Trying to wrap my head around why. 5 months bred to my bull, been calving every 11 months. Preg checked by vet and wormed two weeks ago. Same day I saw her with baling twine hanging out her mouth. She is in excellent condition, nothing out of the normal. Put out worming blocks 3 days ago. Any ideas I should check into?
Aborted calf
- Thread starter jallen
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Katpau
Well-known member
It could even be a genetic condition that resulted in a non viable fetus. There are many different things that can cause a cow to abort. I just lost one at 8 1/2 months. She was bred AI and one of my favorite young cows. It's always heart breaking to lose one and I'd love to know why, but often the reasons are never known. If you want to spend money testing in hopes of finding out why, you will need the aborted calf, afterbirth, and blood from the cow. Tests may reveal the reason, but even with all this you may never know why. It is very frustrating, but sometimes it just happens.
I would like to know why but my main concern is the remainder of the herd. I just hope its an isolated incident. My vet mentioned nitrate poisoning from hay that is too hot, that has me concerned as the hay in feeding is fertilized to the gills. Overall just bummed, 102 is my best and favorite cow of my small herd. She is all over the place now looking for that calf. I'm really hoping this is isolated.
Dont mean to high jack but was curious i have had 2 cows with twins abort over the past couple months as far as i know they are the only abortions ive had. Have always been told it is more common for multiple births to abort but was curious as to why since the only other one i have had was a set of triplets 5-10 years ago.
talltimber
Well-known member
I had one slip a calf back in July, she bagged up a little. I asked an experienced cattleman (25 yrs) and he said "every time". Take it for what it's worth, as other than the one so far, I have no substantial experience with that yet, thank God.
branguscowgirl
Well-known member
I am glad that you are pursuing an answer. I would want to know also, if at all possible.jallen":2fpw3mu1 said:
Let us know what you find out
A 5 month bred cow will generally not produce large quantities of milk when they abort.
A single blood draw is not going to yield you much for useable information, probably not going to learn a lot with it. You can take a second blood draw later and measure titer change to increase chances, but odds are still against you. Your best bet for finding a result is submitting the fetus and placenta, still will only get answers in about 1/3rd of cases.
Don't be sad when they come back without answers, the things they can find are bad customers, it's good news when none of them show up.
A single blood draw is not going to yield you much for useable information, probably not going to learn a lot with it. You can take a second blood draw later and measure titer change to increase chances, but odds are still against you. Your best bet for finding a result is submitting the fetus and placenta, still will only get answers in about 1/3rd of cases.
Don't be sad when they come back without answers, the things they can find are bad customers, it's good news when none of them show up.
I would just be very thrilled to rule out something that could effect the rest of my cows, that alone will make me sleep better. We will see, all I have I the cow. I've found no placenta at all and had to dispose of the calf. Buzzards had gotten to it
Katpau
Well-known member
I lost another one today. 78 pounds and appears full term. This is day 270 since my bull was put in with that group, so calf might be a few days early. Like the first cow, this one has the placenta hanging, and it has that dark look that I associate with an aborted calf. It seems I am losing some like this every year, but the Vet has not been able to determine a cause. Mine both bagged up after delivering the calf, and any that aborted late term in the past also bagged up. If I have had one abort at 5 1/2 months, I was not aware, so can't say if they also bag up. I almost always loose them in the last 60 days.
This cow of mine sure nuff bagged up, vet told me she was 5-6 months bred when he checked her two weeks ago. My records indicate she should be due to calve early May, that would have been 11 months since last calf
Lucky_P
Well-known member
Best shot at coming up with a definitive identification of cause of abortion requires examination of placenta, fetus, placenta, maternal serum samples (acute & convalescent),placenta...and did I say placenta? Even then, chances are well under 50% that a definitive cause will be identified.
I probably receive placenta in less than 10% of submissions - but in the majority of those, there is a lesion or pathogen identified in placental tissues - and NOTHING in the fetal tissues. When all I receive to examine is the fetus...I know from the outset that it's unlikely that I'm going to be able to tell that producer and their veterinarian why the fetus was aborted.
So...in most cases, I approach those abortion/stillbirth diagnostic cases with the hopes of 'ruling out' the common infectious causes that the producer and veterinarian can do anything about.
Historical info is also important...environment, hay/feed, water source, mineral supplementation program, vaccination history, fenceline contact with other cattle?, any recent additions to herd?, any animals going to shows and returning? any other animals aborting? - if so, when?, over how long a period of time?, heifers or mature cows affected?, etc.
I probably receive placenta in less than 10% of submissions - but in the majority of those, there is a lesion or pathogen identified in placental tissues - and NOTHING in the fetal tissues. When all I receive to examine is the fetus...I know from the outset that it's unlikely that I'm going to be able to tell that producer and their veterinarian why the fetus was aborted.
So...in most cases, I approach those abortion/stillbirth diagnostic cases with the hopes of 'ruling out' the common infectious causes that the producer and veterinarian can do anything about.
Historical info is also important...environment, hay/feed, water source, mineral supplementation program, vaccination history, fenceline contact with other cattle?, any recent additions to herd?, any animals going to shows and returning? any other animals aborting? - if so, when?, over how long a period of time?, heifers or mature cows affected?, etc.
regolith
Well-known member
jallen":121indl4 said:
You could put a calf on her if she's that good.
Though I'd be surprised at a five month slip resulting in a lactation... at seven months gestation they mostly come into milk pretty well.
Just going to let her be for now. I'm not crazy about bringing any outside animals in at te moment. These vaccinations are taking place first. Wish I could put a pic of her on here, she looks like a dairy cow with the way she is so full of milk.
