advice - calves who had coccidia, very thin -long term effects?

[Mojo Chick'n]

Hello -

A neighbor stopped by today, he had three baby calves, 2 months old, he bottle fed (are weaned now), they had coccidia, and are supposedly over that but they are VERY thin.

He is trying to sell them, wondered if we were interested (I've bought other animals from him before).

These three calves have been castrated, dehorned and have an implant to make them grow fast/bigger.

Now, we had a cow last year we raised to butcher, but she was 6 months old when we got her - she wasn't nearly so little or so thin. What are the long term effects of coccidia? and would it be worth it to even buy these three to raise for beef, or would we be spending a LOT more on feed just to get them to decent weight?

Two of them are Jersey mix and one is a Holstein mix. The little holstein boy has an underbite like Dwayne Dibbley - druids could worship in his teeth

poor thing. (I know, Dwayne's was an overbite, but you get the picture - if ya know Red Dwarf at all

)

We are inclined to pass on these three, even though it's a decent deal (unless they will be thin right up to butcher time - then it wouldn't really be a deal after all).

looking for anyone who knows about thin bottle babies and lasting effects of coccidia....

thanks -
Meri

 

[Farmer Kitty]

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It really depends on how long they had the coccidi and how thin they are. Like any animal there is a point where it becomes a problem to get them to gain weight back on. But, being young calves they can drop weight quickly and recover quickly too. If they weren't sick all that long I would give them a shot. Get them onto a good quality hay and grain. Even if you plan on grass feeding, I still would recommend some grain until they get going good again then try taking it away and see how it goes.

I would also get coccidi meds and retreat them when you get them.