So there are some issues with being inexperienced of the bovine species. I recently went in with my brother-in-law to purchase a bull calf or so I thought. It was later revealed to me, Wendy (Jen’s Sister) and I had made the deal Jon knew nothing of it until we owned a calf. And as you all (as if I have a bunch of readers) know animals at Rosebriar Farm must have a name, Wendy decided to name this fellow Standing Rib Roast and noted so in the ‘for” column of her check.
When I purchased the calf I was unaware he had a cold, which with the brutal weather we had come in the next few days made it much worse. He was walking around and eating fine, he had a small matted area around one of his eyes. In a matter of about three days this become a bunch of matted area around both eyes and he was having a hard time sucking a bottle, as he would suck, he would pull his head back and cough. Asking a cattle farmer friend of mine he suggested I try giving him some penicillin; an intramuscular (IM) shot in the neck (no need to damage a good steak with a puncture wound). Really if you don’t believe it look it up. Since this was a Sunday afternoon, I called another cattle farmer who might have some meds I could get until I could get some, I spoke with his wife and she told me he didn’t have any but I should call his brother who just happens to be a veterinarian. Much to my dismay he did not seem to care I had a very sick calf; said he did not use penicillin on large animals anymore, he had something better. I waited as if he would then suggest something…….after a long pause. I said “and” (keep in mind he has a vet truck with all the meds on board to make farm calls), he says come by the office tomorrow and we will discuss what to do. I hope you are reading this part with an irate tone as I will not take another animal to him.
Since then Dr. Steve Powers, where I take my small animals has recommended a large animal vet.
So the next morning I made a trip to
Cagle’s where George Cagle helped me with my problem. He told me what he would recommend and sold me the necessary items and even told me if some of the items were not needed to bring them back. He was not out to make a few bucks on a sale, he wanted to help me get my calf healthy and keep me as a satisfied customer. For days we (Brad and I) treated this little fellow and each day we saw some improvement. And when I say treated I mean treated; IM shots of antibiotics, tube feeding with Bounce Back, a (Gatorade, Pedialyte, type) electrolyte replacement, as well a tube feeding regular milk formula for calves. This is similar to intubating a person except instead of finding the airway to the lungs you find the stomach.
Well a week and a half into this whole ordeal., when. I was at a company gift exchange when I get a phone call from Jen (ignore), I immediately sent her a text, “swapping gifts, I’ll call later, what’s up?”. As soon as I sent that I get a call from Sam, my darling 18 year old daughter (ignore), forward the same text message to her as a response. By the time the text message went out the phone indicated a voice mail had been received. I immediately check to message to hear:
“Dad, your Standing Rib Roast, is not standing……uh…..it’s dead.”
