# New calf



## Laura87 (May 16, 2019)

My new Angus calf seems like it can't find mom's nipple. I don't think it even got colostrum. I've tried milking mom and rubbing on the baby's nose, putting the baby right to the nipple but it's like he can't find a nipple! I'm new to this! Any suggestions? I'm worried baby won't make it.


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## BWfarms (Aug 3, 2015)

Sometimes a calf just plays with them.

How old is the calf? Is the calf perky or lethargic? Have you seen a bowel movement? Is the cow receptive and protective of the calf?

In the meantime, will the calf suck your finger? Go ahead and put the cow in a headgate and put the teat in the calf's mouth. Hold your hand around it's mouth and make downward strokes on the esophagus with the other hand.


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## stack em up (Mar 7, 2013)

Stick your middle finger in calf’s mouth, let him start nursing it. Then slowly lead him down to the udder, and swap your finger for the teat. Works every time, might take more than one try but he will figure it out. If he doesn’t, calf wasn’t worth saving.


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## danwi (Mar 6, 2015)

On new borns if we don't see them suck and get colostrum we will catch the cow and milk at least half a calf bottle out and make sure the calf gets that much. Alot of times thats what it takes to get the calf going. Then again it helps that I have a wife that will save every living farm animal. The other thing is if the cow or calf have problems they get locked together in a separate pen or boxstall. And if the calf doesn't get up right away that bottle of milk usually gets them up and going.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

A calf needs to get colostrum in less than 24 hours, after 24 hours they won't or can't absorb the necessary antibodies that are in it, least that's what our vet always told us.

Ours aren't tame enough to attempt to milk by hand for colostrum, instead I get a couple of gallons from a friend and freeze it when his Jerseys start to freshen in February,


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## Laura87 (May 16, 2019)

The baby's is just over 24 hrs. Old right now. I do have them in a stall but I don't have a chute to put her in. This cow wont let me touch her without kicking. I tried tying her off to the corner post but that only made her mad and put the baby in danger. I have a few people I can put a call into for colostrum. The baby does have good suction. I will bottle feed if nessicary.


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## IHCman (Aug 27, 2011)

Talk to your vet and get some Tranquilizer if the cow won't let you work with her. 1/2cc to a full 1 cc of Rompum will mellow her out enough to make her gentle enough to allow you to get the calf to nurse while she is in the chute.

Calves like that can be very irritating.


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## IHCman (Aug 27, 2011)

Try to get the calf to suck a bottle first before trying to make it suck the on the cow. You may have to use an esophageal feeder on it so it gets something in its stomach. After feeding it that way let it get good and hungry and it'll start sucking.


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## PaulN (Mar 4, 2014)

To bottle feed is your only hope at this point. I've had some retarded calves in the past that I had to bottle feed. After they get the hang of it, when the bottle is empty, they will want to keep sucking. So they will try their mama, and eventually will figure it out. I had a calf one time that took a whole week of bottle feeding.


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## Laura87 (May 16, 2019)

It made it though the night and he's bottle feeding with no problem. Half way through the bottle he quits and goes to momma but he sucks on clumps of mud that are stuck to get belly? I cut some off. I tried letting it suck my finger then putting it on mom's nipple but he just won't latch on....idk bottle feeding it is!


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## r82230 (Mar 1, 2016)

I'd be inclined to give him a little more time with mom, especially being you got some fuel in his belly. If he gets the idea and finally latches on to mom, I believe it will make things a lot easier on you in the long run.

Larry


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## danwi (Mar 6, 2015)

When bottle feeding get the calf alongside the cow to make the transition easier. When my wife trains them she even pushes down on their heads to get them in the cow sucking position. Keep the cow and calf together and when the calf is no longer hungry for the bottle it is probably sucking the cow you just wont see it


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

Hardest thing to learn with cattle is when to intervene and when to let nature take its course.

We had several born the morning of Mother's Day. All did well except one, next day had rain and momma doesn't want him anywhere near the rest of the cows or calfs. Plopped him done in the muddiest spot she could find. Didn't actually see him nurse for awhile, decided to wait as he seemed to have plenty of energy. Just decided that if I didn't see him nurse the next time I checked him and momma was coming in the barn. Was just heading out to start bringing them in and I caught him nursing finally.


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## Laura87 (May 16, 2019)

I tried putting him on momma about a dozen times today. I did bottle feed because I don't think he's strong enough for me to let him get really hungery. Thanks everyone for all your help! I will keep you updated!


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## IHCman (Aug 27, 2011)

If you've got him to suck the bottle thats half the battle, now just to get him on the teat. Have to have him suck your finger while you get his head under the cow and guide the teat into his mouth. Sometimes helps to milk her teat into his mouth. I know it can be frustrating as either the calf will lose the teat or the cow will move and cause him to lose it just as he is starting to suck. Keep at it.


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## Laura87 (May 16, 2019)

I'm still trying to get him on momma with no luck. I tried at least 10 times today. He just dosent get it! He's doing good though starting to get spunky! I know he's not quite out of the woods yet but I think he'll make it. Had another calf born this morning with no problems! THANK YOU EVERYONE!


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## r82230 (Mar 1, 2016)

Let him get a little hungry, might inspire him a little more.

Larry


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## Hayjosh (Mar 24, 2016)

A mammal will only drop colostrum within the first 24 hours post-parturition. Likewise, the neonatal gut is open and permeable during this same time, allowing the very large immunoglobulins (antibodies) to pass through and enter directly into the blood stream.

Sloughing of intestinal epithelia conducive to immunoglobulin transfer begins almost immediately after birth, such that by 6 hr after birth, only 66% of immunoglobulins are absorbed, 47% by 12 hours, with complete gut closure by 24 hr.

When the neonate receives no colostrum or insufficient uptake of immunoglobulins this is called failure of passive transfer (FPT). It takes about 6 months for active immunity to mature which means until this time, the calf has little immunity to anything it's exposed to aside from antibodies it received passively from the dam. And it would only have antibodies to whatever the dam had, which is why it's important to make sure the cow is up to date on vaccinations. Your calf probably did not receive colostrum and has FPT.

You can give it a transfusion of hyperimmune bovine plasma. I have no idea how often cattle producers do this, but it's common in the equine world, and I actually used to make hyperimmune equine plasma for FPT in foals.

This company was one of our competitors but they do sell normal bovine plasma. I'm guessing it's probably between $100-200 for a liter. You'd need your vet to administer it. It would certainly help with the calf's immunity.

http://www.lakeimmunogenics.com/index.php/product/normal-bovine-plasma/


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## 8350HiTech (Jul 26, 2013)

If I tried for days, didn’t have a proper chute, and wasn’t dealing with a prized, high-dollar cow, they would both find new homes. I like trying to make at work as much as the next person but when not properly equipped and not succeeding, sometimes it requires an evaluation of what you’re putting in and what you’re getting back out.


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## stack em up (Mar 7, 2013)

Hayjosh said:


> A mammal will only drop colostrum within the first 24 hours post-parturition. Likewise, the neonatal gut is open and permeable during this same time, allowing the very large immunoglobulins (antibodies) to pass through and enter directly into the blood stream.
> 
> Sloughing of intestinal epithelia conducive to immunoglobulin transfer begins almost immediately after birth, such that by 6 hr after birth, only 66% of immunoglobulins are absorbed, 47% by 12 hours, with complete gut closure by 24 hr.
> 
> ...


tl;dr


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## PaulN (Mar 4, 2014)

Well Laura, it's been a week now. How's the calf doing?


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