Frozen Calf

[JParrott]

Lost the first one of the season last night. Big bull - not *too* big. Cow was getting uncomfortable and looking for a place around 5:30 yesterday evening, went back out this morning at 7:30 and she was up and around the same place but the calf was frozen stiff. Didn't look like it ever even made it up to suck. Mama shed the afterbirth fine and looked ok but she wanted me to fix things with her calf kinda bad.

I kinda felt bad for not going out around 9:30 and seeing how things were going but this one was Dad's and he said he was okay with leaving things alone until the morning. He's 75 and I'm not about to tell another man how to do things. Kinda hoped this would be the first year to get through without a problem. Dad said it's never happened in his entire life. I suppose wishful thinking on my part.

 

[bird dog]

It happens to everyone. You can't watch them 24/7. One year I had 50 cows and got 50 calves. Really thought I was getting good at the game. Next year I reverted to the mean average and lost four and 2 or 3 didn't calve at all.

Your loss rate is always going to be above average if you have some heifers and some real old cows trying to get one more from them. Thats the risk you take. It would be nice to have all 5 or 6 year olds that calve easily, but its just not feasible.
If you can get 90% to weaning, you are halving a good year.

 

[TCRanch]

Sorry to hear that. Brutal cold is why I moved calving to start at the end of Feb. Obviously no guarantee and this year the weather has been crazy. I calve out my heifers in the barn & any other cow I anticipate a potential problem but as a general rule they calve in the pasture & bird dog is right - can't watch 'em all the time.

 

[NEFarmwife]

That really sucks! These cold blasts have been something.

Does it appear she cleaned it? That's always what we watch for and feel we can rest easier if she's up licking it.

 

[wbvs58]

That's a bummer.I just can't begin to imagine the cold that some of you experience over there but we lose them too when conditions are more favourable.

Ken

 

[southalberta]

It's horrible especially when the cow is looking at you to fix her baby.
I've been out with the early calving herd every 90 minutes (sleep sitting up so wake up for alarm) since December 27 and I still lost 2 just finished with the early herd this morning thankfully

 

[FlyingLSimmentals]

Sorry For you all. Yeah something always happens to screw up the year. Best one can do is try his or her hardest to keep it at a minimum and just hope for perfection.

 

[JParrott]

That really sucks! These cold blasts have been something.

Does it appear she cleaned it? That's always what we watch for and feel we can rest easier if she's up licking it.

She did clean it up a bit but its ears weren't totally dry as they had frozen with wetness. I went out this morning to see if she'd left it yet and she was still bawling and hanging around so I'll let it sit for another day or so until she abandons it. I think it was born breech and drowned before she got it all the way out. More frozen fluid around its mouth than usual.

I appreciate the responses from everyone. 31* and freezing rain with a layer of ice on everything today.

 

[76 Bar]

Sorry you lost the calf. Sounds like she might be a candidate for grafting.

 

[uplandnut]

Sorry you lost the calf, had one do the same thing last year. I never thought of it at the time but 76 bar is right, she might be a great candidate for grafting.

 

[76 Bar]

Easy to ship those girls who easily give up the ghost (pun intended)...not so much for those who hover and wail over their dead babies. :cry2:

 

[JParrott]

We've got another one we put in the barn last night that's prolapsed a bit but hasn't started labor yet. We'll see how she pans out but if we end up losing the cow and not the calf then we'll try to graft. Chances are though if we lose one, we'll lose both.

It was 63* and sunny with the windows down on Thursday afternoon. 24 hours later it was 22* with a cold north wind and 4 inches of snow on the ground.