# Bottle calf not drinking



## Meghan Agner (Dec 29, 2016)

He will be 2 weeks tomorrow. He's been on a bucket bottle thing for almost the same amount of time and has done wonderful. I started giving him a full bucket since he wasn't drinking it all at once. Then he quit drinking l. He is probably drinking the equivalent of 2 qts a day, if that. I started giving him less and changing it out more frequently. His poops aren't horrible yet. Yellow, a little formed but mostly unformed. We gave him a shot of LA300 hoping it would help. No change. Help


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## cjc (Dec 29, 2016)

I know a lot of people use buckets but I use a bottle for the first 4 weeks. I don't measure in quarts but I measure by the milk replacer recommendation. With mine I think its 200grams of powder that mixes up about 2 quarts. I feed that 2x a day for a calf under 100lbs and 3x a day for a calf over.

Have you checked this calf's temperature? If not do that right away. 101 to 102 would be normal.

Have you checked it's navel for navel ill? The navel will feel hard like a bullet under the skin if there is an infection.

Check it's joints, do you feel any gushy spots? Fluid under the skin near its back hocks?

How is the breathing? Any wheezing? Listen to it breath in and out is it raspy at all? Any coughing?

If you haven't started, try feeding some electrolytes. I would try one small milk bottle in the morning, electrolytes at lunch and a small milk bottle in the evening.

Yellow stool that is somewhat loose is normal for the first few weeks. It will slowly harder up by the time they are 3 weeks old. But something has obviously gone on here. Once they stop drinking they can turn VERY QUICKLY. A temperature check is critical when they stop drinking.

If it is cold outside bring this calf into the barn and keep it warm. Do not let this calf get cold.


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## Meghan Agner (Dec 29, 2016)

Normally I would have bottle fed longer but with the holidays and running around I thought it may be better for the bucket. I will go back to the bottle for now.
Someone suggested probiotics and so I did that today. He's pooping several times a day so I know he isn't dehydrated yet. 
It will see what the milk replacement says but when I looked before I don't remember much on the way of suggestions based on age. 
Thanks for the help. Also will try to get his temp.


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## Meghan Agner (Dec 29, 2016)

It may be worth noting, the calf limped for a couple of days when he was about 3 days old. His knee looked swollen. Could this be related? It cleared up when I started making him move around more


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## Latestarter (Dec 29, 2016)

Greetings and welcome to BYH. Sorry you're having issues with your calf. I hope it's nothing serious and rights itself quickly. Trouble with baby animals is stuff can go wrong and they can lose it so fast. I'll tag a few others with cow experience who may also be able to provide insight. @farmerjan @greybeard @WildRoseBeef Additionally, there are other threads dealing with similar issues. Look toward the bottom of the page (right below this post) and you'll see similarly titled threads you can click on to read. There is quite a bit of shared knowledge and experiences in the various threads. Please browse around and join in where you feel the call. Make yourself at home! I hope you'll stay with us and maybe post some pics of your animal(s)... we're all a bunch of pic addicts here.


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## cjc (Dec 29, 2016)

When I see a swollen knee and a limp I usually think joint ill but he would be pretty young to have it at that point. Usually shows up around 2 weeks old. Because it cleared up and he stopped limping I would assume an injury, something like joint ill would progressively get worse and pretty fast.

Do check his navel and read up on signs of navel ill. And yes, check his temperature ASAP.

Although he isn't showing signs of dehydration I feed all my calves electrolytes when they act even the slightest bit off. It is over kill sometimes but ever since I started doing this it has been easier for me to keep them hydrated if they do turn.


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## greybeard (Dec 29, 2016)

Sorry, but I can't help. I am NOT a bottle feeder. If I have one without a momma and can't graft it on to another, I'm on the phone finding someone that wants to raise a bottle calf even if I have to give it away. Just don't have the time or energy to do it.


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## cjc (Dec 29, 2016)

greybeard said:


> Sorry, but I can't help. I am NOT a bottle feeder. If I have one without a momma and can't graft it on to another, I'm on the phone finding someone that wants to raise a bottle calf even if I have to give it away. Just don't have the time or energy to do it.



@greybeard I love neighbours like you! That's where all the good bottle babies come from. Wish I was closer!


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## Meghan Agner (Dec 29, 2016)

greybeard said:


> Sorry, but I can't help. I am NOT a bottle feeder. If I have one without a momma and can't graft it on to another, I'm on the phone finding someone that wants to raise a bottle calf even if I have to give it away. Just don't have the time or energy to do it.


If I was closer I would talk it also. Hope you find someone soon. Someone gave this one to us for the same reason. We raise them, teaching our son about it as we go (he's 19 months) and sell the calf putting the money in his savings


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## Meghan Agner (Dec 29, 2016)

cjc said:


> When I see a swollen knee and a limp I usually think joint ill but he would be pretty young to have it at that point. Usually shows up around 2 weeks old. Because it cleared up and he stopped limping I would assume an injury, something like joint ill would progressively get worse and pretty fast.
> 
> Do check his navel and read up on signs of navel ill. And yes, check his temperature ASAP.
> 
> Although he isn't showing signs of dehydration I feed all my calves electrolytes when they act even the slightest bit off. It is over kill sometimes but ever since I started doing this it has been easier for me to keep them hydrated if they do turn.


What kind of thermometer? Or does it matter?


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## cjc (Dec 29, 2016)

Meghan Agner said:


> What kind of thermometer? Or does it matter?



You can use the same style you would put under your tongue. $10 or so at the drug store. Stick it in his bum and check it. If I have a calf that is off it's the first thing I check. Not all illnesses involve a raised temperature but it can often be an indication either way. What breed of calf is it?


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## farmerjan (Dec 29, 2016)

First off, couple of questions.  How big of a bucket so how much milk??? I think that it is not wise to allow any baby like that an unlimited access to milk unless it's from a cow.  They only get about a pint to a  quart or so at a time from a cow and it is the perfect temp.  This calf shouldn't be getting what he wants at this age.  Better a little hungry than too full.   The calf very well may have a touch of coccidiosis.  It doesn't always show up as blood in the manure, and sometimes not until too late.  But they do often go off feed and quit drinking or drink very little.  Corid in the liquid;  I prefer  to take a syringe and put  2cc directly down his throat.  3 days in a row once a day.  No don't dilute it, straight out of the bottle.  Dilution is mostly for a water delivery and it is too "watered down" to do him any good if that is his problem.  If not, it won't hurt him.  I have that advise direct from our vet, and that is what I do if I even suspect coccidia.  Cut his milk and feed electrolytes for at least 2 feedings.  Do not overfeed.  Keep him in a draft free place but do not overheat him.  
Yes take a temp.  But in lieu of that, are his ears warm or cold?  If they are cold, he is sick.  If warm then probably  not so bad, if hot then he is running a temp.  LA 300  every third day for 3 treatments max.  We usually use Penicillin instead of LA for something like pnuemonia and/or high temps.  Since we use very little antibiotics it usually works.  Or there is Nuflor and Baytril from the vet.   
Joint ill can sometimes show up as a little baby if the cow had a low grade infection in her system, but it is not common.  Probably got hurt when he was born, stepped on or a tough birth.  Antibiotics won't hurt him for that either.  

I am honestly thinking he got too much milk and now is having trouble from that overdose so to speak.  And that will cause any other thing that is in the environment to just jump in and kick his butt.  If he was mine I would automatically treat him for coccidiosis and put him on electrolytes for 24-48 hours.  If he has any raspy sounds or coughing, he may have gotten milk into his lungs and then can get pnuemonia on top of it.


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## Meghan Agner (Dec 30, 2016)

He was drinking about 2 qts at a time and I was putting 4 in. He never gulped it down.
Today he seemed back to himself after the probiotic. I force fed him last night.
He drank a pint this morning of milk, a quart of electrolytes at lunch and a quart of milk for supper just now. Is this enough? He's still hungry


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## farmerjan (Dec 30, 2016)

Yes, that's enough for today.  Better to be a little hungry than not.  If he is acting all right in the morning, try a full 2 qts tomorrow morning and look to see what his manure looks like.  If he still seems okay and no scours and no blood then go back to feeding 2 qts each feeding of milk.  He could have just had a stomach upset because he might have gulped a little too much at one time. And if the milk was in the bucket then he was getting cold milk and that will throw them off.  Who knows, sometimes they just go off a bit for a day or two.  But watch his manure and if it gets a bit loose, or if you see any blood then he needs to be treated.  Since the holidays are over, I think you will do okay if you keep him on a fairly consistent schedule.  Happy New Year.


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## DaisythePig (Dec 30, 2016)

Meghan Agner said:


> He will be 2 weeks tomorrow. He's been on a bucket bottle thing for almost the same amount of time and has done wonderful. I started giving him a full bucket since he wasn't drinking it all at once. Then he quit drinking l. He is probably drinking the equivalent of 2 qts a day, if that. I started giving him less and changing it out more frequently. His poops aren't horrible yet. Yellow, a little formed but mostly unformed. We gave him a shot of LA300 hoping it would help. No change. Help





Meghan Agner said:


> He will be 2 weeks tomorrow. He's been on a bucket bottle thing for almost the same amount of time and has done wonderful. I started giving him a full bucket since he wasn't drinking it all at once. Then he quit drinking l. He is probably drinking the equivalent of 2 qts a day, if that. I started giving him less and changing it out more frequently. His poops aren't horrible yet. Yellow, a little formed but mostly unformed. We gave him a shot of LA300 hoping it would help. No change. Help



A while ago we had a calf that wouldn't drink.We had to get our fingers and open his mouth. Then put the bottle in his mouth. It took a few times and he got it down. Is the calf acting different? Weak at all?


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## cjc (Dec 31, 2016)

In my opinion when you say is it enough it really depends what your feeding him and the size of the calf. Are you feeding him milk or milk replacer? If it's milk replacer it will tell you the recommended feeding and that twice a day would be enough. Even when you've fed a bottle calf enough they will act ravenous which is normal. When they come at me when the bottle is done I put grain in their mouth. All my bottle calves start eating grain at 1 week.


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