Calf Won't Suck

[Northeastfarmer]

It was a college vet from thurso that told me about it and i:m quite sure he did not make it up.It is also far to much off a coincidence that as soon as we started jagging cows with selenium the problem disappeared my own vets had told me that it was linked to bvd so we tested every animal on the farm and they were all clear.I was tearing my hair out as I was having to give a sook to over half the calves born, now with the bolus to the cows and megastart tubs I will only have to help 2 or 3 a season.

Very similar to my situation 2 years ago

 

[nails]

Temperature? Demeanour? Colostrum? Difficult birth?

Covering their eyes works if its simply stupidity.

Not always as that was a trick shown to me years ago by an old dairyman. It is always worth a try though if the calf is real stupid and lazy. As someone mentioned, make sure they get plenty of colostrum by tube for the first few times and then let them get hungry, I know it goes against your instinct to keep helping but doing that rarely fails.

 

[kp_n_plghng]

Anytime we've had one that wouldn't suck its normally been the limmys too!! Normally just bag twice a day for 5-7 days then skip two feeds provided its not too cold. Did have one had to skip three feeds but then he got it. Its normally the best calves that are like it, think they might be a bit brain damaged or somthing

 

[Northeastfarmer]

In my experience it's been the blue bred ones that can be dopey, and with their tongues hanging out the side, don't know if it's because sometimes they can have a short neck

 

[Muck Spreader]

I've actually got an interesting one on the bottle at the moment. It won't take it's morning or evening bottle without a fair bit of persuasion and drinks it down as opposed to sucking it. But it's midday bottles it always goes mad for and would suck the bottle into it's stomach if it could. It's a 21 day old female Lim.

 

[Northeastfarmer]

I've actually got an interesting one on the bottle at the moment. It won't take it's morning or evening bottle without a fair bit of persuasion and drinks it down as opposed to sucking it. But it's midday bottles it always goes mad for and would suck the bottle into it's stomach if it could. It's a 21 day old female Lim.

Just feed it at midday then?

 

[shearerlad]

Sounds like Vitamin E, selenium or iodine deficiency.

Btw why has this become a limmy bash???
Worst experience I've had is with shorthorns. Wasn't interested in anything other than cowering under heat lamp.