The appearance of offspring on the farm is an important and exciting event for any owner. Little calves are active and very funny, but in order for a cow baby to develop well and grow into a healthy and productive animal, it needs to be taken care of from the first hours of life. What to do if the calf does not drink milk, why this happens, these questions concern many beginning farmers.
The need to consume colostrum
The calf's gastrointestinal tract is not fully functional at the time of birth. The baby does not have his own antibodies that help him fight infection and resist colds.That is why he, like a human baby, vitally needs colostrum.
If the calf does not receive colostrum in the first hour after birth, immunity will not be formed, the pet will often get sick and may die. It is with colostrum that the baby receives the antibodies and minerals necessary to launch the immune system. In the first 3 days after birth, the pet is given only colostrum, 5-6 times a day. Daily consumption - 6 liters. If the calf suckles well, it is left with the cow and feeds on colostrum on its own.
This method is called suction. The calf is kept with the cow for the first 1-1.5 days. Then the baby is transferred to a separate stall.
The animal may not have a sucking reflex, then the owner needs to direct the baby to the udder, wet his finger with colostrum and let him lick it. During the first feeding, the animal consumes 1-1.5 liters of colostrum. If he is unable to suck on his own, the valuable product is milked, poured into a bottle with a nipple and given to the pet. In this case, it needs to be heated to +35-37 °C. Warm up the colostrum by dipping the bottle in hot water; do not heat it on the stove or gas.
From day 2, the calf should be given, in addition to milk, warm boiled water, first 0.5-1 liter after feeding, then the amount is increased. From 10 days of age, the animal should have free access to clean boiled water. Boil and slightly heat the water for up to 3-4 weeks. After a month, drink water at room temperature.
For what reasons does a calf refuse milk?
Nature has given newborns a love for milk; if a small calf refuses to drink it, it is necessary to find the reason. Pathological or behavioral factors may be at work.
Pathological
It happens that after birth the calf does not have a sucking reflex; in this case, the baby is taken out of the bottle and forced to suck.
A newborn calf may suffer from digestive problems, sometimes with stomach pain or diarrhea. In this case, the help of a veterinarian is required. The animal refuses to eat with the following diseases:
- dyspepsia;
- gastroenteritis;
- salmonellosis;
- pneumonia;
- colibacillosis.
Diseases are diagnosed by a veterinarian, he examines the baby and prescribes tests. The calf needs to be treated immediately; any pathologies develop very quickly in babies.
Behavioral
A healthy animal may refuse milk if:
- The drink offered is cold;
- the calf is not good at suckling, it does not get enough to eat and is very tired;
- Instead of milk, he is offered a substitute.
A pet at the age of 1 month is given only whole warm milk, without herbal additives. If the cow does not have milk, give the baby a high-quality formula prepared according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
What can be replaced
If the cow does not have colostrum or there is not enough of it, a nutritional mixture is prepared. Add 2-4 raw eggs, 1 teaspoon of fish oil and salt to a liter of whole cow's milk, mix everything and heat it in a container with hot water. The mixture is given to drink from a bottle, then supplemented with colostrum.
From 5 days they switch to milk. If there are several cows on the farm, milk from different animals is mixed and given to the calf, this strengthens the immunity of weakened animals.
If necessary, you can give your pet a whole milk substitute; this is essentially powdered milk that is diluted before use. From this time on, he should have free access to water.
Transfer to artificial feeding
From the 3rd week, additives are added to the calf's milk. Mix oatmeal with warm water and add to milk. Boiled mashed potatoes are added to slightly diluted warm milk. After a month, the animal begins to gradually become accustomed to hay. It is finely chopped and offered to the pet no more than 50 grams on the first day, gradually increasing the dose. The hay is moistened with salted water so that the animal does not inject itself and quickly gets used to the new food. One feeding is replaced with wheat or oatmeal porridge. If the calf is born in the summer, fresh, slightly dried grass is given instead of hay. Hay or grass is tied in small bundles and secured in calf feeder.
Root vegetables are included in the diet: carrots, boiled apples, potatoes. After a month, the diet should contain: salt, about 5 grams per day, chalk - 10 grams. After consultation with a veterinarian, vitamin complexes are added.
The calf receives milk until 2.5-3 months. Its dose is reduced, replacing first 1, then 2 milk feedings, then leaving only the evening feeding. Whole milk is gradually replaced by skim milk (skim milk remaining after separation). Feed granules for calves are introduced into the diet.
Prevention
To raise livestock strong and healthy, you need to keep it in a clean, dry barn. It is better not to use sawdust as bedding. Milk bottles and buckets must be clean and washed after each feeding. The nipples are additionally boiled in a 2% solution of baking soda. The stall with the pet is cleaned and ventilated daily.
IN calf stall They come in in clean clothes and wash their hands before feeding. Give babies warmed milk and water. Root vegetables are washed before cooking; rotten or moldy vegetables are not used. Carry out systematic veterinary examinations. Follow the vaccination schedule.
Healthy babies are active, they have a cold nose and dry tail, clean, clear eyes. If the animal is lethargic, refuses water and food, or has diarrhea, you should contact a veterinarian. If you treat the calf responsibly and with love, there will be no problems with raising it.
