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Calves aren't eating out of feeding troughs.
Feed troughs too small, to high, to deep or inaccessible. Troughs should accommodate all the calves comfortably at the same time. This is because calves tend to eat at the same time. FiberStart® should be in small amounts and put in troughs fresh each day.
Calves have access to other foods
On the freshstart® programme calves do not need access to any other roughage i.e. no straw, no hay. It is better for calves to consume FiberStart® because of its nutrient value and rumen development.
Calves on grass
Take them off grass. Pen off a corner of paddock and feed calves then lock them in for a few hours each day.
Calves to young
Calves on once a day (that is usually after 2 weeks) take about 15 days before anything much happens.
Calves won't eat FiberStart®
Calves could be sick and weak, too small, and/or cold.
Getting stubborn calves started on FiberStart®
Sprinkling, milk powder, or molasses on the FiberStart® will get them started earlier.
Keep it fresh
Old hard feed (FiberStart®) must be removed from the trough and fresh added each day.
Milk consumption
If calves have more than 4 litres once a day or fed on colostrum it will just take longer for them to eat solid feeds. You should always keep fresh FiberStart® available. Putting a lot out won't make them eat more - this could lead to product becoming stale in the trough.
Too much milk
Calves must be on once a day, no more than 4 litres once a day for Fresians and 3 litres for Jerseys.
Calf drinks urine from other calves Pizzle
Sucking related to unsatisfied sucking instinct especially if early weaned. Tether calves during milk feeding. Hanging chains in the pen may help.
Calf grinds teeth
Calf has lost the will to live. Suffering from extended pneumonia, scours and/or chronic bloat. Has a slim chance of survival. Isolate. Don't spend lots on medication. Note star gazing pre-death symptom.
Calf is kicking belly area with its hind legs
Pain in the abdominal area from twisted stomach constipation, kidney stones or bloat. Calves on heavy straw lay calf on back and roll side to side. Check dehydration and encourage drinking. Look for mineral salts on the sheath (kidney stones).
Calf is standing with its front legs out and head stretched ahead
Signs of lengthy pneumonia bout. If discharging from the nose and frothy saliva then lung damage is often irreversible. Back may also be arched with calf moaning.
Calf Resting in an abnormal position
Normal position is curled up with feet tucked under and head along body. Treat suspiciously if not like this. Eliminate stress and potential disease. Isolate calf if necessary.
Calf resting in the corner of pen, head turned away
Don't ignore and get calf up. If it stretches it is okay, if not it needs attention. Check pecking order and move into smaller calf group. Check pen area for warmth.
Calf unable to stand or raise its head
Look for injured knee, joints or infected navel. Exhaustion from pneumonia or scours indicated with normal temperature could be selenium or vitamin E deficiency.
Calf with increased breathing at normal air temperature
Fine in warmer weather and may be fast growers. Normal is 56/min at 4 days, 37/min at 14 days and 37/min at 35 days of age. Mostly calves will have respiratory problems due to pneumonia.
Calves are shivering with hair standing on end along their backs
Suffering from cold stress. Protect against draughts, more bedding, keep them dry. Cold milk may cause this. Check body temperatures if only one or two have symptoms.
Disinterest in food and environment
Identify previous stress. Eliminate current stress sources. Treat with antibiotic and probiotics including Bio-Mos, Ginger apple cider vinegar and electrolytes as required. Rehydrate the calf.
Lying with neck stretched out front feet tucked under chest and shoulders hunched
Salmonella is likely. Temperature rises to 41°C. Calf is weak and depressed. Foul smelling diarrhoea, green with blood. Early treatment is essential for survival but may still do poorly. Increase hygiene. Disinfect thoroughly. Isolate the affected calves immediately. Bio-Mos will help bind Salmonella and E.coli.
Calf bloats after drinking
Oesophageal groove does not close completely and milk is leaked into the rumen. Can occur due to rough handling, milk is too cold or too hot, overfeeding or force feeding when abomasum is not sufficiently empty. Calf maybe sick or poor quality milk replacer is fed. Using rubber teats or feeding at regular intervals on smaller quantities, after letting calves suck you're fingers may help.
Calf bloats on ad-lib dry feed
Gas is accumulating in the rumen. This is normal for some calves and they will get over it. Watch them carefully and check for signs of Rumination. Check pH Buffers, straw/hay availability and intake. Administer these and/or oils. Adjust calves by feeding lower levels of feeds.
Calf develops a pot belly
Nutritional imbalance. Too much fibre, low dry matter diets and too little energy in the diet. Rumen function capacity is limited. Less grass and more energy, pellets with straw will help. Check for internal parasites or chronic scouring.
Calf has a cold mouth
You are losing the calf. Infection is taking over. High temperature. Chances of recovery are slim. Treat but don't get your hopes up. Calf Scours, Stress and Digestive Disorders
Calf has a naval discharge
With a transparent, watery discharge the calf has been exposed to environmental, housing or nutritional stress. Cause is usually a viral infection. Remove the stress and treat as for a hot muzzle. Where colour has changed brown or greenish and is thicker, a secondary bacterial infection is involved.
Calf has bulging eyes
This indicates good body fluids and a scour free history. Also could indicate possible!e thyroid disorder. Fine if all other healthy signs are present.
Calf has droopy ears
Suspect high temperature related to pneumonia or a digestive disorder. Temperature should be less than 39°C or use antibiotics quickly. Check for external parasites such as lice.
Calf has dry hot muzzle
Calf has a high body temperature. Most likely suffering from a respiratory disorder. Electrolytes, probiotics, Bio-Mos or antibiotics will help.
Calf has facial hair standing on end
Indicates an imminent digestive disorder. Calf likely to be scouring in 24 hours. Skip a feed and replace with electrolytes and probiotics. Could be pneumonia or BVD.
Calf has sunken eyes and it skin has lost flexibility
Probably dehydration gone unrecognised. Scouring may be the cause. Treat but follow fluid replacement strategy. Check how quickly by pinching a bit of skin near the ribs and twisting it 90° if it goes back to the original position. Quicker the better. If slow the calf is in various stakes of dehydration.
Hair is lost around the muzzle and/or rectum
Milk that is too hot or poor fat digestibility and along its hind legs poor emulsification of milk can cause this. Eliminate the cause and treat area with a weak iodine solution.
Healthy calf found dead
Suspect poisoning. Herbicides, poisonous plants, lead, batteries etc.
Mouth cavity and skin under the eyelids pale
Milk fed calves only will show signs of a pale anaemia. Solid foods will correct this.
Saliva is running from a calf's mouth
Usually a severe pneumonia. Front legs are spread, neck is stretched out, head points to the ground and breathing is laboured. Saliva will be running. Isolate and treat but may be too late.
Calf gulps milk and chokes on it
Calves are underfed, under stress or have to compete for milk. Check feeding levels. Establish a regular feeding programme. Calf may have a cleft palate. This when there is no roof to the calf's mouth. This is not common but can occur. These animals will suffer their entire life, but more often than not these calf's will not survive through to weaning.
Calf has poor appetite at birth
Trauma at birth or after transport. Offer colostrum by stomach tube 2-3 times per day. Feed electrolytes, probiotics, acidophilus powder.
Blood in faeces of newborn calf
Bright red blood can appear as blood vessels are fragile at birth. Should abate in 2-3 days. Excessive bleeding may require a vitamin K injection. If accompanied by high temperature and scours, coccidiosis or salmonella maybe occurring. Check, isolate and treat quickly.
Calf has a bloody scour and is straining to pass manure
May mean nothing but likely to be Salmonella or Coccidiosis. Coccidiosis: Calf is 14 days old, likely elevated temperature, with watery faeces containing large clots of blood or dark tarry blood staining. This is common in 50% of healthy calves. This disease is an opportunist and its rise is stress related. Reduce the stresses of poor and unhygienic environment. Check out coccidiosis control agents being used.
Calf has loose dark brown stools
Usually indicates bleeding from lesions and ulcers in the abomasum or serious infection in the digestive tract. Medication seldom helps. Feed kaolin based products, reduce grain based diets increase roughage. Colostrum products may help. Could be Campylobacter infection. Antibiotics will help.
Calf has watery scour
Sometimes seen in bought in calves lasting 6-12 hours after 5-6 days. Often connected with a change in diet, or stress by overfeeding. Watch isolate and treat if not self correcting.
Calf has white or yellow scour
Pre-scour signs were missed e.g. loss of appetite depressed facial appearance, facial hair on end. Cause can include, inadequate colostrum, overfeeding, overcrowding, poor sanitation and stress in general. Check milk replacer quality.
