trauma?

[mdw]

I would appreciate any wisdom that anyone can offer. Attached is a photo of a 6-10 hour old calf (not sure as it was born at night and I found it the next morning). You can see the wound in the head. This is a hole into the frontal sinus. There is no clotted blood or dirt or debris around the hole (of course the mother was licking the calf). I assumed that the calf was stepped on. But, I've only seen one of my cows step on a newborn calf (and that was an older, not-tame, defensive red Limousine that was coming after me when I got too close - it stepped full weight, dead square on the chest -- calf never had a problem to my amazement). This is the 7th calf from this cow, and she is a very gentle, not-nervous Angus. We have minimal problems with coyotes, and the herd was around her so I doubt she was protecting the calf. No vultures were around either. Has anyone else seen this? Any concerns it was congenital? Is it common to have a mother step on a calf? Thanks

 

[Lucky_P]

Calving in a barn? Any nails sticking out anywhere that the cow could have accidentally backed into while just the calf's head was out?

 

[wbvs58]

I agree with Lucky. I would be looking for something like a bit of steel or the like to punch through a calf's head like that. The bones of a calf's head are pretty flexible and will generally just flex with the likes of a dull blow from a kick. Really needs something to punch through those bones. Should heal up well though. I assume it was still alive from the photos.

Ken

 

[mdw]

The calf was born in a pasture (I really wish I could have them born in a protected barn -- maybe someday). It could not stand even with assistance when I found it, so I'm pretty sure that it was born near to where I found it. I gave it colostrum and carried it to the barn as soon as I found it that morning. I tried to get it to stand and nurse, but it could only stand if it were held up front and rear. To my thinking, if the cow stepped on it hard enough to make that hole, the whole side of the head would have been caved in? Maybe?

 

[J Hoy]

Something also happened to the calf's right eye. I can't tell what is wrong from the photo, but that eye definitely has a problem of some kind.

 

[mdw]

I was thinking that whatever caused the hole caused the eye.

 

[Ebenezer]

Buzzard?

 

[kenny thomas]

Very possible if other cows were close that the calf tried to suck the wrong cow and got kicked.

 

[mdw]

No buzzards were around. Maybe it got kicked. I'm glad that nobody has ever seen something like this be congenital. Thanks everybody for the thoughts.