Calf loss

[Rosielou]

What could cause unexpected calf death? Lost a 2-3 month old heifer yesterday and the cause is unknown. No mucus, scours, foamy mouth, swelling, puncture wounds. She was in a small ditch in about an inch of water on her side, no sign of real struggle. A couple kicks as she was on her side, but other than that, nothing. She was perky, healthy and fine otherwise. This is the cow's third calf, she raises great calves without any problem whatsoever. We have lost one like this before last year from a first calver, but this is unusual for us because we don't lose many calves.

Any ideas? Thanks.

 

[Beefy]

any number of things. bloat, blackleg and other clostridials, poisonous plant, could have gotten cast (you say a few kicks on her side, do you mean you saw her kick or saw where she had kicked)

 

[3waycross]

What could cause unexpected calf death? Lost a 2-3 month old heifer yesterday and the cause is unknown. No mucus, scours, foamy mouth, swelling, puncture wounds. She was in a small ditch in about an inch of water on her side, no sign of real struggle. A couple kicks as she was on her side, but other than that, nothing. She was perky, healthy and fine otherwise. This is the cow's third calf, she raises great calves without any problem whatsoever. We have lost one like this before last year from a first calver, but this is unusual for us because we don't lose many calves.

Any ideas? Thanks.

Probably it but usually a calf will get out better than a cow will.

Sorry about your calf.

 

[Limomike]

Like Beefy said, could be a number of things. It happens... for whatever reason. I assume the momma cow gives plenty of milk? Calf could have ingested something foreign or poisoness.

 

[Rosielou]

The ditch was a drainage ditch in case of overflow for a pond, but was no more/less than a foot deep. We've had no problem before with it, but of course it could be a first. The heifer was on her side kicking, sorry for not making that clear . But the momma gives plenty of milk, she's an f1 tiger and we've never had a problem out of her before and this is her third. But if it was poisonous, would their be foam at the nostrils or mouth? It was just really puzzling because she was fine one day and dead the next. Thanks for the advice guys!

 

[3waycross]

Sounds to me like she got upside down and it killed her.

 

[snake67]

Sounds to me like she got upside down and it killed her.

I agree - I know I use the excuse of "cast" many times - but it only takes a couple of inches - all legs straight out and they sometimes cannot get right side up.

I believe there are a lot more animals that die of this than we know of - it looks unexplained and it looks like a normal animal laid down and went to sleep and just died.

I have witnessed this a couple of times in my life.

Cheers

Bez

 

[Rosielou]

I haven't heard of this before now, but that sounds like the explanation! Thank you all, I really appreciate it. I can get it off my mind now.

 

[Beefy]

if there was foam coming out of her nostrils it was probably from bloat that resulted from being cast for too long. the kicking at first is trying to right herself back up then later from the discomfort of the bloat that comes from laying on side or ever tilted down a little too long. ike Bez says, pretty common.