freak calf (sorta graphic PIC)

[Beefy]

Most people would probably be too ashamed to post anything like this but i thought maybe someone (me?) might learn something from this. This calf was born to a heifer, the legs were so twisted that during birth the hoofs were upside down. i was sure it was backwards, but since she was progressing pretty well i didnt assist, just watched closely. she had the calf on her on, the amnion was extremely thick so i ran the cow off and got it off, only to find this grotesque little calf inside. i was relieved that it wasnt alive. legs were quite short, ears not developed well, had testicals though, legs severely twisted and the obvious nose deformity.
It didnt look quite fullterm, but i had recorded her being bred 9.5 months ago.. so she was right on time according to my records but she could easily have come in again and i missed it. she didnt really dilate much and bagged up the day before. i noticed her acting strange the night before. anyway, heres the pic.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Son what you have is a dilema kinda of like your mother-in-law just drove your new Chevy off a cliff.
Keep the cow?
Post the Calf?
What caused the deformity?
Mineral problem?
genetic problem?

That calf looks like he was pulled through a small culvert backwards.

 

[MikeC]

Strange looking. Some sort of genetic defect I presume. :shock:

 

[Beefy]

the cow is leaving, no matter what the cause was. i'm guessing its mineral or maybe eating something toxic, b/c i havent had any other problems. the vet was out today not for that but i told him about it and he wasnt concerned. seemed to think it was a freak occurence.

 

[buckaroo_bif]

gotta be genetic, very weird looking.

 

[Workinonit Farm]

That is quite the anomaly! Looks like DNA and chromosomes gone awry.

Before the pic loaded, I was thinking "bull-dog" calf by your description, then I saw the pic. Not a bull-dog.

Thanks for posting that pic. You usually have something interesting yo look at.

Katherine

 

[certherfbeef]

Beefy, to be quite honest, it looks like a TH calf. I know you have some shorthorn blood in your cattle, might want to watch that.

 

[Beefy]

thanks Katherine,
i too was thinking bulldog calf. i havent seen a pic of one but have been looking. i was hoping it wasnt one. do you have a pic or link ?

 

[Beefy]

in fact the first two things that came to my head when i uncovered this calf was "bulldog calf" and "the guy from The Goonies".

i had a bad gut feeling about this heifer always. one day i will learn to trust my instinct 100%.

 

[Beefy]

Beefy, to be quite honest, it looks like a TH calf. I know you have some shorthorn blood in your cattle, might want to watch that.

do you have more information about TH? specifically pictures? this calf would only have a very minimal amount of shorthorn in it. and wouldnt i being have more problems?

 

[buckaroo_bif]

was just reading about bulldog calves. they say the only way to get a bulldog calf is to breed two short legged dwarf calves together.

http://bellefourchedexters.tripod.com/A ... t-long.htm

 

[certherfbeef]

Beefy, to be quite honest, it looks like a TH calf. I know you have some shorthorn blood in your cattle, might want to watch that.

do you have more information about TH? specifically pictures? this calf would only have a very minimal amount of shorthorn in it. and wouldnt i being have more problems?

Here is a link to some pictures of TH calves.
http://www.showsteers.com/TH%20Pictures.htm
Does this calf have what looks like a hernia? That may help you rule out TH. I've been told that all TH calves have an abdominal hernia.

 

[Beefy]

i dont believe so. b/c i specifically noted that it had testicals and i think i would have noticed a hernia like the ones in those pictures. i'm going to post another pic that maybe you can tell a little more about. i really think the calf was early despite my records b/c 1) i had to completely remove the amnion and it was thick like an abortion 2) the calf looked underdeveloped with short hair coat,etc, 3) it just looked like an aborted fetus and 4) she didnt show any signs until right before she had the calf. i'm thinking the calf died and she aborted it but i dont know.

 

[Beefy]

 

[Workinonit Farm]

thanks Katherine,
i too was thinking bulldog calf. i havent seen a pic of one but have been looking. i was hoping it wasnt one. do you have a pic or link ?

I need to be more like you and CowCop and carry a camera everywhere. I've seen some bull-dog calves where I work. Sorry, I have no pics to share or a link.

Katherine

 

[Workinonit Farm]

was just reading about bulldog calves. they say the only way to get a bulldog calf is to breed two short legged dwarf calves together.

Bif, I didn't read the link yet, but the bull-dog calves I have seen were purebred/fullblood Angus calves at the farm/ranch where I work.

One of the other folks where I work, worked on a dairy for 18 years and had seen several bull-dog calves at the dairy, pure Holsteins.

None of cows who calved these odd-ball offspring were dwarves.

Katherine

 

[milkmaid]

That is a mess. How about going over it again and doing a thorough physical exam - or have you hauled it off for the 'yotes already? What is it, male or female? Second picture looks like it has two sets of hind legs - one on front and one on back. Normal head? eyes? ears? something's wrong with the muzzle in the first pic. Cleft palate? that might be a give-away for some problems. Tongue doesn't look quite right either. (I'm going to have nightmares about that thing tonight - yuck.) Front legs don't look attached right - are they on the same side or is it just the way the calf is lying? Four limbs or are there more? tail? anus? How about the cow- I don't think you said. Raise her yourself or buy her open? Most of the genetic problems I see, looking through the books right now, are caused by recessive genes. So if it's genetic your bull might be a carrier. Plenty of plants that can cause problems too though. Thanks for posting...even if that is really, really disgusting :lol:...I would like to know what it is too.

 

[Beefy]

i was wondering if that would be considered a cleft palate. it was male. 4 limbs. the front ones were like if you stick your arms straight forward and them flip them over. i have another pic that is more like how i found the calf. next to be posted. cow was raised here. i may inbreed a couple of heifers now this year to see if i get any defects.

 

[buckaroo_bif]

i may inbreed a couple of heifers now this year to see if i get any defects.

you're kidding right?

 

[Beefy]

i may inbreed a couple of heifers now this year to see if i get any defects.

you're kidding right?

no, its pretty much a surefire way to find out if you have any genetic problems lurking. i would rather gamble with two calves and find out i have something wrong than for it to show up later in a larger percentage of the calf crop. but i may not have to do that, i think i've found the cause. Lupine plants!
(see crooked calf syndrom post if interested)