Ky hills
Well-known member
During that winter, I noticed one of my Angus cows getting heavy, I wondered if she would be going to twin, but she was still a ways off from being due. As time passed she got bigger around, but was loosing body condition at the same time. I she looked as though she would calve at any time, and had passed her AI due date, and another cycle too. I knew in my heart something wasn't right, but just kept thinking she would calve when she was ready to. Finally, late at night, she was holding her tail out like she would soon calve, and had not eaten that evening. I got up and checked her in the night, and still just the same. early the next morning still no more signs. The vet was out of town and it was Sunday, so I called a neighbor to look at her. He brought his son in law and daughter. We got the cow in the chute, we tried to pull the calf but he said it was too big to come out that way. Got another vet to come, finally after he tried pulling it he said I had two options. Take her to market the next day or a C section. I knew the cow was miserable and didn't want to see her suffer that much longer, and didn't want to take an animal in that shape to market, so I said to do the c section. The water bag was like a rubber ball. She was filled with fluid, and the calf was too. The vet said the calf would weight 200# or more, and the placenta would weigh around 100#. The next morning the cow was dead too, which I wasn't surprised.
I had known about the condition, the pregnancy could have been aborted a few months sooner and then sold the cow. The vet called it Hydrops, said it was rare, and was not genetic.
Just thought I would share that experience, and some hard learned advice, that if something doesn't look right, its likely a good idea to look into it before a problem turns into a bigger problem.
I had known about the condition, the pregnancy could have been aborted a few months sooner and then sold the cow. The vet called it Hydrops, said it was rare, and was not genetic.
Just thought I would share that experience, and some hard learned advice, that if something doesn't look right, its likely a good idea to look into it before a problem turns into a bigger problem.
