Bottle Calf bloating

[Big Muddy rancher]

I have a week old bottle calf getting 2 pints morning and night. Tonight the calf was slightly bloated and didn't want to suck.
Could I be mixing the replacer to strong?

What should I treat it with?

 

[Silver]

It could be that you are mixing it too strong. As long as it's mixed to the labels directions and not stronger you should be fine. Penicillin is the treatment of choice. From what I understand if it's mixed too strong the milk spends too much time in the abomasum and the bugs get working on it, end result is bloat.
If it gets to the point you need to let some air off, roll the calf onto it's back and insert a needle about half way between the naval and the breast bone (xyphoid I think it's called)

 

[Faster horses]

Be sure to give it some Probiotic...and get some WHOLE milk, milk
replacer. Some of that junk has soy in it...

 

[cure]

When I was raising dairy calves it wasn't uncommon to have one bloat every now and then we would put it off milk for twelve hours or one feeding and tube feed it just water a couple times during the day. We had really good luck with that process and we call know how weak hearted a dairy calf is :lol: any way good luck

 

[Soapweed]

Give it electrolyte for one or two feedings instead of milk. This procedure has worked for us.

 

[hillsdown]

I had that problem this year too with a week and a half old bottle calf and I am an "expert" at bottle feeding

I had to deflate him like Silver said . You just use a 14/16 gauge needle and stick it in beside the umbilical cord while they are upside down and apply constant/smooth pressure on the balloon area until the air has been released . I also gave him bloat ease and mineral oil . Make sure you get some mineral oil down the calf , about a cup or so . Watch to make sure it is pooping and the poop is oily so you know that there is not a blockage which will be a much more serious matter altogether . Also, because you are poking a hole in them and they could be exposed to a bacterial infection I would also give a brood spectrum antibiotic JIC.

A week old calf should be getting 3 pints twice a day, so maybe you are mixing it too strong for them.

Good luck .

 

[Big Muddy rancher]

Thanks for the tips.

 

[Big Muddy rancher]

Took the bloat off gave him some warm water and a bit later a cup of mineral oil. He's looking better so see how he is in the morning. I think I will mix the milk a little weaker and see how he handles it.

Thanks again,

 

[kolanuraven]

I always give bloating calves Thera-Bloat....and I follow up with a health dose of Maloxx or Kaopectate with a bit of Gatorade.

Problems seem to fix themselves after that.

 

[milkmaid]

There's a good review on abomasal bloat in calves here:
http://www.hoards.com/E_animalhealth/ah11