Lots of calves dieing

[Shortarse]

This year has been awful... we lost a few new born calves and we realised what was wrong with them and fixed that (mainly a combination of mild summer, plenty of grass, fat cattle even when they had calves suckling then this winter has not been harsh weatherwise so cows are not struggling to grow thier calves) but out of 26 calves we got of local dairy, we are now down to 18, we lost some down to a naval infection and we treated them for that but we are still losing calves, I'm abit perplexed and can't put my finger on where the problem is. Interestingly the dairy farm we hav bought from is also loseing more calves than normal. If anyone can shed light I would apprisiate it.

 

[Old Tup]

BVD?

 

[Samcowman]

Have you done blood tests? What have they said. Without that you will only be guessing.

 

[Humble Village Farmer]

Colostrum?

 

[Tim W]

Vet?

 

[Shortarse]

Vet?

Vet is having another look but doesn't reckon it's bvd....Will probably go hav a blood test... no signs of bvd ... we had a navel infection but sorted that a month ago just wondering as they are dairy calves the navel is not cleaned by the cow so infection sets in coz the calves from our sucklers alhave not been affected

 

[Sharpy]

What age are they dieing at? What are the symptoms?

 

[egbert]

Sounds like the problem is starting 'upstream'

 

[Shortarse]

What age are they dieing at? What are the symptoms?

From 3 to 7 months .... becoming lethargic almost like no energy but they hav a block

 

[Skintagain]

From 3 to 7 months .... becoming lethargic almost like no energy but they hav a block

I would be testing for everything

 

[Sharpy]

Surely post mortems are saying something?

 

[Al R]

Know of a dairy that prioritised colostrum to heifers, bull calves all sold and 50% wouldn’t reach 6 months no matter what the vets put in them.

 

[milkloss]

I'd rule out bvd. It will go through them like the flu and knock them sideways. Do an antibody test on a few, the antigen test might not show much as the virus might have been and gone by the time you're testing.

 

[Samcowman]

Vet is having another look but doesn't reckon it's bvd....Will probably go hav a blood test... no signs of bvd ... we had a navel infection but sorted that a month ago just wondering as they are dairy calves the navel is not cleaned by the cow so infection sets in coz the calves from our sucklers alhave not been affected

If the vet hasn’t done a blood test with this many dieing then they need a kick. I know our vet would be on it

 

[Skintagain]

Know of a dairy that prioritised colostrum to heifers, bull calves all sold and 50% wouldn’t reach 6 months no matter what the vets put in them.

Seen that too. May as well just give them all lead.

 

[Anymulewilldo]

If the vet hasn’t done a blood test with this many dieing then they need a kick. I know our vet would be on it

Definitely, first thing our vets do is muck/blood samples if I’ve got a group problem.

 

[BELOWAVERAGE]

From 3 to 7 months .... becoming lethargic almost like no energy but they hav a block

A block of what ?

 

[glow worm]

If not BVD, Coronavirus?

 

[Skintagain]

If not BVD, Coronavirus?

Don’t tell Chris whitty for god sake cows will all be in masks

 

[Shortarse]

Sounds like the problem is

A block of what ?

Countrylix cattle gp