Calf drown

[504RP]

Temp got down to - 6 with 14 mph wind. Went to set hay out and bust ice on the pond.

A 5 weight calf had busted through the ice in the very middle of the pond and drown. It was floating. Ice was 5 inches thick where i was breaking it with the loader bucket.

Moved cows to a different pasture with a 1000 gallon stock tank to avoid anymore walking the ice and drowning.

Heard on the radio this morning. A local farmer was found dead by drowning in a pond trying to get a calf out of a pond that was froze over. Said the calf was alive and stuck in the ice when the farmer found it.

Don't know how they know that. The drown man went missing Tuesday and a friend found him Wednesday. Really wasn't nobody there who saw what actually happened. The man was 69 years old.

 

[Bigfoot]

Temp got down to - 6 with 14 mph wind. Went to set hay out and bust ice on the pond.

A 5 weight calf had busted through the ice in the very middle of the pond and drown. It was floating. Ice was 5 inches thick where i was breaking it with the loader bucket.

Moved cows to a different pasture with a 1000 gallon stock tank to avoid anymore walking the ice and drowning.

Heard on the radio this morning. A local farmer was found dead by drowning in a pond trying to get a calf out of a pond that was froze over. Said the calf was alive and stuck in the ice when the farmer found it.

Don't know how they know that. The drown man went missing Tuesday and a friend found him Wednesday. Really wasn't nobody there who saw what actually happened. The man was 69 years old.

Maybe he had ropes out etc and equipment idk. Hate you lost one.

 

[Dsth]

it was several years ago on new years day when I went down to do the evening chores. looked toward my pond and had 4 bred heifer swimming in a circle in the middle of the pond where they broke through the ice. I called the local volunteer fire dept. to see if they could somehow help get them out. I felt completely helpless as I watched them one by one slowly roll on their side. Not sure if they died of hypothermia or fatigue. By the time help got there, it was too late to do anything. It is always hard to lose livestock but sometimes sh*t happens. Feel sorry for the poor farmer that lost his life trying to save a calf but I know how helpless he must have felt if he did nothing. good time to ask everyone to please be careful out there.

 

[504RP]

Son in law is working on the pipeline in New Mexico. Daughter has 3 horse's on their 10 acres. Before she and the grand daughter left to go spend a week in New Mexico with her husband. She made arrangements with the neighbors to look after her horses, set a round bale if need, stuff like that.

I went and checked on the horse's myself to see if they were ok. They were. Had plenty of hay. Neighbors had been breaking ice on the edge of the pond. So they had water.

But I saw were something had broke the ice in a path about 2 foot wide from the bank to the center of the pond.

Don't think a horse had done it. All 3 horse's were Ok. And whatever it was had to be smaller than a horse. Maybe a deer before the ice got thick ? Couldn't see nothing floating ?
With the path running from the middle of the pond to the bank. I think it broke through in the middle and kept lunging onto the ice until it got to the bank ?

 

[Little Joe]

Temp got down to - 6 with 14 mph wind. Went to set hay out and bust ice on the pond.

A 5 weight calf had busted through the ice in the very middle of the pond and drown. It was floating. Ice was 5 inches thick where i was breaking it with the loader bucket.

Moved cows to a different pasture with a 1000 gallon stock tank to avoid anymore walking the ice and drowning.

Heard on the radio this morning. A local farmer was found dead by drowning in a pond trying to get a calf out of a pond that was froze over. Said the calf was alive and stuck in the ice when the farmer found it.

Don't know how they know that. The drown man went missing Tuesday and a friend found him Wednesday. Really wasn't nobody there who saw what actually happened. The man was 69 years old.

That's a bad deal! Your calf and the man drowning.

 

[JParrott]

Heard of a few cows lost in ponds this week around here too. I've kept three or four big holes open around the clock on the pond to try and keep them from wandering out onto the ice. So far, so good. Hate to drown trying to save an animal but I understand the desire.

 

[504RP]

That's a bad deal! Your calf and the man drowning.

Stuff like that happens. I hate to lose one but, I learned something from it. But I really feel bad for the farmer who lost his life trying to take care of his Calf.

Years ago while I was deer hunting along this creek. I came up on a cow that had feel through a beavers tunnel. Beavers had tunneled into the bank to make their den. So the cow feel through right into it. Had thrashed around tring to get out. Dirt caved in on top of the cow. All that was visible of the cow was a side view of its head. One ear, one eye, It's nose.

Owner took chain saws ,cut a road about 40 foot through the woods to the creek where the cow was. Doug the cow out of the beaver den that was full of water. Picked it up using the back how. Put in his barn for it to die later.
.

 

[sstterry]

A few years ago, about dusk, I found a calf in a half-frozen pond. She had gotten stuck in the mud and all that was above water was her mouth and eyes. Moma was in there too but not stuck. I pulled a rope out of the Ranger and waded out as far as I dared. I finally got a rope (not a lariat) around her neck and pulled her out with the Ranger. I dried her as best I could with an old quilt and did all I could. I could not get her to stand without me holding her up so, since it was now dark, I had no choice but to leave her and hope for the best.

It was single digits that night. I got up at 4 am before work and went out to check on her and miraculously the cow had gotten her up and moved her. I still have her and she is throwing some pretty good calves. The lesson I learned is, always keep a stiff lariat and a rope on your vehicle.

 

[TCRanch]

Sorry about your calf. And I did see about your neighbor in the news. Tragic!

Almost 11 years ago, we went to check on a newborn that was probably only 6 hours old. Mama just laid there but that baby jumped up and ran, eventually tumbling down a steep ravine into the watershed lake - and freakin' started swimming. WTH?!? It was early March, maybe upper 30's, so the water was super cold. Hubby took off to get the boat while I watched the calf swim .25 miles to the middle of the lake, then head north. I could tell she was struggling, so I stripped down to my long undies and went for a swim. Calf was so tired she really didn't fight me and I was able to get her back to the bank and up on a relatively flat rock, where I wrapped myself around her, trying to keep her (and me!) warm. Meanwhile, Hubby shows up with the boat and doesn't see me or the calf, but sees my clothes on the bank. Minor heart failure ensues. He finally hears me calling for him, docks the boat, wraps his coat around me and carries the calf back to mama, who evidently had no clue her baby was gone in the first place. And amazingly, that calf is due in about 3 weeks with her 10th calf and she's definitely the Head Cow.

 

[wbvs58]

Sorry about your calf. And I did see about your neighbor in the news. Tragic!

Almost 11 years ago, we went to check on a newborn that was probably only 6 hours old. Mama just laid there but that baby jumped up and ran, eventually tumbling down a steep ravine into the watershed lake - and freakin' started swimming. WTH?!? It was early March, maybe upper 30's, so the water was super cold. Hubby took off to get the boat while I watched the calf swim .25 miles to the middle of the lake, then head north. I could tell she was struggling, so I stripped down to my long undies and went for a swim. Calf was so tired she really didn't fight me and I was able to get her back to the bank and up on a relatively flat rock, where I wrapped myself around her, trying to keep her (and me!) warm. Meanwhile, Hubby shows up with the boat and doesn't see me or the calf, but sees my clothes on the bank. Minor heart failure ensues. He finally hears me calling for him, docks the boat, wraps his coat around me and carries the calf back to mama, who evidently had no clue her baby was gone in the first place. And amazingly, that calf is due in about 3 weeks with her 10th calf and she's definitely the Head Cow.

I would have liked to have seen that. A bit like my wife, she has been known to throw herself into dangerous situations but only to do with horses.

Ken

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

Sorry about your calf. And I did see about your neighbor in the news. Tragic!

Almost 11 years ago, we went to check on a newborn that was probably only 6 hours old. Mama just laid there but that baby jumped up and ran, eventually tumbling down a steep ravine into the watershed lake - and freakin' started swimming. WTH?!? It was early March, maybe upper 30's, so the water was super cold. Hubby took off to get the boat while I watched the calf swim .25 miles to the middle of the lake, then head north. I could tell she was struggling, so I stripped down to my long undies and went for a swim. Calf was so tired she really didn't fight me and I was able to get her back to the bank and up on a relatively flat rock, where I wrapped myself around her, trying to keep her (and me!) warm. Meanwhile, Hubby shows up with the boat and doesn't see me or the calf, but sees my clothes on the bank. Minor heart failure ensues. He finally hears me calling for him, docks the boat, wraps his coat around me and carries the calf back to mama, who evidently had no clue her baby was gone in the first place. And amazingly, that calf is due in about 3 weeks with her 10th calf and she's definitely the Head Cow.

Great story!!!

 

[Atimm693]

That's why we have gotten away from ponds where other water is feasible, pushed several in and fenced others off. They're a pain to keep from becoming a jungle too.

Cows will always find precarious situations, but it's best to minimize exposure when you can.

Had to fish a calf out of an empty concrete waterer once. Not sure how he managed to get in, it had grates with openings that were roughly a foot square, but he did. Thought I was crazy for a minute when I heard bawling coming from it.

 

[504RP]

That's why we have gotten away from ponds where other water is feasible, pushed several in and fenced others off. They're a pain to keep from becoming a jungle too.

Cows will always find precarious situations, but it's best to minimize exposure when you can.

Had to fish a calf out of an empty concrete waterer once. Not sure how he managed to get in, it had grates with openings that were roughly a foot square, but he did. Thought I was crazy for a minute when I heard bawling coming from it.

How do you water your cattle ?

 

[Nesikep]

we had a cow do the splits on the ice and break her pelvis.. had one calf on the ice and lose the calf

 

[Atimm693]

How do you water your cattle ?

Cobetts, concrete, or DIY tire waterers mostly. Getting the pipe out there is the worst of it, but it's a buy once cry once sort of deal.

I understand that there are simply no other options than ponds in some places.

One place has Cobett waterers that are gravity fed from ponds that are higher in elevation.

 

[504RP]

Cobetts, concrete, or DIY tire waterers mostly. Getting the pipe out there is the worst of it, but it's a buy once cry once sort of deal.

I understand that there are simply no other options than ponds in some places.

One place has Cobett waterers that are gravity fed from ponds that are higher in elevation.

Ok i know what you are talking about. Thought you had something I hadn't heard about.

I have some of my pastures set up like that. Have two pastures that has Miria Flow waters ( insulated float control tanks) Then I have a tank that is if i remember right a 1000 gallon tank that i fill up with a water hose. I have to drain the hose each time i fill it up. Then have 3 smaller tanks that i thank are 300 gallon tanks. One that has a burried water line with a float valve for automatic water.

The problems with tanks that aren't insulated, heated, and burried lines. Is when temps get below zero. The ice freezes 4 or 5 inches thick. Busting it and filling it back up, disposing of the ice chunks is a real pain when you do it every day for 2 to 3 weeks straight.

I can only imagine what it would be like in Northern parts of the U.S. ?

I would bet anyone with cattle there know more about how to water cattle in below zero temps for long winters and know what to do about ice on ponds ( possibly moving cattle off pastures with frozen ponds before they freeze over ) than anyone else would know.

I won't leave cattle in a pasture that has a creek, pond or other body of water that a cow might break through ever again.

 

[GoWyo]

A few years ago some guys in South Dakota lost over 100 head in a reservoir after they were pushed by a blizzard onto the ice. Think it was over half their herd.

 

[504RP]

A few years ago some guys in South Dakota lost over 100 head in a reservoir after they were pushed by a blizzard onto the ice. Think it was over half their herd.

I have to take my hat off to all of you who raise cattle in zero and below weather for several months out of the winter.

Thoes cattle that winter through thoes kind of conditions are some kind of tuff. By the time Spring comes. I am sure any weak or puny one's have died ?

And anyone that has cattle for even just a few years raising them under thoes conditions up Noth are doing it because they are true to the bone cattlemen and enjoy it. Must be tuff as boot leather too !

Compared to thoes guys having to raise cattle under thoes kind of conditions. I feel like a big old puss ! I can tell I have tuffened up alot in the last few years raising cattle under our mild winter's and alot of times anymore droute summer's.

 

[504RP]

A few years ago some guys in South Dakota lost over 100 head in a reservoir after they were pushed by a blizzard onto the ice. Think it was over half their herd.

That was terrible ! I hate to hear something like that happen to any cattlemen as hard as they have to work and have something like that happen.

Thats about like having alot of cattle killed by lightning. Farming in general is really a big gamble. Had a old farmer tell me that one time. He said animals will die on you.

 

[Rancher]

I have to take my hat off to all of you who raise cattle in zero and below weather for several months out of the winter.

Thoes cattle that winter through thoes kind of conditions are some kind of tuff. By the time Spring comes. I am sure any weak or puny one's have died ?

And anyone that has cattle for even just a few years raising them under thoes conditions up Noth are doing it because they are true to the bone cattlemen and enjoy it. Must be tuff as boot leather too !

Compared to thoes guys having to raise cattle under thoes kind of conditions. I feel like a big old puss ! I can tell I have tuffened up alot in the last few years raising cattle under our mild winter's and alot of times anymore droute summer's.

You mite be speaking 'bout me, eh? #0 below here tonite, 40 below Saturday nite. I only raise couple dozen Angus a year now, cut way back and sold 160ac. after reaching 81yrs. I use 100 gal rubbermaid tubs and spray foam them. Place 1,500 wat submers heater on stat and they work good for winter. Summer my pond does the watering. Friend has over 100 head use the float/cup solution with heat tape on eadh. He has a string of those things along fence line. seldom has a prob.