calf, what did it die of?

[GMN]

Yesterday morning I went out for chores, fed a group of holstein heifer calves, one was missing, so I went in, and here it was in the shelter, convulsing, its limbs were frozen like and twitching, and its breathing irregular. I thought what the hay? The night before it was running around, fine and dandy.I thought it might be bloating, so I gave her some bloat medicine, didn't seem to help. When I went to see if I could get her up, she seemed to want to stand, but couldn't, and when she went down again, she would twitch, and thrash around. She died soon thereafter.

Anyways this morning out in the barn, there was a small copperhead snake, and lately I have seen more than usual numbers of copperheads around, I'm wondering if she could have gotten bitten by a poisonous snake?

What do you all think?

Gail

 

[Gary J Gale]

I had a 300 pound calf bitten and killed by rattle snake couple years back. Same story very healthy night prior to finding her dead the next morning. Was a very....very.... over curious, friendly calf (orphan~bottle calf)... It just made no sense she was dead so we got to looking hard and found fang marks, one in lower lip and one on tongue....a lot bigger snake than you described???....she obviously was too curious at wrong time? Calf appeared to have died same way you describe, struggling for air???? I've been told that snakes will usually avoid confrontation..........so I'd sure look over your dead calves nose....face area??? These marks were quite obvious!!!

 

[warpaint]

Sorry to hear of your loss Gail.

 

[msscamp]

What do you all think?

Gail

I don't know much about copperheads but, since venom attacks the central nervous system, the symptoms sure fit with a poisonous snake bite. The time-span also tends to rule out most illnesses. Have you checked to see if you can find fang marks?

 

[Jogeephus]

Did the small snake you found have a yellow tip on its tail and was it eight to ten inches long? If so this is a baby and momma is around somewhere. Especially if you have seen more of the small ones around. Copperheads have their babies in the late summer or fall and they tend to be nocturnal during the summer months. This might explain a few things you have seen.

 

[r and s peckman]

I don't like snakes.