Found cow dead

[tcolvin]

This evening I found one of my cows dead. She was probably 4-years old and due any day to calve. Her rear legs where straight out behind her. I don't know how long she was dead before I found her, but maybe at least 24 hours. Her vulva was gone, just a whole about 8-9 inch circle, and flies all over her. She was swollen very big, look twice her size. I have (or will try to) posted a couple of pics. Any ideas what May have happened. I think maybe a calf turn wrong and was a bad situation.

 

[Hoover]

Is she by a pond?

 

[tcolvin]

This evening I found one of my cows dead. She was probably 4-years old and due any day to calve. Her rear legs where straight out behind her. I don't know how long she was dead before I found her, but maybe at least 24 hours. Her vulva was gone, just a whole about 8-9 inch circle, and flies all over her. She was swollen very big, look twice her size. I have (or will try to) posted a couple of pics. Any ideas what May have happened. I think maybe a calf turn wrong and was a bad situation. View attachment 21011View attachment 21012

She had been moved over 3 feet for burial before I got a picture, but she was laying pretty in this position in the picture.

 

[Son of Butch]

Sudden death of 4-5 year old cow, first thing that comes to mind is some kind of poisoning.

 

[tcolvin]

Is she by a pond?

N0

 

[tcolvin]

Is she by a pond?

No pond. They are watered by well or pumped from my pond not in pasture.

 

[SBMF 2015]

Probably layed down wrong and just couldn't get her legs back under her. Kind of like when they lay with their legs on the up hill side.

 

[tcolvin]

Sudden death of 4-5 year old cow, first thing that comes to mind is some kind of poisoning.

But if it were poison, wouldn't others have the same problem? She is pastured with about 18-20 others. What got me is the hole where her vulva was. It was about 9 inches, dilated maybe? it was a dark hole about size of a pie plate. I was going to take picture of it, but my tractor man moved her while i went after phone to take picture. He just pushed her back about 3 feet to dig the hole.

 

[tcolvin]

Probably layed down wrong and just couldn't get her legs back under her. Kind of like when they lay with their legs on the up hill side.

but couldn't she survive for 24 hours or at least called out where i could hear her? she was only about 75 yards from my daughters front yard. The hole in her behind bothers me. It was about a nine inch circle in size. Like she may have dilated.

 

[kenny thomas]

The hole is probably where the buzzards have began to eat on her. Softest place for them.

 

[tcolvin]

The hole is probably where the buzzards have began to eat on her. Softest place for them.

ok, Buzzards where spotted circling above earlier. that makes sense, thanks

 

[kenny thomas]

I suspect if she was due to calve she possibly had calving issues. It's hard on them in hot weather.

 

[gcreekrch]

No matter how hard you try, you will never kill them all.

Every one hurts. This is why we calve in a very short period and check them often.

 

[Buck Randall]

She's been dead for at least a couple days. It's pretty much impossible to determine a cause of death when they're that decomposed.

 

[tcolvin]

The hole is probably where the buzzards have began to eat on her. Softest place for them.

That makes sense, I guess I'll never know.

 

[MurraysMutts]

That makes sense, I guess I'll never know.

I have personally seen a cow go into labor and not be able to get the calf out because of her pelvic area not be of sufficient size. Calf was stuck in that area without being able to get out.
Hope that makes sense. Wasn't my cow. They left if for a couple days and the animals got to her. That's when we saw the calf stuck like that. Damndest thing I ever seen

 

[DCA farm]

Lighting got this one…. Hit the dadgum
Tree she was standing beside…. Killed her killed the baby in her belly and killed the tree. I was lucky tho 35-40 ft away there was alot more cows laid up under a different tree ill
Take the small loss over a larger one

 

[BFE]

Lighting got this one…. Hit the dadgum
Tree she was standing beside…. Killed her killed the baby in her belly and killed the tree. I was lucky tho 35-40 ft away there was alot more cows laid up under a different tree ill
Take the small loss over a larger one

I lost one a few weeks ago. 10 y/o but good flesh and healthy. Looks like she laid down and died, no kick marks in the grass or anything, out in the open. I suspect lightning as well. My dad lost quite a few back in the 70's to lightning, they were all under a tree together, so I'm with you small loss is better than a big one.

 

[dave_shelby]

Not sure where you live but do you think bloat from clover?

 

[Caustic Burno]

It's part of the game we play if you ain't got can't loose them.