It's been a very rocky start for our calf. It's almost 3:00 a.m., and he hasn't been able to stand up. Sandy the cow ended up with what looked like milk fever, so Jim and Peter gave her an injection of calcium. She perked up after that, and was able to get up and moving.
We have the calf in the house, and are feeding him the colostrum that Peter milked from the cow. We also have given him colostrum replacer that we mixed up, since Sandy was too weak at first to get up. I also read the calf needed an electrolyte replacement, so Jonathan gave me a recipe for one he found on the internet. Good thing. Shortly after the calf was given this he perked up and even attempted to stand. His hind legs especially are very, very weak, so Jonathan had to hold him up. Time will tell.
I am so thankful that Sandy is doing okay. We continue to work with the calf, asking the Lord for wisdom in how to proceed. We'll update later in the day.
3 comments:
Oh! PTL the calf is coming around and that your cow is doing better too.
Our Jersey cow, Bessie, got milk fever so bad the last time she freshened, she was as close to death as possible without dying before the vet arrived to give her an IV of CMPK. We'd given her a tube of paste CMPK when she went into labor, again after the birth and again later that day, but she was down and couldn't get up the next morning. I was frantic, as the heifer calf she birthed was still born and now it looked as if she'd given up on living.
Lynn, give her buckets of warm molasses water( 3-4 c.molasses to 4-5 gallons of water), as often as she'll take it, her stool will loosen, but it is so good for them. Also if you can get your hands on some kelp and mix it in her feed or make an herbal doughball by mixing whole wheat flour, honey/ molasses, herbs that cleanse the body of toxins( such as yarrow, elderberry flowers, borage, mints, etc...) and the kelp, roll into balls and give as a treat, hopefully she'll take them, Bessie loved them!
A thin flake of alfalfa hay will also help build up the calcium in her system, so her body isn't leaching it from her bones.
We'll be praying for your cow, calf and your family. What a blessed Christmas gift!
Thanks so much, Kelle. I'm afraid the calf is dying. He suddenly developed pneumonia symptoms, and the boys are checking to see if he is still alive. I'll let you know.
Oops, that was me, not Peter.
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