Fire Sweep Ranch
Well-known member
My sample size is small, so my data really is not good to draw conclusions on. My question is; anyone with experience with a lot of embryos notice a higher abortion rate?
Here is the reason for my question: Many might remember I lost a calf last year, this time, at 240 days gestation. This cow had never aborted before, and we had placed an embryo in her for the first time (she likes to twin, we gave her a year off). Today, we had a cow abort a 248 day old bull calf. He is still alive, and currently at the vet clinic on IV fluids. This cow, Joy, has aborted an embryo calf before, at 177 days along. We AI bred her for the next calf, which she had just fine. Of most of my late term abortions I have had (not many) MOST have been embryos. It makes me ponder on the idea that maybe the placenta does not attach correctly, and when the cow gets further in gestation, the fetus loses nutrition and therefore is sloughed off.
I did a quick search, and did not find anything indicating that.
The next question, how early can a calf be born and survive? Of course, this little bugger was not even 20 pounds (I did not weigh him, but he was very light and smaller than my Australian Shepherd we have). I thought he was dead when I found him (we do not start calving until September 5th, this cow was not due until September 24th). He lifted his head as I approached and made a little sound. Of course, she had him in the mud and cold area.... and he was very cold. I called the vet (my drenching tube would not even fit in his mouth!), he said bring him right over. The calf does have a suck reflex, which is good, but he was 97 degrees (rectal temp) at the vet office and not moving much. His eyes were cloudy, likely not formed all the way yet...Anyway, just frustrated with losing a calf. I brought the cow in, milked her down, and when my vet calls me tonight I will let him know I was able to collect some colostrum.....
This cattle business is tough... with losing our first cow a few weeks ago and now a repeat of last year losing an embryo calf.
Here is the reason for my question: Many might remember I lost a calf last year, this time, at 240 days gestation. This cow had never aborted before, and we had placed an embryo in her for the first time (she likes to twin, we gave her a year off). Today, we had a cow abort a 248 day old bull calf. He is still alive, and currently at the vet clinic on IV fluids. This cow, Joy, has aborted an embryo calf before, at 177 days along. We AI bred her for the next calf, which she had just fine. Of most of my late term abortions I have had (not many) MOST have been embryos. It makes me ponder on the idea that maybe the placenta does not attach correctly, and when the cow gets further in gestation, the fetus loses nutrition and therefore is sloughed off.
I did a quick search, and did not find anything indicating that.
The next question, how early can a calf be born and survive? Of course, this little bugger was not even 20 pounds (I did not weigh him, but he was very light and smaller than my Australian Shepherd we have). I thought he was dead when I found him (we do not start calving until September 5th, this cow was not due until September 24th). He lifted his head as I approached and made a little sound. Of course, she had him in the mud and cold area.... and he was very cold. I called the vet (my drenching tube would not even fit in his mouth!), he said bring him right over. The calf does have a suck reflex, which is good, but he was 97 degrees (rectal temp) at the vet office and not moving much. His eyes were cloudy, likely not formed all the way yet...Anyway, just frustrated with losing a calf. I brought the cow in, milked her down, and when my vet calls me tonight I will let him know I was able to collect some colostrum.....
This cattle business is tough... with losing our first cow a few weeks ago and now a repeat of last year losing an embryo calf.