calf feeding questions

classicxl

Member
Im 16 and work on a dairy farm and am feeding 20-30 calves daily and occasionally milking when needed. I have a few questions and id be glad if I cold get some of your opinions or input.
1. What brand rubber boot should I get? I had Itasca muck boots that cost $75 and the seams came apart in 1 month.
2.I know I cannot give sulfa pills and penicillin together or it will kill the calf but can I give sulfa pills and Kentrol together? How about penicillin and Kentrol or Kentrol and neomycin?
3. When a calf has diarrhea should I just give it penicillin by mouth or a sulfa pill or neomycin or should I give it a bottle of Kentrol immediately instead of the milk?
4. Last week on my day off they moved some calves into the bigger pen and a heifer got her leg caught under the tin in the barn and cut it all up. The next afternoon I saw it was cut and give her 5cc of penicillin. I kept her on it for 3 days and then it started to get all puffed up. On the 4th day her hoof started to separate form the rest of her leg. It disgusted me to see her like that. She was eager to get her milk and I never had to get in the pen and help her get up to eat. On the 5th afternoon that I came in the only thing that was holding her hoof on was skin. I got the rifle and put the poor thing out of her misery. Was there anything else I couldve done for her?
Thanks for any and all replies
 
The best rubber boot i've ever had are Dunlop purofort, get the thermo ones if you can... they're made in europe somewhere, mine have lasted 4 years so far, and look like they'll make a few more yet.

On the drug front i'm not sure, best ask your vet that one, or the boss, it's ultimately their decision...
 
Lacrosse pull over boots. Get a good pair of regular work boots then get some lacrosse rubber boots to go over them. Gets to be a little heavy, but that combo always held up the best for me. If you slip plastic shopping bags over your work boots, the rubber ones slip on and off alot easier.
 
Boots, I've had good luck with Muck brand. A little on the expensive side but they seem to hold up well. Around here almost never see a dairyman without one.

Drugs, I cant say Im an expert on what you can or cant use but if you are having scour problems its time to get the vet in the loop. From personal experience, the Sustain III and Albon boluses have given me good results. Its best to get the pathology done and use something that works. Nothing like throwing money and time at a problem for no benefit. I had some respitory issues two years ago. My old 1/2 punch of tetracycaline and albon wasnt getting it. Had some labs pulled and the bacteria was resistant to both drugs. Ended up switching to Nuflor and no more problems. It does have a benefit on scours as well. Main thing with one scouring is to keep them hydrated. That may mean an IV or at least a drench of electrolyte and probiotics.

Foot injury. That bad is grounds for immediate medical attention. From your description surgery might or might not have saved the foot but even if it cost 500 or a thousand dollars, to save a potentially 2000 dollar cow thats a cheap investment.
 
I used to use Muck Brand, muck boots but they started getting cheap so now I use Under-Armor muck type boots - more durable.
 

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