Steer off feed, minimal water

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lomac

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Mar 22, 2014
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54
Have a angus steer kinda acting weird today. Didnt go to food bowl like usual. very slow eating. This has happened before once when we went to a show 4 hrs away. gave him something , forget the name, they sold it at the show to help the rumen. had plenty left so gave him some this evening. only thing that has changed is the hay. Just had to buy some day before yesterday before we ran out. He is eating 26lbs a day and is fed twice daily, 13lbs morn and evening. He has been at 26 lbs for months. I was told to put baking soda in his feed to stop any acid probs. how much BS do I give him per feeding? We are nearing the end of our project and need to finish w him strong. Thanks for any advive
 

lomac

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Mar 22, 2014
Messages
54
Wasnt able to get him to eat. Mixed up about 3-4 tblspoons of BS in syrup and put it down his throat. Also was able to get about 4 Gas-X in as well. He went to crap about 5 mins later and it was was a clear bubbly mucus like. Is that from the BS? Normal?
 

EastTnShower

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Mar 17, 2014
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24
We had a heifer with the same problem would eat wouldn't drink so we let her free choice some baking soda and just let her be the rest if the night and by morning she was at the trough ready for something to eat. I never saw her crap but I would say that's proby right just give all the baking soda in straight form as he wants and see what hapens after a day
 

vc

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Jul 24, 2007
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What type hay are you feeding him, did you change the type of hay? I would cut his grain if half  for a day or 2 then slowly bring him back up on full feed. I would also consider putting him on Probios (powder form) and give it to him daily.
I have had feed go bad as well, fat in it went rank, change to a different lot and calf started eating like he was starved. There are so many thing that can come into play it is hard to pinpoint a problem. If the weather made a drastic change it can mess them up.
The hardest part in raising one is feeding and staying ahead of problems.
hope that helps.
Buddy bought a fat steer at the fair a brought it home to put some more weight on it prior to processing, could not get it to really gain weight, when they processed it it had a 50 gallon trash bag in it's first stomach, like I said so many thing can come into play.
 

lomac

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Mar 22, 2014
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54
Thanks VC. They are on a orchard hay. Weather has been crazy here. Right before this happened we had warmed up to the mid 70s for bout a week then the bottom dropped. High 40s day high 20s night. We have him bck now. Slowly bringing the feed bck up and hes drinking plenty of water. Giving him 3tbl spoons of baking soda now morn and evenin in his feed.. Moving him onto beet pulp as well to cut the grain ration down some. My plan is to give it to him dry,  they have been on grain mixture since 4 months old so dont think it will mess w the gums (bought the shredded).  He was at 26lbs a day before this happened.  Was gonna do 20lbs grain and 6 lbs pulp once we get him bck to fulll speed. Sound bout right?
 

vc

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Jul 24, 2007
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Location
So-Cal
Sounds right on the beet pulp, hopefully he stays on track now.
 
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