calf mystery

[Texas Gal]

It appears we've had our first calf loss this year when we're down to the last 10% to calve. We had an 11 yo cow penned up with the other soon to be mommas in a small trap between the house and the barn. We see them coming and going everyday. Sometime in the last couple of days, she managed to calve without us noticing anything - no calf, no pining for a calf,none of the other usual signs of a missing calf just her bag starting to decrease in size,greatly decreased belly and shrinking "lady parts" as my elderly neighbor puts it. This was baby number 10 for this cow AND she's an excellent momma, even if she has been known to hide them out when calving in a large pasture with cover. I walked the trap and area outside it but couldn't find any sign of a calf.
Would the calf being stillborn account for her lack distress regarding the missing calf? It's really odd.

 

[jcarkie]

are u sure it is not still inside, i had one with a twisted uterus and the only sign was a something like a mambrane hanging out i searched and never found a calf. she just went about like normal no labor or anything,

 

[Nesikep]

If you can, you may really want to check for a twisted uterus, keep a close eye on her condition and her eating habits, if the "lady parts" and anus start to retract, that can be an indicator of a twisted uterus.. she may need a cesarian or be butcher meat.. we had one and had the whole 9 yards done at the vet (calf was dead anyhow) but she didn't breed back the next year

 

[dun]

I would keep a very close eye on the cow mornings and evenings for a day or 2 before I aasu her calf wasdead/missing/nonextent

 

[jcarkie]

i did save mine, the calf survived after 26 hours, the cow never would breed back. only because i happen to see the beginning labor and knew she was calving if she had been out in the field i wouldn't have known till it was bad. she was acting like nothing was going on.

 

[Texas Gal]

No sign of the calf ever turned up and the cow is fine. As a matter of fact she's cycling.

 

[piedmontese]

ALIENS!

 

[Workinonit Farm]

Up where I work we call it "flying monkeys".

Katherine

 

[ga.prime]

One of my cows pulled that same caper back in January. Waited two or three weeks and took her to the sale. Got $970 for her. I figure she must've miscarried.

 

[tytower]

what about predators of some kind ? Even human.

They eat unborn or newborn calves in Italy . Call them "slinks"
The "Roma" used to be partial to them too.