Calf with contracted tendons

[Jonesy]

we had a calf born 4 days ago and we noticed that it could not get up at all on its own, it would try and could only get its hind end up, once he did that , his rear legs would either be touching one another or crosses and then he would flop back down. If I picked him up to help on his feet, his front feet would be knuckled under (which the mother cows feet were the same way and she was a calf and we put splints on her and she straightened around in a couple days), and when i pick him up to his feet and let go, he just flops back down. Vet says its a worst case of foals since the mother had the problem too, and not much you can do since its his front feet and rear legs. any suggestions other than putting it down?

 

[Soapweed]

we had a calf born 4 days ago and we noticed that it could not get up at all on its own, it would try and could only get its hind end up, once he did that , his rear legs would either be touching one another or crosses and then he would flop back down. If I picked him up to help on his feet, his front feet would be knuckled under (which the mother cows feet were the same way and she was a calf and we put splints on her and she straightened around in a couple days), and when i pick him up to his feet and let go, he just flops back down. Vet says its a worst case of foals since the mother had the problem too, and not much you can do since its his front feet and rear legs. any suggestions other than putting it down?

If it does survive, and if it is a heifer calf, don't keep it for a replacement. Probably the mother shouldn't have been turned into a cow since it seems she is passing the trait on to her offspring.

 

[Jonesy]

yeah your probably right about that. i figured I'd give her the benefit of the doubt with keeping her around. this calf is a bull calf. I stripped the cow out and bottle fed the calf with colostrum and now feeding it with milk replacer as we separated the pair due to the cow bunting it around

 

[Faster horses]

I don't know what you have up there, we have a product called
Rejuvinate, that contains massive doses of vitamins and minerals.
It will sure bring a colt around that has crooked legs or leg problems.
I would suggest you try to find something like that to give him
orally. Along with a genetic problem, lack of vitamins and minerals
could make this condition worse.

It might take several tubes given consistently over a period of time.
I've sure seen it work on foals that I thought were done for. Pretty
amazing.

Good luck!

 

[Clarencen]

Sell the cow. She may never have another calf like that again, but who knows. As for the calf, he doesn't have a very good prognoses. When just the fron feet were involves they usually come out of it. Looks like more is involved here. How are you feeding it? Are you tubing it, or will it suck a nipple? Does it have a cleft pallet? Often a cleft pallet is associated with this condition.

 

[PATB]

Do you know the pedigree of the cow and/or the sire of the calf? Go to Angus.org and look up info on the genetic disorder "CA".

 

[hillsdown]

we had a calf born 4 days ago and we noticed that it could not get up at all on its own, it would try and could only get its hind end up, once he did that , his rear legs would either be touching one another or crosses and then he would flop back down. If I picked him up to help on his feet, his front feet would be knuckled under (which the mother cows feet were the same way and she was a calf and we put splints on her and she straightened around in a couple days), and when i pick him up to his feet and let go, he just flops back down. Vet says its a worst case of foals since the mother had the problem too, and not much you can do since its his front feet and rear legs. any suggestions other than putting it down?

If you had the vet out then I am assuming he/she looked for any serious genetic or neurological disorders . I would try propping him up on a bale of straw or hay each day so he can get his legs mobile and also try feeding him that way too. I have seen this before but mine was retarded :wink: , and we eventually had to put him down even though he did manage to stand and drink from mom on his own.

FH ,unfortunately we do not have access to the same products in Canada that you have in the U.S and I have never found that product here. I would suggest vitamin a&d as well as b12 orally or for 3-4 days. How is the selenium in your area Jonesy ?

 

[PATB]

Challenge calfs get a shot of selenium if they have problems standing. The cows are on free choice mineral will high selenium and copper which are both short in my area.

 

[Hoop]

Sure sounds like white muscle disease. We are real low in selenium in Michigan, every calf gets a shot of Bo-Se. I've seen several that flop around like a fish, after a shot takes an hour or two and they're up.