Did they kill it or find it?

[MO_cows]

Had an out of season calf born this week. Didn't realize calving was imminent or we would have been watching closer. The heifer who had the calf is just 18 months old, management error on our part. She was looking wide but didn't bag up or give other clues. So I heard bawling when I got up, went out to check it out and she was wandering around bawling. We walked around looking for a calf, found a dead one that coyotes had eaten on. What would be clues as to whether the coyotes killed the calf, or if it was already dead and they found it?

 

[Nite Hawk]

Normally when an animal is killed by an anmial their heart is pumping and they bleed all over the place. If found dead and ate, the calf's heart isn't pumping blood, so there usually is no blood splatters, and less blood laying around..
Sorry if its graphic , but thats the way it is

 

[randiliana]

Also check the pads of the feet if you can find them. If they are worn, then the calf at least tried to get up.

 

[redcowsrule33]

Take a piece of lung (without crushing it) and throw it in a bucket if water. If it breathed, it will float.

 

[MO_cows]

There wasn't much blood. Didn't think of the feet. I wouldn't be up for cutting out a lung, don't really think hubby would either. And in this case, he went in late to work to bury the carcass so no time to attempt it. Really hated to lose the calf after the young heifer got it delivered all by herself and wanted to mother it. She bawled for two days and looked all over.

 

[Caustic Burno]

I would say found it coyotes are total opportunist and really don't want to get in a fight.

 

[Aaron]

Also check the pads of the feet if you can find them. If they are worn, then the calf at least tried to get up.

This is one of the best ways, as the feet are usually left alone.

 

[glacierridge]

Inspect the calf, but I wouldn't put past coyotes to kill them...

 

[Nite Hawk]

Different animals often kill differently. Cougar with a crush to the skull or spine, so often minimal bleeding,
Wolves & Coyotes often throat and hamstringing with lots of bleeding.
Grizzlys often crush skull, Blacks tend to tear apart more often.Bears often pull the guts through the backside after death.
The calf may have been breech or something and died during birth, but never trust coyotes, they WILL kill calves, contrary to what some people say..