Birth Defect, or Newborn normal?

[BabyMamma]

Got a heifer that came 3/1. The buzzards had a bite or two of her and 4 coyotes had to be run off. So far, she is still alive. I have questions. Never had a baby before and she is here because my daddio has never had a calf like this and she cant get up enough to nurse from her mamma. I have a heated space for her and he doesnt. We have an ice storm moving in. :-(
1) She cant be more than about 40 lbs. Her mom is only a year old so is it possible she came too early?
2) Her legs are hyperextended at the knee and I dont know how to splint them or if I should let the vet do it. It looks like her knees were put in backwards.
3) I am having to work really hard to feed her, but Daddio did get some colostrum and electrolytes down the first night via tube when she came here and I got her to take 1.5 cups of colostrum yesterday morning but it took 30 minutes to let her sit in my lap and SLOWLY suckle a bottle. Its not much. She is nursing, but I can only get about a cup at a time in her.
4) She is breathing hard (video) Turn up your volume... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ObV0ZbVtzg
5) She was down last night so I brought her inside, but she is back in the heated coop and standing - a bit- this morning.

 

[3waycross]

You need to take the rifle you are shooting in your avatar and put her down. Then you need to go buy some lutalyse and use it next fall when you wean your heifers.

 

[BabyMamma]

Thank you 3waycross. I figured the same as you. I was just hoping I might be wrong about that. As for me doing it with my rifle.. eh. I can shoot at targets all day, but doubt I have the stones to shoot her. As much as I dont want her to suffer any longer, Ill have to wait for my Daddio to come do it. Beat me up, I have it coming. I-just-cant-do-it.

 

[plumber_greg]

The calf needs to be put down, but nevertheless what is going on with the front legs. Looks like it has 2 sets of back legs. gs

 

[dun]

In the thread about the buckling front legs this is the condition that I thought was being described. I saw something similar in a foal that we had to really pull hard on to get out, his legs straightened up after a week or 2 but it's been so long ago I don;t remember what all was done for treatment (wasn;t my mare).

 

[branguscowgirl]

Yes, now this looks more like "bowed tendons". I have never experienced it in a calf, so I am not much help here. I would imagine that if she was well otherwise, you could brace them. Would be lots of work getting her up and down and preventing sores. The guys are probably right about "putting her down." I too would have trouble doing it myself....... I even take chickens in for a lethal injection when needed!

 

[randiliana]

We've had the occasional one like that. Give him a few days for his legs too strengthen before making the decision!

 

[branguscowgirl]

We've had the occasional one like that. Give him a few days for his legs too strengthen before making the decision!

BM sounds like there is some hope for improvement....

 

[cag]

I would see what your vet says. Let him or her make the call. I'm with you I could not out out her down myself either. Hang in there and keep us posted .

 

[Nesikep]

I can't look at youtube videos from where I am... I'd say if she seems to be getting stronger, give her a chance.. if I were a bettin' man, well, I'd say the odds are certainly against her 3 to 1.

It must be premature by a while.. and no 1 year old should ever have a calf... the earliest i've seen my calves come into heat is 6 months, add 9 for a full term leaves you at 15 months for the earliest.. and that is FAR too early for a heifer to have a calf and do well later in life.

 

[Katpau]

I had a heifer who was only 13 months and 1 day old, when she went into labor. We had to do a c-section to get it out. Calf was full term and about 75 pounds. She had to be in heat at only 4 months old. Bulls were out at about that same time. I now routinely use Lutalayse on all my replacement heifers at weaning.

I was wondering if the video where she appears to be in great distress and breathing rapidly, was shot before or after the photos where she is standing? Is she getting better or worse?

 

[BabyMamma]

Hi Katpau, the video was of her last night and the picture is from this morning. She seemed to be doing better and even took a pint (nearly) of milk without too much prodding. But that was it for the rest of the day and she is weak again and breathing hard, failing to stand and her eyes are running like a leaky faucet. We tube fed her a quart of milk but she is behind the eight ball. I dont know much about her mom, She came from my parents place and I dont participate in that end of things. I do chickens! She is only here because I have the time to fool with her and a heated place for her to stay. Its sad, and Ill keep her warm and dry till I can get her to the vet but she is just tiny, sick and without her mamma.

 

[cag]

When can you get her to vet ?

 

[BabyMamma]

Hi, probably not until Tuesday. We are having an ice storm and i don't know if we can make out out of here tomorrow. We are very rural and fairly far from town.

 

[BabyMamma]

Sad news this morning. She passed durng the night. :cry2:
Thank you all so much for your help over the last few days. you helped this gal more than you know!

 

[CottageFarm]

Sorry to hear that
was hoping this one would work out

 

[Katpau]

I am sorry to hear you lost her. It is always difficult to lose one. I think you did all you could under the circumstances. I doubt the Vet would have been able to do anything for her, and the cost would have probably taken away any profit potential even if they could have helped. I expect she had more problems than her legs.

 

[branguscowgirl]

Katpau is right. Usually we see only one of many problems that a newborn may have. Chances are her lungs and/or other organs were not fully developed either, if she was a preemie. Sounds like you did everything that you could to give her a chance at life. So sorry that you lost her.

 

[Nesikep]

That's too bad... I guess you did what you could

 

[cag]

Sorry to hear - part of livestock I hate - no matter how many you lose I don't thing it ever gets easy
Thinking of you