heifer didn't make it

[uplandnut]

Unfortunately this morning I woke up to find a 2 month old heifer I have, dead by the round bale feeder. My only assumption is that she happened to get stepped on or laid on by one of the cows last night. Which brings me to my question, what should be done with the cow, do I need to bring her up and try to hand milk her or will nature just take its course and she will be fine if I just leave her alone. Thanks in advance for the advice, I'm learning every day.

 

[Nesikep]

Well that sucks.. sorry to hear about it.

the cow will be fine... If you want your own milk you can always try milking her, or (with great difficulty) she may adopt

 

[Muddy]

Let the nature take care of the momma cow.

 

[coachg]

Sorry for your loss, it's tough enough getting them here but really stinks to lose them at 2 months old ! Momma will dry up now just like she would at weaning time for her calf.

 

[boondocks]

Wow, sorry for your loss.
To the old(er)timers, is it rare (I assume) for a calf to get sat on to the point of death? I understand it happens once in a while with humans, but seems like Mother Nature would try to prevent that...

 

[Supa Dexta]

Not at 2 months. Maybe 2 days. But after that they are pretty feisty and unless a big cow just flopped squarely down on it, its unlikely it was laid on to death, as it should startle the cow and make her move right away. Even stepping on one should produce an injured calf, not death. But who's to say what happened.

 

[uplandnut]

Thanks for all the advice. The cow seems to be doing very well. Not sure how it really happened but she was found laying next to the feeder and had been very active and seemed very healthy.

 

[JMJ Farms]

Thanks for all the advice. The cow seems to be doing very well. Not sure how it really happened but she was found laying next to the feeder and had been very active and seemed very healthy.

Upland, years back we had a partially eaten round roll fall on a 250 lb calf. Last year I had a cow have her calf on the pond dam and slide him right into the water. Had a calf 20 years ago drink burnt motor oil out of a five gallon bucket. Murphy's Law. It always stinks though.

 

[angus9259]

Not at 2 months. Maybe 2 days. But after that they are pretty feisty and unless a big cow just flopped squarely down on it, its unlikely it was laid on to death, as it should startle the cow and make her move right away. Even stepping on one should produce an injured calf, not death. But who's to say what happened.

A big cow doesn't care what it's laying on. I went out just in time to save one just like that. underneath the big cow and up against the feeder. still breathing. tubed it. got it warm. fortunately it came back around but 20 minutes later it woulda been dead.

 

[Supa Dexta]

Thats why I said at 2 months. You know how much fuss a 2 month old calf is gonna kick up if that happened? About the same as trying to tube one...

 

[angus9259]

Thats why I said at 2 months. You know how much fuss a 2 month old calf is gonna kick up if that happened? About the same as trying to tube one...

It was every bit of two months. Whether or not it was making a fuss when the cow laid on it I don't know. It's legs and head were completely pinned below a cow and against a full hay feeder. I'm not sure how much room for squirming there is under 1500 lbs of weight.

 

[Supa Dexta]

Why are you tubing 2 month old calves?

 

[angus9259]

Why are you tubing 2 month old calves?

Did you miss the part that it was almost dead? As such it was unable to nurse. Or do anything other than lay there. Electrolytes mostly so it didn't dehydrate.