calf born dead this weekend {unsure of reason}

[fishermanswoman]

I have been reading everyones situations with calves being born dead and I'm sure I'm probably asking a repeat question but we also found a calf today that may have been there all weekend but we really are not sure yet what cow it was..We have an idea but it was getting dark and couldn't locate any obvious afterbirth..The calf was probably a month or two short of term as my husband guessed. It had hair and markings and everything. Like I said we hadn't noticed the cows that are possibly the momma even looking like they were ready..This was the only weekend we hadn't gone over to the pasture to give them there alfalfa..Its usually a daily thing so my question is she bred last year and gave us a nice calf and we really don't know what causes this stuff and i have read about abortion disease or vaccinations for abortion ? This was our first cow from the herd last year who calfed thats why we will find out tomorrow when I find her if she has any signs or not..also the sac had been half eaten so we were not sure if she did it or would a wild animal maybe do it..I guess they would have gotten more than the sac though..duh anyways I know this is probably a repeat post but could someone help with any possible reasons..Also, we heard that mistletoe is a culprit in cattle aborting there calves..? Well our neighbor where we had our herd for a few weeks while our pasture dried out. Lost an oak tree in a wind storm and of course there is mistletoe in it..Its very possible the cows were eating it because they were all hanging out over there..Any opinions? :cboy:

 

[dun]

There are so many reasons a cow/heifer could abort in the late stages it's hard to pick just one cause. Something she ingested, getting wacked hard or falling down, fetus death from any number of causes, hard to pick a cause without a knowledable person (like a vet or university) checking it out first hand.

 

[holly heifer]

could be lepto, moldy hay, the fetus was not 'right',
or :?: The only way to know for sure is to have it posted.

 

[msscamp]

The calf was probably a month or two short of term as my husband guessed. It had hair and markings and everything.

If the calf had hair down to his hooves, he was probably not a month or two early. The possibility exists that he was a full term calf and the sac didn't break as it should have, or he was born backwards - either one of which could have caused him to suffocate.

...we really don't know what causes this stuff and i have read about abortion disease or vaccinations for abortion ?

Brucellosis, Lepto, Vibrio, and I believe Trich, are all sexually transmitted diseases that can cause abortions. Your location is not stated, but Brucellosis can be transmitted to cattle from elk. Certain pine needles, if ingested, can also cause abortions due to the turpentine content. A diet that is comprised of a high amount of moldy feed can also cause abortions, as can a nutritionally incomplete feed program, then there are all the reasons Dun stated. Usually a calf that is not 'right' will be aborted earlier in the pregnancy, but not always. I don't mean to be the voice of doom and gloom, but at this point in time it's going to be very difficult to determine the cause. I don't know what kind of a health program you have, but I would be talking with my vet and making sure my health program is up to snuff. Simple vaccinations, along with a good diet can prevent enough dead calves to make them more than worthwhile.

..also the sac had been half eaten so we were not sure if she did it or would a wild animal maybe do it..

A lot of cows will eat their afterbirth (and the afterbirth of other calving cows, as well) either completely or partially. It is a defense mechanism to help keep predators away from their calves, at least according to what I've read.

 

[macaroanie]

There are so many causes of abortions or "premature births" and as the others have mentioned, many diseases that can be vaccinated against: Brucellosis, Lepto, Vibrio, all of which are carried by wildlife and (Lepto) can be found in surface water. I agree with all the posts as causes, but if the calf was term it could be something mechanical at birth.

I have calved thousands of cows and heifers over the years and one way I have learned to get a clue as to when the death occured is to move the calf around. If it is stiff (not frozen) then rigor mortis has occurred which means calf died after he took some air. If a calf suffocates (usually sac over face) in the birthing process he gets no air and body will be very flacid (limp and floppy).

I have noticed that if a calf is born bacwards (rear feet first) and I am not there soon enough to help, a young cow (1st or 2nd calf) will not deliver it fast enough to allow the calf to breath, thus suffocation before the head is out. (Most times an older cow won't either.)

This in my opinion, is the chief cause of finding dead calves that momma has cleaned up. She will also root him around a little to try to get him up. (in addition to msscamp's thoughts on eating placenta, the mother's endocrine system benefits from the hormones in the stuff and helps her to increase milk let down and gives her a boost of quick energy). As Holly heifer pointed out the best thing to do is have your vet post it.

 

[Anonymous]

I wouldnt worry about just get here breed again and have another go at it.we had a cow that had a set of dead twins and now she has another set of twins that we sold as clubcalfs