Heifer aborted

[farrier]

Hello all,

Been reading this board a long time and decided to ask a question.
I had a 2 year old first time calving heifer slip her calf about a month or two early.
Fetus was fully developed, but didn't have much hair, markings fully visible (Hereford).
I didn't get it tested for anything in time. The heifer is a picture of health. No outward problems.
My question is should I try to breed her again, give her another chance?
Just get rid of her?
Fatten and butcher her?
Thanks.

 

[Fire Sweep Ranch]

Did you vaccinate recently?

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

Hello all,

Been reading this board a long time and decided to ask a question.
I had a 2 year old first time calving heifer slip her calf about a month or two early.
Fetus was fully developed, but didn't have much hair, markings fully visible (Hereford).
I didn't get it tested for anything in time. The heifer is a picture of health. No outward problems.
My question is should I try to breed her again, give her another chance?
Just get rid of her?
Fatten and butcher her?
Thanks.

We bought 15 first time calving heifers last fall and paid a pretty big price since they were all registered Angus. We had 14 successful deliveries but one did skip her calve about 2 months before the targeted delivery date. I gave her a mulligan and she's due this month. Fingers crossed this time but if something goes south so does she.

 

[Lucky_P]

Without having some diagnostic testing done, there's no way to know.
Had two in my herd abort, about 2 months early this summer - 4 days apart. First calf was fresh, and I found it soon after she dumped it, before the buzzards got it - no placenta available, though - retained. Diagnostic workup revealed lesions consistent with Neospora abortion, confirmed by PCR. Second cow's abortus was rotten and partially consumed before I found it - but I have little doubt that she was also a Neospora case.
Theoretically, those Neospora cows could abort again - or give birth to infected calves which might be weak - or might look perfectly normal, but if they're heifer calves, they may abort their calves - &/or continue to pass the infection along to their offspring.
So... both of those cows, and one's yearling heifer have taken a ride to the sale barn and sold as open slaughter cows.

You could still have this heifer tested; if seropositive for Neospora, I'd sell her.

 

[farrier]

No shots for awhile.

Lucky P,
Do I call a vet to test?
If blood test, can I pull blood myself and take it to vets office?
Thanks.

 

[dun]

Hello all,

Been reading this board a long time and decided to ask a question.
I had a 2 year old first time calving heifer slip her calf about a month or two early.
Fetus was fully developed, but didn't have much hair, markings fully visible (Hereford).
I didn't get it tested for anything in time. The heifer is a picture of health. No outward problems.
My question is should I try to breed her again, give her another chance?
Just get rid of her?
Fatten and butcher her?
Thanks.

We had the same thing happen this year. Vet had to pull the calf (dead several days). She never really went into labor just had her tail at half mast most of the day. She started cycling 3 weeks later (end of February), the next heat I AIed her and everything felt normal. Turned her out with the bull 3 weeks later and never gave it a second thougth. When we preg checked the end of September she was in standing heat and the bull bred her right after she came out of the chute. When the calves head out to the salebarn in a couple of weeks she will be on the trailer with them. Breaks my heart as she is the last of Grannys daughters.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

Sorry to hear that dun, I know how much Granny meant to you.

 

[Lucky_P]

Depends on the lab.
Some will accept samples/animals directly from the owner with or without veterinarian involved, others, like ours, do require an 'attending/submitting veterinarian' - though if your veterinarian is willing to serve as the veterinarian of record, there's usually no issue with a blood/serum sample submitted without having been drawn in person by the veterinarian.

 

[raykour]

I have had 3 heifers abort. 1 aborted pretty early (to calve in late April/early May she aborted in December)
I sold her.

The other 2 heifers one aborted about 2 months early and the other delivered a live but very premature calf, so the only way I would have ever known it was born alive was that I was present so for all intensive purposes I'll call it an abortion because even with the utmost intensive care the calf was not viable.

The one that delivered the premie delivered probably the nicest calf I have had an awhile this past spring. I ended up keeping her as a replacement. The one that aborted a couple months early is due to calve again the first week in March. We shall see.

I would say give her another chance if you can't pinpoint anything.