Premature calf heifer lacks milk

[Bopeep1981]

Hi all,

We had a premature calf arrive on Tuesday, 3 weeks early, weighing 20kg. Out of a first calver. She has a strong sucking reflex, took a couple of days to stand unaided, but is now able to get up and lay down herself, and shuffle about quite well. She is being bottle fed and put on mum at least twice a day. Weighed her yesterday and she has put on 3kg! However, heifer does not have much milk. What she does have is custard colour, but not a lot in volume. Calf is sucking, but I don't think it is getting much.

Any ideas to help mum produce a bit more?

Thank you!

 

[juke]

a little bit of cake could help her come into her milk a bit quicker,

 

[borderterribles]

Keep feeding the heifer, it is amazing how little they need from their mothers to thrive, as long as they are getting some of her milk.

 

[M-J-G]

The calf is on the bottle and will suck the heifer so you are pretty well off, just keep feeding the heifer something quite high protein and see how it goes.
Out to grass (If you have any) during the day will be better for milk than any feed.

Keep the calf sucking the heifer, it will soon stop the bottle when it's getting enough from her.

 

[Bopeep1981]

Thank you everyone

The heifer is nearly two, and is in great condition. She is on a dry silage at the moment, so we will try giving her a bit of cake. It's 16.5% protein, so hope that is high enough.

 

[M-J-G]

You've done well to get it this far.

Very long hair for such an early calf, they normally look like they've been clipped. How well are it's teeth through?

 

[Bopeep1981]

Thanks

That is what a friend of ours said. Teeth well through too. Calf is by AI so we have a service date, and heifer was running in the heifer pen in the shed beforehand. We have had another early calf by the same bull, only 10 days though, not three weeks!

 

[Princess Pooper]

Once the calf can suckle when it wants then Mum will probably produce more milk to demand once sh'e getting some cake too. You will also be surprised if Mum is having some cake, how quickly the calf starts to nibble a bit, which will help its rumen to develop quickly so at least if Mum is never the milkiest it will keep putting weight on as it will have a functional rumen from 2-3 months.

 

[multi power]

Thanks

That is what a friend of ours said. Teeth well through too. Calf is by AI so we have a service date, and heifer was running in the heifer pen in the shed beforehand. We have had another early calf by the same bull, only 10 days though, not three weeks!

I'd check the average gestation for the bull, doesn't look 3 weeks premature to me

 

[Bopeep1981]

Once the calf can suckle when it wants then Mum will probably produce more milk to demand once sh'e getting some cake too. You will also be surprised if Mum is having some cake, how quickly the calf starts to nibble a bit, which will help its rumen to develop quickly so at least if Mum is never the milkiest it will keep putting weight on as it will have a functional rumen from 2-3 months.

Thank you

Managed to get calf to suck from the cow this evening, but I have to be scratching her back otherwise she kicks. She did settle after a couple of minutes and started chewing the cud whilst feeding. It might be a while before calf tries to feed herself though. She had a bit of cake earlier, and will give her some in the morning.

 

[milkloss]

I’d agree that it’s not all that premature. When we have animals like that with out much milk they never usually come into enough to raise the calf particularly well, we have a bunch of all sorts (jerseys and ex milkers) that will feed anything and that’s where they go, just makes it difficult if they need separating as you never know what’s feeding what.

 

[Bopeep1981]

Well she was AI'd on 26/04/18 which, according to the Hereford Society gestation table, puts her due date at 03/02/19. The sire of the calf has a longer gestation EBV, her dam doesn't have one, but our stock bull (who she is sired by) does seem to have a shorter gestation period, but only by a few days.

The calf is tiny (only 20kg at birth), couldn't stand for a couple of days, and seems much slower to do things when compared to "normal" newborn calves. I wasn't sure about her sight at first, but I am certain that she can see some things now. She is still shuffling about, rather than walking. At least she has a strong sucking reflex. She seems premature to me, other than her coat and teeth.

Anyone got photos of other premature calves?

 

[M-J-G]

Well she was AI'd on 26/04/18 which, according to the Hereford Society gestation table, puts her due date at 03/02/19. The sire of the calf has a longer gestation EBV, her dam doesn't have one, but our stock bull (who she is sired by) does seem to have a shorter gestation period, but only by a few days.

The calf is tiny (only 20kg at birth), couldn't stand for a couple of days, and seems much slower to do things when compared to "normal" newborn calves. I wasn't sure about her sight at first, but I am certain that she can see some things now. She is still shuffling about, rather than walking. At least she has a strong sucking reflex. She seems premature to me, other than her coat and teeth.

Anyone got photos of other premature calves?

If that's the only date you have for her being served then it must be early.
The hair just didn't look it.
It does look more like an early calf in your picture above and sounds like it from your description.

Either way you have done well to have it to where it is.

Watch the lungs, if it's early it is highly likely to get a lung infection as it's lungs won't be fully developed.
Personally I would cover it with a long cover antibiotic like draxan as a preventative to get it to nearer it's normal birth date safely.

 

[Bopeep1981]

Watch the lungs, if it's early it is highly likely to get a lung infection as it's lungs won't be fully developed.
Personally I would cover it with a long cover antibiotic like draxan as a preventative to get it to nearer it's normal birth date safely.

Glad you said that because she started to snuffle a little bit yesterday so I gave her Draxxin, just in case. Makes sense about the not quite developed lungs, but I hadn't really considered it as she was breathing okay. I did wonder if it was the right course of action, pleased I did now. Thanks

 

[M-J-G]

Glad you said that because she started to snuffle a little bit yesterday so I gave her Draxxin, just in case. Makes sense about the not quite developed lungs, but I hadn't really considered it as she was breathing okay. I did wonder if it was the right course of action, pleased I did now. Thanks

You sound like a very on the ball stockperson!

 

[Bopeep1981]

You sound like a very on the ball stockperson!

Thank you! Just hope all our efforts aren't in vain.

 

[Gulli]

It'll be ok. Keep feeding the heifer and she'll come into a bit more milk.

 

[Bopeep1981]

Tried to upload this video, but couldn't fathom it, so here is a link to said video on our Elwess Herefords Facebook page https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2287764988109610&id=1610209029198546
Feeding cow twice a day and putting calf on four times a day. Hoping she will put herself on as she gets stronger. Still not a lot of milk, but we will keep trying!

Thank you for all your advice, it has really helped

 

[Wazmos]

Ask your vet about a jab of steroid to help mature the lungs, there always the main threat in premature calves.
Had one premature last year that was on the bottle as well as the cow, after about 10days he stopped taking milk from the bottle. Mother must have started producing enough, never had loads but must have been enough.
Best of luck.

 

[Grass And Grain]

Nice looking cow by the way! I really like her.