Problem Calf-need help!!!

[Limflex]

Have a 4 day old Alias bull calf appears to be blind and deaf. Having to tube him,he can't or won't suck. Out of a 6 yo Angus cow. Calf weighed 105# big boned,hairy,normal
in evey way other than no sight or hearing. Some say knock him in the head,just not ready to throw in the towel just yet. Anyone had an experience with a calf like this?
Any help would be appreciated.

 

[SSIMMENTALS]

I can offer you nothing but encouragement, but there was an article in our state cattleman's association magazine about a ten(?) year old girl who raised a deaf/blind calf on the bottle. The article was very positive about her experience, so I think it can be done. However, I will also say I think you're in for a doozy if your going to make it happen. Best wishes <party>

 

[lightnin4]

We raised a blind heifer (I don't think she was deaf) a couple of years ago.  We just fed her out though.  Kept her in a small run off of our barn and she managed fine.  She came to the fence when we were down there and to the trough at feeding time with no issues.  In a smaller, controlled environment there's no reason the calf cant adapt. 

 

[GoWyo]

Had one like that ten years or so ago and gave it to the neighbors who had some goats.  They bottle fed it goat milk and got it to about 700 lbs. before they butchered it.  It was a little dangerous once the calf got that big because it did have a tendency to bump into stuff.  Had another one a couple of years later that was blind but could hear.  It had something wrong with its head because as it got to about 4-5 months old, its skull wouldn't grow and there was kind of a hole in the skull below the poll where the contents were trying to go.  Had to go to the neighbors and put that one down when it didn't work out.  After the second one, I tested the whole herd for BVD and they came up clean.

 

[Limflex]

Thanks for the help. Think we may try to get him started and find it a home. Really don't have time to
tube him 2 or 3 times a day till he gets going. He just will not suck, his tongue seems to be really short.
Thought I seen most of it in 50 years........guess not!!! Keep the advice coming all is welcome.

 

[hevmando]

My grandfather raised a blind calf many years ago in a pen by itself.  Took some tlc, but the neighgor still raves about it being the most tender beef he ever ate as the calf was as calm as they come and never got worked up.

 

[farmin female]

Nice heart warming stories about the blind calf thing, but the reality is that if he can't suck, he probably wont survive.  Some you win and some you lose and thats life on the farm.  It's always a shame but sometimes we don't always have the answers or the cures.  Maybe a vet or some of the other planteers can provide insight. :'(

 

[DL]

Have a 4 day old Alias bull calf appears to be blind and deaf. Having to tube him,he can't or won't suck. Out of a 6 yo Angus cow. Calf weighed 105# big boned,hairy,normal
in evey way other than no sight or hearing. Some say knock him in the head,just not ready to throw in the towel just yet. Anyone had an experience with a calf like this?
Any help would be appreciated.

You have a big, blind, deaf calf that won't suck. You state that you do not have time to tube him 2-3 times a day; chances are you won't have time to bottle feed him either - the kindest thing you can do for the calf is to humanely euthanize it -

 

[simmyman67]

I agree with DL

 

[MooMooLover]

We had a heifer calf that woudn't suck 2 years ago and after 4 days of milking the mother and tubing the calf, I was done..I told my husband if she don't start sucking she's out of here, she must have heard me because the next time I went out to check on her she was sucking..

 

[RidinHeifer]

I understand both sides here. As one who pretty Mich only gets free reject bottle calves. A little hard work pays off sometimes. My heifer was twin with contracted tendons,  but she took on less than a quarter straw of semen last fall. We have put one steer in the freezer and are about to do another. I also tubed a lamb this spring for over 12hours before he ever got up. For a few days after that I had to hold him up to let him nurse because he was so small. This summer I had numerous compliments on him eventhough he wasn't the biggest or heaviest. I was glad I hadn't thrown in the towel and threw away what became a good wether.
From my side, someone would love that calf and learn so much raising it if it could take a bottle. Ya never know it could just have late development there.
I also very much understand to take it out of its misery. It isn't fair if the calf doesn't improve for it to be tubed all the time. But if it gets okay and on a bottle or cow there's no reason it can't live out to be a great freezer beef if you keep its surroundings the same.
Again I completely understand both sides!

 

[Limflex]

Well, I had to put him down tonight. Not that I wanted too,but I had to. God made it a little easier on me....
When I got in tonight, he was not doing too well so it was more of a matter of doing what was right. Don't like
giving up on anything,we gave it our best shot,but out of respect we did what we had to do. Thanks to all for
the advice and the stories.

 

[RidinHeifer]

Sorryto hear that that. I hope that's the the end of your bad luck fpur calves those season

 

[farmin female]

Well, I had to put him down tonight. Not that I wanted too,but I had to. God made it a little easier on me....
When I got in tonight, he was not doing too well so it was more of a matter of doing what was right. Don't like
giving up on anything,we gave it our best shot,but out of respect we did what we had to do. Thanks to all for
the advice and the stories.


Man, that sucks.......

 

[chambero]

The other side of this kind of issue is that you can easily spend so much time dealing with your problem cattle (whether its an issue like this, wild ones, etc) that you neglect your good ones.  Reinforce success, not failure.