Springer Magrath 1 gallon crimp style fluid feeder w/ plastic probe

Details

A calf that will not get up and suck needs colostrum or fluids inside it before long, and a bottle is not always going to do it. This is the tool that comes off the hook at that point. This is the one gallon size, four quarts, fitted with a flexible plastic probe. The manufacturer states the probe is shaped and sized so it cannot be inserted into the trachea, which reduces the risk of fluid reaching the lungs. The bag is heavy duty plastic that resists punctures and tears and stays flexible down to minus 18 Celsius. It collapses as it empties rather than needing to be vented, and a check valve keeps air from drawing back in. The crimp valve on the tube is the difference between this and the gravity models. You set the clamp and regulate how fast fluid goes down. The maker notes that a slow rate lets the calf form saliva freely, which it needs for proper digestion. Bag, tube and probe come apart for washing, and they are worth washing and drying after every calf rather than at the end of the run. If you have not tube fed before, have your veterinarian or someone experienced show you the technique before you are doing it alone in a cold barn.