Need urgent advice for Jersey calves

Needs some quick help.   I bought two Jersey bull calves - one is a month and the other a week old

When I got them home, they didn't eat much the first day if anything. I was told to feed 2x per day.  Older one 3 quarts per.  Younger one 2 quarts per.   The second day   they ate the recommended amount..  I had coats on them and took the coats off on day three and they just looked skinny.  So I added a THIRD feeding at noon.   They sucked it all down.   I'm feeding them Purina Medicated Milk Replacer - they were getting mothers milk before I got them last Saturday.

They seem to be losing weight even with extra feedings !    I'm getting advice to stick to prescribed amount, but they act hungry.   One has loose stool (see pix).

Any advice ?   ARe they just not processing the Milk Replacer ?

Have you talked to your vet?

Reminds me of Calf Scours with the manure like that. Could be contagious.  Lack of food isn't what kills calves usually, dehydration is. Your going to need to work on keeping up the electrolytes in both of them. This is what kills calves under one month usually. I don't say this to scare you but rather that you know this is common. Electrolyte replacer at proper dosage in addition to the milk replacement is common. Keep feeding schedule the way it is, don't reduce it because of the electrolyte addition.

I'd recommend a vet to create the best treatment plan, they can figure out the specific bacteria/virus/ick thing causing the scours if needed. Your outcomes might be better than trying to piece it together while you are immediately dealing with it.

Make sure you are mixing the milk replacement formula properly. Too much or too little water can lead to scours.

I know you said they were on the mother's before you got them. ~But are you sure they were? My experience in raising calves for 60 years is that if they don't get colostrum, they will live for several weeks, even a month or more, then they die.

Hope they both make it!

Been ~25 years ago so my memories are a bit sketchy. We had a Jersey Holstein cross we bought at about three days old, got her though the bottle only stage just fine. During the transition to grass we made two mistakes, continued the bottle too long. (She was sweet and none of us could resist) Worst mistake was on me alone, I enlarged the holes in the nipple so she could drink faster. Got milk replacer in her lungs and she died a few day later. Her name was Patches...

Mark Sullivan wrote:Needs some quick help.   I bought two Jersey bull calves - one is a month and the other a week old

When I got them home, they didn't eat much the first day if anything. I was told to feed 2x per day.  Older one 3 quarts per.  Younger one 2 quarts per.   The second day   they ate the recommended amount..  I had coats on them and took the coats off on day three and they just looked skinny.  So I added a THIRD feeding at noon.   They sucked it all down.   I'm feeding them Purina Medicated Milk Replacer - they were getting mothers milk before I got them last Saturday.

They seem to be losing weight even with extra feedings !    I'm getting advice to stick to prescribed amount, but they act hungry.   One has loose stool (see pix).

Any advice ?   ARe they just not processing the Milk Replacer ?

Too much milk replacer, or milk replacer not mixed according to the directions (i.e. too much powder) will give them scours as well. My calves on mama's milk tend to be loose too. They should be getting hay free choice as well as the milk replacer and water should be available as well.
As far as being 'skinny', they ARE Jersey boys, and they will look skinny, that is just how Jerseys are. As long as they are growing taller, they are fine.
On another note, when I had to use milk replacer, because my first cow died from milk fever when her daughter was 8 days old, I purposely did not use medicated stuff. I had to search to find the unmedicated stuff because modern farming seems to think that everything needs jabs and medication. ick! That bottle raised girl is now 13 years old and has given us 9 babies and LOTS of milk. I love my Fiona!
Best wishes!

Also, any time you show up with a bottle, they will suck it down because they like it. They fact that they are hungry and drinking it is a good sign as well.

I could not figure out how to edit my previous reply to add this.

If they are spunky and not lethargic,dont worry about the yellow poo.Give them pedialyte to insure they are hydrated.If they dont drink it straight you can mix it with their milk.Yes baby calves look skinny,they should,do not feed them more because of their look.You could give them some probiotics as well as the pedialyte,probios i think is what it is called.

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/probios-bovine-one-gel-300cc

Most farm stores carry it.You could start them on some grass hay as well to thicken their stool,make sure it is mold free and not alfalfa.They might only nibble it but the month old one will start trying new things and will start eating some hay.


Call the vet to check them out too if you have the cash for it.Better safe than sorry.

Years ago I accidentally bid on the wrong calf at an auction, due to inexperience with how the auction was conducted.  He was the one I didn’t want, he had bloody scours, and a herniated umbilical.   He was so dehydrated and weak he was wobbling when he walked and barely standing.  I was stuck  with him so made the best of a bad situation.   I was honestly afraid he would die before getting him home.  I did bring a bottle of  raw milk with me because I intended to buy a calf and it was a several hour trip home.  A friend had a small dairy and wanted me to bottle raise a replacement bull for him as he was changing out pens and didn’t have room for him right then.  He gave me enough milk for both of them, mine and his, so that was a huge boost.  I don’t like the antibiotics and other stuff they put in milk replacer, as it weakens their immune system.   I put a little slippery elm bark powder and a little goldenseal powder in the bottle for a few days. and reduced his intake of milk to stop the scouring, as too much always causes it.  Small, young Jerseys only need two quarts, not the gallon at the time a Holstein might require.  They are smaller animals and have smaller stomachs, it isn’t a one size fits all feed program.    When they nurse from the mother, they get less at the time and nurse more than two times a day.  You have to figure out what works for you.  A healthy animal should always be a little bit hungry, but not starving, and energetic, with bright eyes.   After the scouring stopped, I discontinued the slippery elm and goldenseal and added a little good quality yogurt for probiotics for a week or so.  I gave him a little aloe inner leaf part  to help heal the ulcerations I figured he had in his gut.  

As soon as we arrived home and I gave him the above treatment, I immediately put a pressure bandage on him over the umbilical with a stretchy cord wrapped over his back, all the way around him.  Put some healing salve made from Heal All, plantain, aloe, and a couple other herbs on the umbilical because it looked infected.  Worked fast.  In about a week that was healed and no longer protruding.  

In a week he was so recovered he started growing like gang busters, on milk and pasture and a little hay.