Calf not right

DB67

Member

Location

Scotland

• Mar 31, 2015

• #1

Hello,

Calfing as usual has had its fair share of problems but nothing serious to date. With only a few to go it's been fairly decent.

Got a calf though that at first I thoufht was joint Ill but today it's sort of struggling to sh!t, and is pretty uncomfortable. Heavy breathing etc. Anyone got any ideas before I get the vet out? Any tips for making them sh!t?

Cheers

 

milkloss

Member

Livestock Farmer

Location

East Sussex

• Mar 31, 2015

• #2

DB67 said:

Hello,

Calfing as usual has had its fair share of problems but nothing serious to date. With only a few to go it's been fairly decent.

Got a calf though that at first I thoufht was joint Ill but today it's sort of struggling to sh!t, and is pretty uncomfortable. Heavy breathing etc. Anyone got any ideas before I get the vet out? Any tips for making them sh!t?

Cheers

Click to expand...

Don't think it will apply to a Scottish calf; round here you could whisper 'whole life assurance' in its ear and there would be sh1t everywhere! Seems to work on TFF!

Seriously though you could try the lamb trick: soapy water and a feeding tube up its butt. To be honest though I can't say I've ever come across the problem before.

 

M-J-G

Member

Location

Sunny Scotland (But I wasn't born here)

• Mar 31, 2015

• #3

Hate to suggest it but if it's really stiff and not sh!tting.... Tetanus
I also had one that never shat, normal for a week or so and very slowly went down hill, turned out to have a missing section of bowel.

Sorry to be such an optimist!

 

bovine

Member

Location

North

• Mar 31, 2015

• #4

How old is the calf? Heavy breathing would suggest pneumonia, acidosis or severe pain. Have you taken the temperature?

 

DB67

Member

Location

Scotland

• Apr 1, 2015

• #5

Vet out this morning.

Dead by lunch.

 

choochter

Member

Location

aberdeenshire

• Apr 1, 2015

• #6

what was the verdict?

 

DB67

Member

Location

Scotland

• Apr 1, 2015

• #7

choochter said:

what was the verdict?

Click to expand...

Thought it maybe was something neurological aswell. He goes into great detail, sometimes baffling to someone who isn't a vet but better that way than some twit that doesn't explain things.

 

choochter

Member

Location

aberdeenshire

• Apr 1, 2015

• #8

well, I suppose the odd loss has to be borne, pita though