Heifer lost calf

[kentuckyguy]

Had a heifer have a calf light night that died during birth. Cow is up and doing fine but I'm not sure what to do with the heifer. I don't have access to any calves to put on her. Will it ruin her udder if she is not being nursed?

Trying to decide whether or not to ship her or breed her again. She's a good heifer I just think he calf was way to big for her.

 

[Bright Raven]

Her udder will be fine. If she is a nice heifer. Give her another chance. If the calf was too big, reassess the bull.

 

[Txpiney]

Or have the heifer pelvic area measured, or was she too young?

 

[kentuckyguy]

She is a 25 month old Hereford. I think my problem was using my father in laws new bull that was supposed to be a low bw angus bull. The calf was almost 90lbs

 

[kickinbull]

Earlier this year we had 2 heifers the had very big still born calves. The rest from same bull we're just nice size. We were able to graft a calf on one, but not the other.

 

[lithuanian farmer]

Had several heifers which lost their calves and stayed without a calf until next calving. Make sure that she doesn't get very good feed and she should be fine. One heifer lost her calf last summer, so she later had mastitis in one of her teats as she was grazzing in good grass. The ones, which are on hay never had problems and did just fine next year.
The size of the calf depends a lot from the dam too. Some cows just tend to have big calves no matter what bull you'll use. But as an elder animal they are easier to calve than a heifer.

 

[MRRherefords]

Udder will be fine. Was she really small? I am absolutely not encouraging the birth of 90# calves in heifers, but just saying a lot of 25 month old heifers should be able to handle a 90# calf.

 

[kentuckyguy]

I agree they should be able to handle the calves. To be honest I'm just getting started in cattle and I have learned real quick that getting good cows that calve without problems is not easy.

The Hereford heifer had plenty of frame size. She might have even been a little bigger than I like. She got the calf out on her own but it looks to me like the calf's cord broke before she could get it free and it suffocated. I work 12 hour shifts so I am not able to keep an eye on my heifers like I would like to.

At the point I was just trying to figure out whether or not to give her another shot or move her down the road and take a chance with something else.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

I agree they should be able to handle the calves. To be honest I'm just getting started in cattle and I have learned real quick that getting good cows that calve without problems is not easy.

The Hereford heifer had plenty of frame size. She might have even been a little bigger than I like. She got the calf out on her own but it looks to me like the calf's cord broke before she could get it free and it suffocated. I work 12 hour shifts so I am not able to keep an eye on my heifers like I would like to.

At the point I was just trying to figure out whether or not to give her another shot or move her down the road and take a chance with something else.

I give second chances.

 

[True Grit Farms]

I gave heifers second chances till I reached carrying capacity. And every heifer that I've given a second chance to has worked out fine. Now I expect a heifer or cow to produce a live calf every year or their going for a ride.

 

[M-5]

I agree they should be able to handle the calves. To be honest I'm just getting started in cattle and I have learned real quick that getting good cows that calve without problems is not easy.

The Hereford heifer had plenty of frame size. She might have even been a little bigger than I like. She got the calf out on her own but it looks to me like the calf's cord broke before she could get it free and it suffocated. I work 12 hour shifts so I am not able to keep an eye on my heifers like I would like to.

At the point I was just trying to figure out whether or not to give her another shot or move her down the road and take a chance with something else.

The biggest issue with giving a second chance is her getting too fat. Just don't feed her and get her bred back . If its just a case of bad luck i alwways give a second chance .

 

[Bigfoot]

Honestly, I'd sell that heifer and roll the money in to the next one. She'll be be crowding 4 years old before you sell a calf out of her. She occupying space, time, and resources that another one could.

 

[Coosh71]

This is hard thing for most of us. Keep or sell??? I read an interesting g article in Beef Magazine a while back. Basically keeping a non producing heifer or cow will cost way more than taking the heifer to the sale and picking up a young bred cow. I was going to hold on to 3 that either sluffed late or had a calf die at birth. But decided that next week I'm hauling them and going to use the money to buy more hay (we are in a drought). Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

 

[Brute 23]

This is hard thing for most of us. Keep or sell??? I read an interesting g article in Beef Magazine a while back. Basically keeping a non producing heifer or cow will cost way more than taking the heifer to the sale and picking up a young bred cow. I was going to hold on to 3 that either sluffed late or had a calf die at birth. But decided that next week I'm hauling them and going to use the money to buy more hay (we are in a drought). Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

Those article don't address risk. You may get some thing just as bad or worse from the sale barn.

 

[NonTypicalCPA]

Or have the heifer pelvic area measured, or was she too young?

How do you measure the pelvic area? What measurements are acceptable? I've got a heifer that needed a bit of assistance with her calf a few weeks back. She's my smallest and her hips look narrower than my other girls.

 

[Coosh71]

Brute I agree there's a risk ESPECIALLY from the sale barn. A lot of what we do is calculated and proven. And, a lot is from our own gut. I am guilty of "liking" a particular cow or heifer and holding onto them. Sometimes it works out and sometimes it doesn't. But if you run your herd like a business how can recycling the same low or non producing animals make sense? We have a spring and fall group. We have given animals a "2nd Chance", and moved them from one calving period to the other. As a result more recently I have three 4 year olds that we moved to our spring herd because they were open. Now they are the last 3 to calve in this new herd. I'm gonna sell them because I'm trying to retain heifers, and I know I don't want any from those 3. Everyone's operational goals are unique. We need to make some money with ours, and not make it a petting zoo lol.

 

[TCRanch]

Or have the heifer pelvic area measured, or was she too young?

How do you measure the pelvic area? What measurements are acceptable? I've got a heifer that needed a bit of assistance with her calf a few weeks back. She's my smallest and her hips look narrower than my other girls.

My vet measures when they get their BANGS at 11 months. Measurements (at least in my case) are based on turning them out with the bull at 15 months, calving at 24. Minimum acceptable measurements are contingent on your bull/your operation. Just because a heifers hips look narrow doesn't mean she has a small pelvic measurement. The link is a pretty good explanation:
http://www.thebeefsite.com/articles/903 ... ifficulty/

 

[TCRanch]

Or have the heifer pelvic area measured, or was she too young?

How do you measure the pelvic area? What measurements are acceptable? I've got a heifer that needed a bit of assistance with her calf a few weeks back. She's my smallest and her hips look narrower than my other girls.

Found an old topic:
viewtopic.php?f=19&t=107999&hilit=this+is+why+we+pelvic+measure

 

[NonTypicalCPA]

Thanks TC!

 

[kentuckyguy]

I've decided to give her another chance. She's a very well made heifer with good disposition.

I really hate the idea of bringing in any outside animals. I know sometimes you have to (bull) but I would sure hate to trade a heifer who may or may not do good with her next calf for some type of disease problem.