Weak Newborn Calf – Need Advice
Weak Newborn Calf – Need Advice
We’ve got a newborn calf that we’re really struggling with and could use some advice.
She was born Friday. She’s tiny—maybe around 40 lbs.
I checked on her Saturday evening and got the cow into the lot so we could keep a closer eye on things. By Sunday, we were pretty sure she wasn’t nursing.
We tried bottle feeding Sunday and Monday, but she has a very poor suck reflex and only takes tiny amounts.
We took her to the vet Tuesday morning. They kept her until Wednesday and (I’m assuming) tube fed her while she was there.
Since getting her back:
Wednesday: got about 16 oz into her total
Today: about 17 oz total
We attempted to tube feed, but couldn’t get the tube to pass. I’ve never done it before—just watched YouTube—and I’m wondering if she might be too small for the bulb on the feeder.
We inherited this herd, so we don’t have a ton of experience with situations like this.
At this point she’s still very weak, has almost no suck reflex, and we’re worried about her not getting enough intake.
Is there anything else we can realistically try without tubing?
Could the tube feeder just be too large for a calf this small?
At what point do you call it?
Any advice appreciated. This one’s been tough.