Bottle calf stopped eating/help

Dean Olson

Well-known Member
It's been 30 years since I bottle fed a calf. Don't remember ever having this scenario or if I did what to do about it.

1st time mother wouldn't take bull calf so we're bottle feeding him. He was up to eating 2 qts at a time 3 x's per day. He stopped eating and is not showing any interest. Hasn't had but about a quart in the last 24 hours and that was forced. I gave him a dose of Vitamin B and so far no reaction.

Any suggestions?
 
Sounds like he might just be full. 2qts three times a day is alot for a new calf. I wouldn't be worried for atleast another day. Then, maybe a shot of nuflor. Is he peeing/pooing like he should or is he plugged up? I had one one time that stopped eating, turned out his insides weren't right and he couldn't pass anything. poor guy.

Casey in SD
 
Calf is 3 weeks old. He started at about a pint at a time and I've worked him up to 2 qts.

Back in the day we only fed them twice a day and I don't remember measuring. We just slopped some in the buckets.

I have a lot more time now and money is not an issue so I've been giving him all he wants.

Can you overfeed them?
 
Quit feeding him so much you are going to give him scoures.
Never feed him over twice a day at the same time everyday using the same tempature milk everytime.
If he is big and healthy (over 100 lbs) you can give him 4 pints (full bottle) at each feeding but cut back if he is smaller.

As long as he is lively and not scouring I would not worry to much just yet.
 
Another question would be where are you located and has it been hot out? Has he eaten today guessing it's been 36-48 hours since?

Casey in SD
 
I'm located just outside Houston TX. Weather's been mid 80's and we had a cool front come through and got down into the low 70's about the time he went off feed.

He does have access to calf starter, fresh water, and is on pasture. He's not touching the starter yet. I measure and monitor it.

No scours! Bm's show he's just starting to nibble on some grass. He's moping around and just seems off a little. If not for that I'd think he's supplementing the milk replacer with grass.

Calf is small at about 50 lbs.

He just took 3 pints this evening. None this am or last night.

Seems to be the consensus of opinion that you don't give calves all they want.

We did back in the day when I was growing up. We didn't raise many bottle calves but the ones we did got all they would take 2-3 times per day, milk replacer, access to a creep feeder and of course a water trough.

The hogs, chickens, geese, ducks and calves all had access to bulk feeders.

Horses where the only livestock we rationed. The horses where pets and didn't need to be fattened up to market weight.

Please express some opinions on why you don't give bottle calves all they want.
 
"Please express some opinions on why you don't give bottle calves all they want."

Because their Rumen is not working at such a young age.
A calf is born with an esophageal groove, which consists of muscular folds from the reticulorumen that come together to by–pass the rumen, reticulum and omasum through to the abomasum when the calf drinks milk. The suckling reflex (reason I do not like pails)the milk protein and the antisapation of being fed (reason I told you to feed at the same time everyday) stimulate the groove to open. Milk off tempature will upset the grove.

If you feed to much the abomasum will fill up and the milk will spill over into the rumen, reticulum and omasum sections. Since the rumen action is not working the milk is stuck there and will sour making the calf sick and scour.

It is a lot more complicated than this because their are things like the milk clot that forms normally but we are getting into details way more than his forum.
Just bottle feed the calf and do not let it have any water for a short while after the milk feeding.

Are you feeding whole milk or replacer.
 
Here is a guide to feeding milk replacer.

calffeeding001.jpg
 
Hi Dean

We have all had trouble with cattle from time to time.

First I"m going to say you may have been feeding him a little much. But also if you over feed him he would be grinding his teeth and have Sours. So I not so sure.

Is his BM dark or creamy in color?

Is there stool on his trail?

Is he grinding his teeth?

Sound like to me he ate something he should not have.

On and other note I had one one time had to force feed a little bull for 4-6 weeks, one day he just started to suck again. I was a young 14-16 and had the summer off. Used an old pop bottle to force it down the side of his mouth.

A few things to remember about baby cows.

Better to be hungry then over feed. Have to keep them dry. They suck on everything. They can get depressed, and not eat, weather from environment (something they ate) or there own body (not getting colostrum from there mother, or something else). Make sure the head is up when feeding, make the milk go into the gut the right way, plus keeps it out of the lungs. I would wait for a calf to be a month old before try to get them to drink and not suck. They make allot of saliva when they suck, it helps them digest the milk.

Hope it works out !!

Teddy
 
I'm going to kick myself!!

Da !!!

See if he is running a temp. is his naval normal or swelled?

If he has a sore or swelled naval break it loose and clean and use iodine to disinfect and get him a shot of LA 200 or penicillin.

If you need to call 724-462-5679 cell.

Teddy
 
Feeding him milk replacer.

Bm has gone from cream colored to a little darker.

No scours, or stool on tail or hind end.

I haven't paid any attention to if he's grinding his teeth. If he is, it's pretty subtle.

He did get wet the other day but it's been in the mid 70's to low 80's so I didn't think too much about it. He does have access to shelter but didn't use it.

Our cattle down here very rarely have access to any shelter so calves get wet on a regular basis. BUT they are typically not bottle babies that got shorted on their initial colostrum.


I very much appreciate all the help!!!

Thank you!!!
 
I had calves scour when nursing on their mothers.Better to keep them hungry.Watch out for heat stroke in calves, they dont seem to know to get into the shade.My calf raising days are long gone.
 

We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today.

Back
Top