Premature calf nursed to health by OSU veterinarians

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ A Hereford calf given little chance to live after being born two months early has survived after four months of intensive care at Oklahoma State Unviersity. <br/><br/>The calf -- named

Tuesday, December 27th 2005, 8:51 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ A Hereford calf given little chance to live after being born two months early has survived after four months of intensive care at Oklahoma State Unviersity.

The calf -- named Norman -- was born on a Poteau ranch on august 28th and arrived at OSU just one-day old. He weighed just 26 pounds, couldn't stand and only had hair on his head and lower legs.

OSU veterinarians quarantined the calf and gave him intravenous fluids and antibiotics, oxygen therapy for his underdeveloped lungs and a blood transfusion from one of the hospital's donor cows.

Norman battled stomach ulcers, pneumonia and a low white-blood-cell count. His bones gradually matured, and he was able to stand.

When released last week, he weighed more than 90 pounds -- about the size of a normal newborn Hereford.