calving season off to a rocky start, and has not begun yet

[rockridgecattle]

We do not start for another 4 weeks. On Sunday hubby went out to feed the cows. One did not come home for grain. The previous night he has a bad cow dream. Then over the barn flew a raven with something blood red. So out to the lone cow he went. Here she premature calved. Teeth just starting to break the surface. On the small side but still 4 weeks to go at least. Our attitude was one of disapointment but then the thought so often spoke of here "if you have livestock, you'll have deadstock. So we put it into perspective. Figured if another aborted the vet would be called.
Hubby has been watching her daily since Sunday. Yes she cleaned, she was in the process when he took the calf away. Yesterday he thought she looked a bit off, but thought maybe it was just him. I mean he figured she was coming home for grain daily, drinking water, eating so...So he waited another day. Sure enough the weight loss is starting to show now, tail crooked a little wobbly on the feet and pee odd color and she has not tightened up the fiddle string around the tail bone. Still eating. Got her chuted up, gloved up, no twin, no placenta, but stinkyand liquidy, milk there but no mastitis. Temp 39.2 C
A call into the vet awaiting a call back...
...not a good start to the season which should not be starting yet...
did i mention i had a bad cow dream the other night, an abortion storm hit...good thing it was just a dream...or nightmare

 

[randiliana]

This stuff always seems to happen about 6 weeks to a month ahead of calving. It sucks, but chances are pretty good that it is just 'one of those things'. A good dose of antibiotics will probably set her back to rights in no time.

So far, we haven't had anything happen. I am getting impatient, but I guess the heifers really aren't due til at least Feb 20. Lots of them showing now though.

 

[bigbull338]

goodthing he had that dream or he might not of went out an found the cow.sometimes cows calve early for no known reason.an you will loose some cows an calves an not know why.

 

[hillsdown]

Last year I had one of my best black Gelbvieh's calve about a month and a half early. By the time I found the calf it was frozen stiff, I doubt if it would have lived anyways had I been there when she calved. It's teeth weren't through yet either and she probably weighed maybe 20 lbs..When I did the math it meant that the bull got her on her first heat probably around 10 days after she calved the year before. It must have not been a strong attachment of the embryo..

She calved again last week and gave me a beautiful heifer calf. Since I bought her in 2005 I have moved her calving season up every year from July to now the end of Jan. beginning of Feb. I am almost half way done calving but dread the next 5 days as we are to go back in the deep freeze again lows in the -20's..They seem to like to pop them out more when it gets cold,,had another PB heifer this morn..


RR maybe you just got all of your crappy stuff out of the way early and you will have a smooth calving season.

Let us know what the vet says about your cow, I hope she gets well soon..

 

[rockridgecattle]

Well the vet must have been busy because she did not call back. She is usually pretty good about that.
So we took matters into our own hands, and drew on experience.
Since she was stinky:
two after calf boluses in the uterus. We had them, might as well use them, wouldn't want the money to go to waste now would we... she was stinky
a shot of dex, would have used anafin because we like non steriod, but we had a bottle, she was open, why not, kinda off feed, not generally well, and well it would help
a shot a alamyacin, generic LA200
shot of lute to help with opening her up, smoothing the walls whatever...to tired to remember why
and cause i was in the mood to give needles a dose of A and D, again cause i have it on hand, she was not feeling well and why not.
she is in the home pen to keep an eye on her.
I hope she gets better to re breed, she was kind enought to let me check her bag for mastitis without kicking me, she is a nice size and raised a good calf last year. And after this year we really do not need any more set backs, thought they are coming.

I was actually kind of glad the calf died. "What", you say, "how can you say that?"
Well because knowing me, if it was alive, I would have spent a pile of bucks and time trying to get it going.
Colostrum from a bag 20.00
shots including a/d, e/sel, epinephrine, dope, LA 200 maybe, electrolytes
heat lamps, including the generator to run the lamps
bottle feeding cause to weak because rather premie to nurse on own,
calf would probably die any how because just to early and well livestock = dead stock sometimes.
But i would have tried to defy the known and spent a good deal of $ to try and save every calf...

 

[Frankie]

I'm sorry you lost the calf. This is a tough time of the year and you don't need that. We had a scare last month. A cow showed up at the feed trough that wasn't due for 18 days. She had obviously had a calf, udder all puffed up, some blood. Figured we had a dead calf out there somewhere so we followed her when she left the feed bunk. She took us right to a very small, but alive, heifer calf (68#). Her bull calf by that same bull was born 12 days early last year, so we were planning to get her up in a few days where we could watch her. The heifer is still one of the smallest of the bunch, though she's one of the older ones, but she's growing.

 

[bandit80]

I know how you feel.

http://cattletoday.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=54521

 

[ClinchMountainBoy]

I hear you, saves you lots if they would go on and die sometimes. You can spend tons of money and time just delaying the inevitable, been there done that. Hang in there. My season started out with a total uterus prolapse, dead calf, dead cow (cow died after the vet came, of course!) and then a breech calf, which also died. It's hard sometimes, but hey, after that i've had 9 healthy easy ones in a row, so go figure. Sure am glad I like raising them so much or i'd have to quit!

 

[alacattleman]

We do not start for another 4 weeks. On Sunday hubby went out to feed the cows. One did not come home for grain. The previous night he has a bad cow dream. Then over the barn flew a raven with something blood red. So out to the lone cow he went. Here she premature calved. Teeth just starting to break the surface. On the small side but still 4 weeks to go at least. Our attitude was one of disapointment but then the thought so often spoke of here "if you have livestock, you'll have deadstock. So we put it into perspective. Figured if another aborted the vet would be called.
Hubby has been watching her daily since Sunday. Yes she cleaned, she was in the process when he took the calf away. Yesterday he thought she looked a bit off, but thought maybe it was just him. I mean he figured she was coming home for grain daily, drinking water, eating so...So he waited another day. Sure enough the weight loss is starting to show now, tail crooked a little wobbly on the feet and pee odd color and she has not tightened up the fiddle string around the tail bone. Still eating. Got her chuted up, gloved up, no twin, no placenta, but stinkyand liquidy, milk there but no mastitis. Temp 39.2 C
A call into the vet awaiting a call back...
...not a good start to the season which should not be starting yet...
did i mention i had a bad cow dream the other night, an abortion storm hit...good thing it was just a dream...or nightmare

the stuff lays heavy on your mind...a crop farmer told me one time we were in the middle of a dry spell.......he swore he heard a pouring rain in the middle of the night, ran out too check..... nothing... good luck

 

[rockridgecattle]

Well I should have posted this sooner.

She is looking much better. She has p/u a bit. We treated for RP and had to give antibiotics a couple of times and two shots of lute. As well, I used Dex. My reason for Dex was, she was slightly fevered and off feed so I wanted her to "feel" better. As well, it was in the cupboard and i was low on flunazine (sp) She also got a shot of A&D and Esel...just because.

Now i have no idea what damage has been done to her reproductive system, so she will go into the breeding herd and will most definitely get preg checked. We thought of selling her because she has no calf but, she needed extra feed to recondition, she needed 48 days on withdrawl, so, by that time the pasture will not be far behind. And since we downsized alot, we have the necessary pasture even if we see a drought.
Just a note, not to start a brawl, vet costs were free except for the drugs. We consulted our vet because she had RP but the call was free. OH wait, the call costed me cause i called on the cell chute side.