness.
Introduce grass, feed, hay, mineral as soon, but gradually, as possible, and make changes slowly.
Keep the grounds clean,  calves will nibble, chew, and eat anything that catches their eye, including a Styrofoam cup,  plastic bag,  metal cotter pin,  or baling twine.  I had a calf almost eat a balloon that flew into my field,  another pulled a chain off the gate and was chewing on it (it was small enough to swallow, I now wire the gate chains to the gates)


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## Ferguson K (Mar 25, 2016)

If you think it can't fit,  it can.  Calves are escape artists,  especially when there's not an adult to show them the way.


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## cjc (Mar 28, 2016)

I had my first calf born at the farm last year. I wish I would have done the proper vaccinations. I ended up losing one of the two we had born at the farm last year.

I wish I would have vaccinated her and cleaned her navel better. She died from a navel infection. very sad


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## Latestarter (Mar 28, 2016)

Sorry to hear of your loss. Some learning experiences, especially with animal husbandry, are not a lot of fun...


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## greybeard (Mar 29, 2016)

A young calf will not recognize dangers thru instinct alone. Normally, the momma will try to keep it safe, but a bottle calf will rely on you to do this. Above all else--be there!
Sometimes, not even the momma can prevent harm.


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## Latestarter (Mar 29, 2016)

Sorry Greybeard...


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## Sycamore_Springs (Mar 31, 2016)

So sorry greybeard.

Thank you all for your advice. This calf is literally in our backyard for a few weeks, and I can see him right out my office windows. He is doing well. Sleeping a lot, playing some, and eating well when we feed him. I loaded down on supplies before he got here, tube feeder, scours medicine, electrolytes, knowing that if we did NOT have those things, we would end up needing them.

At what age do you all begin to offer calf starter? I have heard and read varying suggestions. Any concerns with offering medicated calf starter to a calf already receiving medicated milk replacer? Common sense makes me think that would be an overload?

We've had fresh water available from day one, though I am certain he is not interested. I put the dog's water pail on the opposite side of his pen so he can watch and learn from her, too.


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## jhm47 (Mar 31, 2016)

Doubtful that the meds in the replacer are the same as in the starter.  Get the calf started on dry feed ASAP.  It would also be helpful if you could include some good quality hay.


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## raeleigh26 (Apr 4, 2016)

There are different methods,  but I've got a friend who raises bottle calves and has always had trouble with scours. ..
I raise my calves on 100%milk replacer,  not the soy stuff,  non medicated. ..
If we get scours, I'll use sulfa bolus rather than changing to medicated milk or feed. 
I offer calf starter, hay,  and grass if it's green,  from day one.  
It takes about 28 days from first solid food bite to well developed rumen (I'll see if I can find the study to give you the link)
Don't forget minerals,  you don't want him eating dirt and sand looking for what he needs, bad deal if they eat enough to get impacted. 
I've not lost any calves so far,  I wean at 11 or 12 weeks,  vaccinate dehorn etc 4 weeks later.  I very slowly halter break starting with gentle guidance by hand, then light rope pressure still using mostly my hands/arms,  and they're good buy 4 months.  Avoid the dead calf flop!


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## Sycamore_Springs (Apr 6, 2016)

Couple questions:

First… this dead calf flop. I am a bit embarrassed that I had to google it with not much luck. Do you mean when you try to lead them and they decide to just hit the ground instead of yielding to some gentle pressure?

Second, the calf has a runny nose. No other symptoms of illness, he drinks his bottle well and spends time exploring his pen in the morning. We're still working on the starter, but try to get a bit in his mouth after each bottle so he can get used to the texture. His breathing seems good, and he is bright eyed. The discharge is almost milk colored, maybe a bit more transparent, though. It is not a massive amount, mostly just in his nostrils. It is not milk, as he has it when I let him out in the morning as well as throughout the day. He's a weird little guy, always has his tongue sticking out.

He also hurt himself somehow and has a bit of a limp. We've touched the sore leg all over and do not find any place that is warm nor is it swollen when compared to the other legs. We are going to give him a couple of days with hopes that he just strained it somehow. He is moving around and exploring as usual.


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## raeleigh26 (Apr 6, 2016)

Dead calf flop,  when they get so stressed that they literally flop and hit the ground as though they were shot.  Severe stress can cause them to remain on the ground even after you stop whatever stressed them.  Calves will pull against a halter tied solid and flop with it tight,  sometimes to the point of suffocation.
You'd think they'd just get up and step forward to breathe, but they don't have the ability,  think deer in headlights, they're paralyzed with fear.when your see wide eye, eyes rolling back, neck taut,  back off a step. (Note, this doesn't apply the same with older calves, say,  6 months or more,  different approach in line with keeping additude in check)
If you ever do see this,  remove the stressor,  leave him alone until he gets up.  He'll be okay,  but go slower next time. I've had good luck with body leading before halter leading,  rope behind the butt,  so they learn to move away from pressure before you catch their head, which they associate with being eaten.
I've also used a rope around the girth and behind the butt to lead a calf that had severe injuries to her neck after a dog attack. Like a harness.
I'd keep a close eye on the snot,  if you hear ANY rattle or cough,  treat immediately,  but I personally will give a sulfa bolus or nuflor shot at the first sign of snot,  I've had pneumonia,  and by the time they're coughing,  a lot of lung damage is already done.
Consult your vet,  he can tell you what has been common whee you are lately and recommend a treatment or wait and see approach.
Also,  make sure the bottle is held at the right angle to engage the milk groove , (I've forgotten how old he is. ..)otherwise he might be inhaling enough to cause pneumonia.
http://calfcare.ca/calf-feeding/the-calf’s-digestive-system/


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