Cattle Work Experience

Today started with a visit to a calf that was a week old. On arrival it was clear that the animal was very thin and small for a animal of this age. The vet examined the calf by palpitation and then took its temperature. Temperature was on the low side at 36.5 degrees. The eyes were then examined to check that they were not glazed over and the hair around the neck was cut slightly to allow bloods to be taken from the jugular.
Metacam was then administered to help to alleviate any pain, and a stool sample was taken, by inserting the fingers into the rectum and removing a sample. Both the blood and the stool samples would be tested, and the vet was to return to the calf the following day if there was no improvement.
The most likely cause for this calf's appearance and demeanor was probably insufficient food, particularly in the first day of life when it would receive the maternal antibodies through the colostrum. The Farmer told the vet that the calf had not been seen suckling, and although they attempted to get the calf to suckle it would not. This would mean that it would not receive the antibodies to ensure protection against diseases in the first stages of life.
This was a prime example of how essential maternal antibodies are to any mammal and its survival.