Not the way I wanted to start calving season

bknthesdle · #1 02/28/12, 10:03 AM

We were still about a week or two away from our calving season, and yesterday we noticed one of the cows had a bloody tail. After waiting all evening and night for her to pass the calf, we brought her up to the born this morning and had to pull her dead calf. A nice black bull calf. Appx 70 lbs.

It really sucked since he looked almost perfect and like all he had to do was breath.

Please cross your fingers and wish us luck that the rest of our calving season will go better.

We had a major snow storm over the weekend. (about 20-30 mph winds and appx 5-7 inches of snow) And we're due a blizzard starting night and all through Wednesday.

(with chances up to 10 inches of snow.)

haypoint · #2 02/28/12, 10:32 AM

Did the calf have his feet up by his nose and ready to go? Was this her first calf? Was this from AI or a new bull or one you've been using? What breed is the bull?
Because my area is very low on selinium, I make sure the mineral block has it and give horses a ESe shot. That gives the new babies a little more "fight for life". I'm not saying you did anything wrong, we have all lost livestock "just happens" sometimes.

bknthesdle · #3 02/28/12, 11:26 AM

The calf was in position. This was her second calf. Bred to our simmental bull that we used the year prior. They get a free choice mineral that my husband gives them. Hubby believes it just happened.

I bo-se my lambs/sheep but my husband and vets agree that cows don't need much selinium. (I brought up bo-se'ing the cows last time I was at the vets.)

collegeboundgal · #4 02/28/12, 11:50 AM

man, I’m sorry to hear that bknthesdle. I lost a 1st time heifer last fall due to calf being to big and her being to small (neighbors bull jumped the fence). we didn't even know she was bred, had no bag formation, didn't dilate in the back. NO signs of getting ready to calve. we don’t get home till 3am so didn't find her till the next morning when she wasn't with the others. found her down, large bull calf a few feet away. she was still alive so we called the vet to see if he could come out. they could, but not for several hours. she died before they could get there though. her back-end was all tore up so I'm sure she was bad on the inside to. =( it was a very sad thing for me as she was my first female cow I had purchased. beautiful heifer to...

Tad · #5 02/28/12, 12:08 PM

Well stuff like that usually "just happens" Hope the weather isn't too bad and the rest of calveing season goes better.

allenslabs · #6 02/28/12, 12:44 PM

Sorry for your loss. That sucks. Farming at times makes ya wonder why?

Sherry in Iowa · #7 02/28/12, 04:47 PM

Sorry about your calf loss..these things happen. I hope your calving season is a blessed one.

haypoint · #8 02/29/12, 06:51 AM

I have seen calves unable to get up for days, get a shot of selinium and recover.
Follow the advice of your husband and the Vet, but make sure those free choice minerals contain selinium.

Patrick · #9 02/29/12, 07:16 AM

I'm curious. With 80 beef cows, why bother to keep a Jersey steer? Wouldn't you be better off keeping one out of your cows?

randiliana · #10 02/29/12, 08:26 AM

That sucks!

We are just into calving here too. First cow had a set of twins, had to help her since one was breech. They are fine. Then last night we had 2 calves. One out of an older cow, nice black baldy heifer, it was up when I checked this morning. The other out of a Shorthorn 3 year old. Just born when I got there, dead though. Nice looking bull calf. Not too big, and I don't think she had trouble. Either born dead, backwards or had the sac over its head...