Calving 2023

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Rough start got ever rougher... Lost alot of blood it appears and body temperature dropped very low. My thermometer shows temperature from 89,6°F, but it didn't show even that. Currently managed to increase it up to 93,4°F. It's gonna be a stressfull night...
The worst part that he even had nursed by himself and walked with dam abit before he was attacked and we found him bleeding.
Those wretched crows. We have ravens and our LGD "hates" them. She will leap at them and bark to let us know. Kids said she came close to bringing one down the other day. Does not like them near the cows and especially around chickens, in the summer when they free range. This time of the year though it's the calves. Ironically here ravens first, coyotes not far behind - unless you have a dog that says not on my watch.

Sorry Lithuanian Farmer - a challenging year for you. I have been inspired by your tenacity 😊 like us all "carry on"!

We too are on a bull run 1:3? On AIs and bull bred.

And those Belgian Blue Bulls ~ "oh my"! They seem creepily unreal ~ not my style. I do like a nice black LimFlex (Limousin x Angus); a red LimFlex would work too but we have black LimFlex. So will agree on the Lim x Angus combo…nice breeding in our experience.
 
We had an old farmer tell our boys that a shot of rye whisky warms a calf. We are not sure he was teasing or serious 😂…seems a tad harsh to the calf's tummy lol. He is the teasing sort…always looking for a reaction.
 
Photos of post mortem.
Liver malfunction, bright orange colour and the whole inside of the calf was yellow coloured. Pretty sure it wasn't due to her dam laying on her.
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Her bladder also looks way too thick and seems to have an edema.
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Also a question to knowledgable people. What are those vessel like structures going alongside of two sides of the bladder. Both were full of blood and with closed ends. So either I don't remember something from anatomy, or those shouldn't be looking like that.
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No noticable internal injuries from her dam.
Did the heart have an enlarged right ventricle? Did the lungs have any white areas on them or raised alveoli on the surface of the lung? And I am going to get yelled at for asking this, but did you check the calf to see if the bite was normal?
 
@Buck Randall did u see the pics on post number 98?

I know we would all be interested in hearing your thoughts!
I'll take a swing at it, but this one is right in @Lucky_P 's wheelhouse. If he gives a different answer from mine, you should listen to him.

I agree with Lithuanian Farmer on the liver dysfunction. The bladder is definitely inflamed and you can see little hemorrhage spots on the inside. I can't say I've ever cut open a healthy three day old calf for reference, but I think the umbilical vessels should have shrunk down more than that as well. All of it fits with an umbilical infection that traveled to the bladder and liver. I know the calf was on antibiotics, but some times the bugs win.

Edited to add: Looks like fibrin on the surface of the lungs and peritoneum, too. The bacteria got into her bloodstream and colonized just about everything.
 
I'll take a swing at it, but this one is right in @Lucky_P 's wheelhouse. If he gives a different answer from mine, you should listen to him.

I agree with Lithuanian Farmer on the liver dysfunction. The bladder is definitely inflamed and you can see little hemorrhage spots on the inside. I can't say I've ever cut open a healthy three day old calf for reference, but I think the umbilical vessels should have shrunk down more than that as well. All of it fits with an umbilical infection that traveled to the bladder and liver. I know the calf was on antibiotics, but some times the bugs win.

Edited to add: Looks like fibrin on the surface of the lungs and peritoneum, too. The bacteria got into her bloodstream and colonized just about everything.
Real appreaciate your answer. Very informative and usefull for the future!
 
Did the heart have an enlarged right ventricle? Did the lungs have any white areas on them or raised alveoli on the surface of the lung? And I am going to get yelled at for asking this, but did you check the calf to see if the bite was normal?
The bite was normal, I'm sure of that.
 
Moving forward with calving.
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Charolais sired bull calf, 286 days gestation. Sire is the same as the first heifer's of the season. Current total result is 9 bulls, 2 heifers. From those twin bulls dead at the birth, one bull calf aborted and one dead heifer. All AI calves so far. 8 more cows due for this month and three from those are real close already.
 
Current total result is 9 bulls, 2 heifers. From those twin bulls dead at the birth, one bull calf aborted and one dead heifer. All AI calves so far. 8 more cows due for this month and three from those are real close already.
I'm not really understanding what that says. Are you saying that out of eleven calves you've had a set of twins dead. one premature dead, and one heifer dead (calf?)?

If so, that is a some pretty grim percentages. Hoping the next month (8) will be better for you.
 
I'm not really understanding what that says. Are you saying that out of eleven calves you've had a set of twins dead. one premature dead, and one heifer dead (calf?)?

If so, that is a some pretty grim percentages. Hoping the next month (8) will be better for you.
Yes, that's what I meant. Will have around 40 more calving this year, so hoping for some better result
 
I'm needed some ketchup this morning to go on the words I'm having to eat . I posted the other day I was sure one of my cows had lost her calf . All the signs last week and then no belly/ baby bump . No signs of nursing, back with the herd . My gut said she had lost it . Look what I found this morning . 735412EB-2A7F-4450-8262-50E8BB080CC9.jpeg
 
I'm needed some ketchup this morning to go on the words I'm having to eat . I posted the other day I was sure one of my cows had lost her calf . All the signs last week and then no belly/ baby bump . No signs of nursing, back with the herd . My gut said she had lost it . Look what I found this morning . View attachment 27521
She looks like she would like to have you for lunch if you try to tag that calf.
 
I'm needed some ketchup this morning to go on the words I'm having to eat . I posted the other day I was sure one of my cows had lost her calf . All the signs last week and then no belly/ baby bump . No signs of nursing, back with the herd . My gut said she had lost it . Look what I found this morning . View attachment 27521
Exact same thing happened this weekend. She lost her belly Wednesday night. Nothing nowhere. So irritated i was ready to load her up. Saturday evening, stumbled upon them playing king of the hill:
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She was back to hiding it Sunday.
 
I'll take a swing at it, but this one is right in @Lucky_P 's wheelhouse. If he gives a different answer from mine, you should listen to him.

I agree with Lithuanian Farmer on the liver dysfunction. The bladder is definitely inflamed and you can see little hemorrhage spots on the inside. I can't say I've ever cut open a healthy three day old calf for reference, but I think the umbilical vessels should have shrunk down more than that as well. All of it fits with an umbilical infection that traveled to the bladder and liver. I know the calf was on antibiotics, but some times the bugs win.

Edited to add: Looks like fibrin on the surface of the lungs and peritoneum, too. The bacteria got into her bloodstream and colonized just about everything.
Lost a week old calf a few years back . Navel was extremely swollen so I was thinking ruptured. I didn't take it to the vet or autopsy myself but my vet mentioned the umbilical vessels . His other comment was it probably didn't get enough colostrum at birth to jump start its immune system . So infection set up at the umbilicus .
 
It's amazing how some years you have no losses, and then others are just a total pain . With lots of death . we had 1 still born last year. The heard had gotten spooked real bad, that cow aborted 2 days later. So many factors can happen in cow/ calf operation.

I've had 4 set of twins in 40 yrs., Plus a set of twins in my horses both died.
1 set of Angus heifers, both lived Mum did great ,
The others were Longhorns , 1 set didn't make it , the last was a split, The Heifer made it and the bull cafe was still born..
I still have that that Heifer that is now an old cow . Sadly she is a freemartin. We kept her.
She has always been a good baby sitter.
Taken 4/21 spring pic..
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Exact same thing happened this weekend. She lost her belly Wednesday night. Nothing nowhere. So irritated i was ready to load her up. Saturday evening, stumbled upon them playing king of the hill:
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She was back to hiding it Sunday.
That's a lot of hay string or net. I always tried to pick up what was visible in my compost pile. Maybe I worried too much tho.
 

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