[Rosemary]

Charlie seems a bit slow. He was born between 3am and 7am. I latched him on at 7.30ish and he had a wee suck but nothing much. Tried him again later and he wasn't interested. NOW, he may be suckling when I'm not around; his belly doesn't feel empty and he's passed the meconium (the black poo) and he's had a "normal" poo.

I seem to recall Annie was abit dozy last year, so maybe it's a family thing

I called the vet and on his advice, I milked 500ml of colostrum off Blizz and put it in a bottle but he wasn't interested. I don't have a calf tube (note for next year  ). Just called out the vet - I'd rather he came and said he's fine and I'm worrying unnecessarily than finding the calf dead in the field 

I'll try him again with the bottle in half an hour.

On the plus side, Blizz was quite happy to let me milk her - two kicks, then she stood fine.

[Pedwardine]

Fingers crossed he's just a little slow off the mark and vet gives the thumbs up. Best of luck with him.

[HappyHippy]

  He's okay, maybe just being a typical man  I'll send some reiki for him too 

Great news about the milking though   
I'm getting quite proficent at goat milking now and 'Wee Molly' seemes to have sprouted on the good grass so I might not have to wait that long to be milking her (though when I tried touching her belly last week she didn't like it  )

Keep us posted on the wee man 

[Rosemary]

Vet has been. Temperature fine, breathing fine, no burbly chest, no neurological damage, gut fine, no watery mouth, droppings fine. Seems he might have a headache 

He could have been squeezed or knocked during the birth process. He DID look slightly punchdrunk. Anyway, he's had an antibiotic just in case, a vitamin injection to give him a wee boost and a steroid anti-inflammatory injection (Charlie didn't like that  ). He's had another litre of colostrum by tube - he sucked about 400ml from a bottle before the vet arrived.

We've to get him up and sucking at 6pm and two hourly after that, and hopefully he'll be fine in the morning. Just hope his immunity isn't too compromised.

Lesson learned though - any calf not harassing its mother from the word go needs attention. No wait an see.  that Charlie won't suffer from my tardy action 

[Factotum]

All of our bull calves have been dozy which ever mum produces them- much less bouncy than the little heifers.

Not sure why, some of them have had no idea about where to suck - they try the neck, that nice soft lump between the front legs, along the tummy...You name it, anywhere but the place they'll actually get milk. The heifers get it right, the bulls don't.

The bulls spend a couple of days being quiet and sleepy, then, bang, they're off and there's no stopping them.

Hopefully Charlie will feel better soon - you've done everything to help him get a good start.

Sue

[SallyintNorth]

Some calves are just as you describe - a bit dopey, not seeming hungry but never seen suckling. 

There's a product called Life-Gard, which is a tube of colostrum paste.  You can give this to any calf where you have concerns about it getting enough colostrum quickly enough - for instance, where the mother is a first-timer, or a case such as your Charlie.  As with lambs, colostrum in the belly is a great stimulant.

The other tip is to only use bulls who leave lively, up-and-at'em calves.  I realise that this one may be hard to manage with such a rare breed.   

It sounds from your description as though Charlie should be fine.  I'll keep my fingers crossed for him - and you.

And well done on milking Blizzard!   

Oh - and get a calf tube now.  If they get scour or bloat, you'll use one; it's not just for non-suckling newborns.

[Rosemary]

Thanks all.

Went out to feed him at 6 and when he got up, encouraged by me, he had a good stretch, which he hasn't done before. He had a good feed but faceplanted a couple of times and seemed a bit disorientated. At one point, it looked like he had a wee seizure.

I phoned the vet (they must be fed up with me) and he said that Charlie was probably a dummy calf, either squeezed or oxygen deprived at birth so probably slightly brain damaged 

So, all we can do is keep making him feed every two hours and hope that he can overcome his difficulties. His mummy loves him and licks and talks to him, so  that he makes it.

[jaykay]

I've certainly had lambs like that, who have picked up and been fine.

Good thing that his mummy loves him and is doing the right thing - fingers crossed he's fine 

[zarzar]

we had a dummy foal born 2 years ago unfortunatley he didnt survive even with blood transfusions, its not a nice thing to see but they do say if they produce one dummy they very rarely produce another somthing like a 1% of it happening again, ours was that he was born to quick, but  for your little calf if he pulls throuhg he sure is a fighter

[Rosemary]

Well, he managed to latch on and feed himself at 9.30pm. He's a bit more aware too. He looks like a newborn not a calf 14 hours old.

Bonny, on the otherhand, is running her mother ragged. She was careering about the field tonight with her tail straight in the air, with Annie for company, and with Breeze galloping behind mooing anxiously.

Hopefully, Charlie will be doing the same soon 

We're out again at 11.30 then 3.30am 

[jaykay]

I can just picture Bonny charging round the field

If Charlie is latching on himself, and looking more alert, that's moving in the right direction. Keep going little Charlie 

[Factotum]

That sounds better - sounds like he's coming on a bit.

Adam was slow  - he had to jacked by the vet as his poor mum had been straining for too long. He was a large calf for a first timer. Adam took a while to be bouncy, but he did join in with the wacky races once he was more alert. He turned out just fine (great tasting too).

Hope Charlie continues making progress.

Sue

[SallyintNorth]

I love that tail-up four-legged bouncy run young calves do.

Come on Charlie, you can do it - we're all rooting for you!

[sabrina]

Do hope he keeps improving,  maybe he had a long birth and is a bit sore.

[Rosemary]

He fed well at 11pm and really well at 3am - we just got him up and he latched on himself. Was even butting his mum.

No so chirpy at 6.30am. I mean he's fine just not as active. Going to have breakfast and try him again.

Thanks for all your good wishes - I'm passing them on to him