Calves that stop drinking

[Bogeyman]

While working with two Angus calves tonight that had drunk well for a week but won’t now,no scour no temperature it dawned on me of a few bunches of Charolais calves that did the same maybe 30 years ago the vet said to mix salt in the drink,worked a treat. Was that a fluke or is there something to it .He said the sodium stimulates the oesophageal grove For trying in the morning.
Or has anyone got other suggestions.

 

[box]

If they won't drink and the milk is clean, fresh and warm, let them starve - they always get back on the teat when they're hungry. It won't do them any harm.

I always get a few calves a season that do this (jersey heifer calves). I always assumed they were just being picky, or having a sulk (or both). The "horse to water" saying comes to mind....

 

[Dragon]

Occasionally get one which drinks too much water, then isn't bothered about drinking at next feed.

 

[white_stuffed]

We had laryngeal calf diptheria. (Not the ordinary calf diptheria which happens in older calves and show up as swollen cheek.) No symptoms - other than off milk, they just mouth the teat around and can't seem to bring themselves to drink because of sore throat. Try your other methods first but mention it to the vet if it goes on/crops up in new calves. We give a course of synulox injection which clears it up rapidly.

 

[willowwarbler]

If they won't drink and the milk is clean, fresh and warm, let them starve - they always get back on the teat when they're hungry. It won't do them any harm.

I always get a few calves a season that do this (jersey heifer calves). I always assumed they were just being picky, or having a sulk (or both). The "horse to water" saying comes to mind....

That reminds me of my very first Jersey calf - she was born overnight at the mart, and we got her for £5 , this is 60 years ago . She refused to have the bucket despite much effort from my parents , and in the end she was let out into the byres and went round the cows after they d been milked and stole what she could!

 

[The Agrarian]

Are they on bucket or teat?

 

[Bogeyman]

My calves are on .a bucket with a teat on it. Back in my younger days it was bucket feeding.