Depressed cow (long)

[loghome mom]

This spring we bought some cattle from the sale and unbeknownst to us, one of the young heifers was bred. A week ago Sunday, my husband found her trying to deliver the calf. The calf was already dead so we got her up to the barn and after seveal hours of pulling and finally having the vet come out and help we got the calf out. It was a huge calf; my husband even thinks it may be buffalo because of the head and the coat. After all of this trauma, she couldn't get up. We had given her antibiotics so our plan was to nurse her along until the antibiotics got out of her system and then a neighbor was going to take her and butcher her.

About two days after she delivered, we took the rest of the herd to the sale. She was still laying by the barn; eating and drinking.

This past weekend my husband had to leave for North Dakota to work and left me in charge of the cow. I went out Saturday and she was gone. I found her at the other end of the field standing where she started to have her calf the week before. I hauled water out to her.

Sunday she was still there. I wasn't going to haul her any more water so I got her to walk up to the barn. She is walking fine now. She didn't drink. She stood there for a few minutes and then headed back to the field to that same spot; not even stopping to eat along the way. She is still there.

I'm a nurse and the only thing I can think of is that she is depressed. She lost her herd and her calf within a few days. What should I do?

[G. Seddon]

I think this behavior is typical when a cow loses a calf. She is 'mourning' -- and going to the last place her calf was. Maternal instinct is very strong. It will probably take a day or so of this before she is back to normal. I would be glad that she has recovered and is moving around. I guess you can do whatever you choose with her but I wouldn't keep her as a solitary cow.

[springvalley]

Originally Posted by G. Seddon

I think this behavior is typical when a cow loses a calf. She is 'mourning' -- and going to the last place her calf was. Maternal instinct is very strong. It will probably take a day or so of this before she is back to normal. I would be glad that she has recovered and is moving around. I guess you can do whatever you choose with her but I wouldn't keep her as a solitary cow.

G. you need to read the post better, she said as soon as the antibitics are out of her she was going to butcher.> Thanks Marc

P.S. loghome Mom, sorry you had so much trouble with your heifer, she will be ok. You did well just getting her up and going.

[loghome mom]

Since she has recovered, we (I) will keep her until at least Spring. A friend of ours is going to be bringing over a steer in a few days after the TB testing results come back. That will provide some company for her. She is a really nice black angus...just too young to have had such a huge calf.

[Cliff]

Nothing you can really do. Having the other cow there will help, and time.