Calving issues please help!

[GACowboy]

I have about 30 cows that are starting to calve. I have lost 5 calves already and pulled one this morning calf was legs out first(Cow died later on). I have not seen the first calf standing from this bull yet. I took one calf to have a biopsy done on it(awaiting results). Is Murphys law just after me or do you think something could be wrong? I have had cattle on this farm for about three years with no calving issues. There is plenty grass(fescue and clover) and free choice minerals. I broke down this morning and started crying due to the stress from losing the calves and cow.
Things that I think could be wrong:
1) Murphys Law.
2) Bull genetics
3) It's farming not all calves make it.

Any input would be greatly apprecitated. :?

 

[Williamsv]

I can sympathize with you. I have lost a few calves myself. Little twins born dead Dec. 15. Too little to survive. We lost another full term calf in January. I try to tell myself that these things just happen. You have lost too many. I believe I would get another bull soon, if you have not had a standing calf from this one yet. What kind of bull is it? How long have you had it?
I am very sorry that this has happened to you. I have cried many times over mine. I work hard with them and then looks like some unexpected thing happens.

 

[Waterway65]

Your vet should be given all pertinent information as soon as possible so he can help you develop a solution. Owning and being attached to livestock can be painful for all of us. Don't be a army of one. Build a information support group so that no more die. Mel

 

[branguscowgirl]

I am so sorry about your losses!
As others have said, it could be a bull issue.
Something else to consider is Anaplasmosis. I had a friend loose half her herd one year. Cows went into labor, but could not dilate properly. It might be to your benefit to have the vet draw blood on one of your cows. Just to get a sample picture of the herd health. Not all in a herd will be affected when it comes to Anaplas. I check for pale vulvas (inside), if cows are light colored pale gums.
Were all of these cows full term?
What breed are they?
Is this the first time you used this bull? How old is he? Breed?

I am sure your vet will guide you into checking some cows in addition to the calf. Best wishes for getting this stopped and some healthy calves on the ground!

Please let us know what you find out.

 

[djinwa]

As others have said, you had better have a vet involved. That can be cheaper than feeding 30 cows all year for nothing, and now even losing the cows.

I don't even understand the issue. Legs normally come first. Were the calves dead and then you pulled them? Were they too big? Or were they born unassisted and were weak and died later? How much did they weigh? Any deformities? Fully developed? Full term (how long since breeding)?

The more information you can collect the better. Take photos, weigh the calves, collect them for the vet per their instructions, etc.

 

[cowgirl8]

Our first 4 heifers calves were born dead, well, found dead. We starting bringing the heifers to the house as they were showing they were close so we could find out wth was happening. Had to break 2 sacks at the corrals.... All i can figure is that the heifers did not get up as soon as the calf came out and the sack did not break and the calf suffocated. Heifers do this(dont stand immediately) and if the sacks tend to run thick, we lose calves if we dont watch heifers closely. Some years are worse than others, (thickness of the sack). Its usually not a problem with cows, but it has happened on hard births where the cow was just exhausted, calf was exhausted and the cow hesitated to stand right away..

 

[cowgirl8]

I also want to add that when the calf suffocates you'll find a cleaned off calf. The cow usually gets up and cleans is off, so you find a dead cleaned calf.

 

[inyati13]

This is truly a sad story. I would have a local vet come out and do a complete review of your cattle operation or if where you reside has programs that assist cattleman like we do here in KY, there will be help available there at no cost. I was raised on a farm but have been at it a short time like you. I have gotten lots of free assistance from our Agriculture agents that are associated with the University of KY. Develop a relationship with them. They like to be used and the one who helps me is educated in animal science and is from one of the well known beef operations in KY. I would not approach it like it is bad luck which is what Murphy's law is based on. I wish you speed in getting peace of mind. Something like this would make me cry.

 

[highgrit]

Eight percent is Murphys law when it comes to loosing livestock. Any more than that somethings wrong. Call a vet now, if you ever check back in. And please let us know what you found out, I've never had something like this happen yet.

 

[dun]

How big are the calves?

 

[GACowboy]

The calf that was cleaned off was a first calf heifer. She had the calf with no help, yet the calf had still died. The calf I pulled with the truck due to I could not pull by hand and didnt want to waste anymore time to get puller, came out back legs first, was dead before I got her out. The heifer was a smaller frame cow and was exhausted and was laying on the ground with legs already stiff, by the time I had arrived. After talking to the vet he said that it was more than likely just a few freak accidents that cattle have(You don't keep them all) He did sugest that I look into getting another bull that was semen tested so that I would know for sure that the bull was fertile and that he would be a LBW bull.

 

[greybeard]

I have about 30 cows that are starting to calve. I have lost 5 calves already and pulled one this morning calf was legs out first(Cow died later on). I have not seen the first calf standing from this bull yet. I took one calf to have a biopsy done on it(awaiting results). Is Murphys law just after me or do you think something could be wrong? I have had cattle on this farm for about three years with no calving issues. There is plenty grass(fescue and clover) and free choice minerals. I broke down this morning and started crying due to the stress from losing the calves and cow.
Things that I think could be wrong:
1) Murphys Law.
2) Bull genetics
3) It's farming not all calves make it.

Any input would be greatly apprecitated. :?

I take it this is a new bull to your operation, and since you said "cows" I assume they are not heifers and they have successfully calved before.
What do you know about this new bull?
What breed?
EPDs available?
Any history from the seller of the bull (if he's not homegrown)?
As Dun asked--what was the birthweight of the calves?
Condition of the cows at calving time--underweight--over weight? BCS?
How close to calving due date were they?
Anything else changed?

 

[cowgirl8]

The calf that was cleaned off was a first calf heifer. She had the calf with no help, yet the calf had still died. The calf I pulled with the truck due to I could not pull by hand and didnt want to waste anymore time to get puller, came out back legs first, was dead before I got her out. The heifer was a smaller frame cow and was exhausted and was laying on the ground with legs already stiff, by the time I had arrived. After talking to the vet he said that it was more than likely just a few freak accidents that cattle have(You don't keep them all) He did sugest that I look into getting another bull that was semen tested so that I would know for sure that the bull was fertile and that he would be a LBW bull.

Did you witness this heifer calving or did you find her with a dead calf....if you found her after, the calf likely suffocated...Were all these cows first time calves?

 

[jerry27150]

could it be they were vaccinated at the wrong time? my son bought some heifers one year that had been vaccinated at wrong time & every calf was born dead

 

[Kingfisher]

could it be they were vaccinated at the wrong time? my son bought some heifers one year that had been vaccinated at wrong time & every calf was born dead

When is the wrong time or should I ask the right time?

 

[branguscowgirl]

could it be they were vaccinated at the wrong time? my son bought some heifers one year that had been vaccinated at wrong time & every calf was born dead

When is the wrong time or should I ask the right time?

Some vacs can't be given to bred cows, only when they are open.

 

[GACowboy]

Update. Since I have been on here I have had 7 calves born. I think one of the calves that died was because the cow was old and possibly couldnt get up in time, therefore calf suffocated and died (calf was also cleaned off). Other cow I found with calves hind legs coming out first. Well that explains that. Yet I would advise others to get a tested bull and monitor when calves should arrive so you can keep a close eye on them just in case they may need help. Thanks for all the information.

 

[Red Bull Breeder]

Apparently the bull is fertile. So what do you think you need to test for?? May they can tell if his sperm swim backwards, that might cause the calves to be born backwards.

 

[cloud9cattle]

What kind of bull? What kind of cows? I still havent seen you answer this question.

 

[GACowboy]

Bull is a Hereford and Angus cows. None are registered. I have 15 calves on the ground from him now.