Jersey Heifer Project

[Hpacres440p]

And what can you do? Go back and tell them "you didn't look hard enough, I want a refund "? From my memory, those are your only two vet choices, right?

 

[Mark Reynolds]

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[beefgirl]

The whole thing stinks like yesterday's garbage!
I knew we should've got that calf out of her last Thursday. I'm still of the opinion there was no pneumonia. She was hot because she was in labor for 2 days!! I'm not a vet but I knew this heifer very well. The symptoms are on last Thursdays post.

The calf died inside her.
She was down last night. Vet was at a ball game in the lightning/pouring down rain.... mhmm.

Idk where buck went, but his diagnosis was right on in my opinion!!! Whether it was uterine torsion or small pelvic or whatever, the calf was trapped.

Neither animal made it.

Sorry to hear…that sucks!

 

[farmerjan]

So sorry @MurraysMutts .... that really sucks big time.... Hurts when YOU KNOW something is wrong, and then you get told that it's not what you thought or wondered about. The fever was probably because the dead calf was poisoning her system...
What did the vet say when you told them?

 

[Mark Reynolds]

So sorry @MurraysMutts .... that really sucks big time.... Hurts when YOU KNOW something is wrong, and then you get told that it's not what you thought or wondered about. The fever was probably because the dead calf was poisoning her system...
What did the vet say when you told them?

There isn't much that the vet can say other than "Ops! I made a mistake." That's no consolation. And yes, the vet should have known better and been able to figure this out. I mean we are all human, but the vet should know something like this. He studied this for 4 years.

Yes, the fever was indeed caused by the dead calf poisoning the cow.

 

[MurraysMutts]

And what can you do? Go back and tell them "you didn't look hard enough, I want a refund "? From my memory, those are your only two vet choices, right?

If I had it to do over again, I'd have taken her to Stillwater. OSU veterinarians.
I do understand any vet can make a mistake.

So sorry @MurraysMutts .... that really sucks big time.... Hurts when YOU KNOW something is wrong, and then you get told that it's not what you thought or wondered about. The fever was probably because the dead calf was poisoning her system...
What did the vet say when you told them?

I did not even call them today. I'm afraid I'd say some things I don't really mean!
The calf was still alive when he checked her last Thursday. My opinion is she was hot because she had been in labor for 2 days! Temps were 90's last week too.
Hindsight and all that...

There isn't much that the vet can say other than "Ops! I made a mistake." That's no consolation. And yes, the vet should have known better and been able to figure this out. I mean we are all human, but the vet should know something like this. He studied this for 4 years.

Yes, the fever was indeed caused by the dead calf poisoning the cow.

Calf was still alive at time of diagnosis. He told me she would calve within a couple weeks. I knew the exact day she was bred. She was right on time for calving. Had I insisted on a c-section, at least one of em would still be alive and he might've learned something in the process.

Like @buckrandall said, most folks don't catch it early enough and wonder why they have a dead cow in their pasture. And they never know. Around here a case like this 8s quite rare. Even the vet I spoke with last night at OSU said it certainly was a possibility but they hardly ever see it too.

I do understand everyone makes a mistake. I should have been more clear I guess about what I "expected" from the vet

 

[Mark Reynolds]

If I had it to do over again, I'd have taken her to Stillwater. OSU veterinarians.
I do understand any vet can make a mistake.

I did not even call them today. I'm afraid I'd say some things I don't really mean!
The calf was still alive when he checked her last Thursday. My opinion is she was hot because she had been in labor for 2 days! Temps were 90's last week too.
Hindsight and all that...

Calf was still alive at time of diagnosis. He told me she would calve within a couple weeks. I knew the exact day she was bred. She was right on time for calving. Had I insisted on a c-section, at least one of em would still be alive and he might've learned something in the process.

Like @buckrandall said, most folks don't catch it early enough and wonder why they have a dead cow in their pasture. And they never know. Around here a case like this 8s quite rare. Even the vet I spoke with last night at OSU said it certainly was a possibility but they hardly ever see it too.

I do understand everyone makes a mistake. I should have been more clear I guess about what I "expected" from the vet

Sorry, my mistake. I didn't realize the vet confirmed the calf was still alive at the time of diagnosis. I might have missed that. Let me point out that hindsight is 20-20. At the same time, we are not clairvoyant. Maybe taking her to Stillwater would have made a difference, but based on what you have said now I'm not so sure. You had 2 vets look at her. That is considerably more than what many people would have done. Going to stillwater 'might' have resulted in a more accurate or different diagnosis sooner, but very well could have resulted in the same outcome.

I'm sorry for your loss.

 

[Travlr]

If I had it to do over again, I'd have taken her to Stillwater. OSU veterinarians.
I do understand any vet can make a mistake.

I did not even call them today. I'm afraid I'd say some things I don't really mean!
The calf was still alive when he checked her last Thursday. My opinion is she was hot because she had been in labor for 2 days! Temps were 90's last week too.
Hindsight and all that...

Calf was still alive at time of diagnosis. He told me she would calve within a couple weeks. I knew the exact day she was bred. She was right on time for calving. Had I insisted on a c-section, at least one of em would still be alive and he might've learned something in the process.

Like @buckrandall said, most folks don't catch it early enough and wonder why they have a dead cow in their pasture. And they never know. Around here a case like this 8s quite rare. Even the vet I spoke with last night at OSU said it certainly was a possibility but they hardly ever see it too.

I do understand everyone makes a mistake. I should have been more clear I guess about what I "expected" from the vet

The first clue was her separating from the herd.

 

[MurraysMutts]

The first clue was her separating from the herd.

She knew what to do. And then I knew she needed help. Definitely not a dumb cow. She came to the pen we spent so much time working together in. Her "safe" place.
I do feel as though I let her down


I'll expound a bit about last night.
She was down in the trailer. I spoke with a few folks, as well as the vet at OSU.
The after hours visit and exam is 250 bucks. I could swing that. IF she needed a c-section done on a downed cow, it was gonna be another 850 bucks. That don't pencil obviously. 1100 bucks to pull a dead calf with the chance of the cow not recovering from surgery. And if she did recover I wouldn't breed her again. So 1100 dollars for a 250 dollar cull cow. Gotta do something else here.

I made the decision to go in. Never had my arm in a cows vagina before. Now I cannot say that. The calf was not presented. My arm went in pretty easily up to my big fat forearm. Couldn't get in any farther. Pretty interesting experience really. It's very difficult to tell just what exactly your feeling. But there was obviously no calf. The calf was down low in her belly. Took me a bit to figure that out.


IMO, this all should have been prevented last week. (But I've said that a few times now )

An ounce of prevention. A pound of cure.

That's my story. And I'm sticking to it.

 

[Mark Reynolds]

She knew what to do. And then I knew she needed help. Definitely not a dumb cow.
I do feel as though I let her down

You didn't let her down. You did exactly what you needed to which was seek help from the vet for something that you knew was beyond your ability to diagnose or treat, and then you went to TWO vets, which was above and beyond.

 

[MurraysMutts]

You didn't let her down. You did exactly what you needed to which was seek help from the vet for something that you knew was beyond your ability to diagnose or treat, and then you went to TWO vets, which was above and beyond.

I added a lil bit since your quote.

And thank you!

 

[Hpacres440p]

I added a lil bit since your quote.

And thank you!

All is well!
Just heavy bred and she's apparently a drama queen!!!
She wasnt due for vax or anything else so just a friendly lil feel her up I guess.
840lbs.
She don't look that big...
She was ready for a drink. Still not terrible interested in food. She's become a nibbler.
I guess I'll keep her penned just because she seems to wanna be there anyway. If there's an issue, it'll be easier anyway.
View attachment 30570

So for knowledge sake, when he checked her did he do a rectal exam or vaginal? (I figure most of the time it's rectal). It sure would be something for this vet to know that she WAS twisted…for future knowledge, and to see if he felt anything "different ". Maybe Monday would be a good day to call both of them. So sorry for your loss.

 

[Travlr]

She knew what to do. And then I knew she needed help. Definitely not a dumb cow. She came to the pen we spent so much time working together in. Her "safe" place.
I do feel as though I let her down


I'll expound a bit about last night.
She was down in the trailer. I spoke with a few folks, as well as the vet at OSU.
The after hours visit and exam is 250 bucks. I could swing that. IF she needed a c-section done on a downed cow, it was gonna be another 850 bucks. That don't pencil obviously. 1100 bucks to pull a dead calf with the chance of the cow not recovering from surgery. And if she did recover I wouldn't breed her again. So 1100 dollars for a 250 dollar cull cow. Gotta do something else here.

I made the decision to go in. Never had my arm in a cows vagina before. Now I cannot say that. The calf was not presented. My arm went in pretty easily up to my big fat forearm. Couldn't get in any farther. Pretty interesting experience really. It's very difficult to tell just what exactly your feeling. But there was obviously no calf. The calf was down low in her belly. Took me a bit to figure that out.


IMO, this all should have been prevented last week. (But I've said that a few times now )

An ounce of prevention. A pound of cure.

That's my story. And I'm sticking to it.

I had a heifer separate herself from the herd and after two days I found her with the calf hooves out and turned to the sky. So breach and already dead. I took her in to the vet and he did a c-section and saved the heifer. $160... which I was surprised was so cheap. Probably because I brought her in instead of doing it in the field. And I've had c-sections done in the field and the cows died. The calf in the heifer had been dead for a while, long enough to swell up and the hair was coming off. Pretty amazing that the heifer lived, IMO. She never bred so she made some of the best freezer beef I've had about nine months later. I was expecting to find scar tissue but there was nothing I could see.

 

[TCRanch]

I found her with the calf hooves out and turned to the sky. So breach and already dead.

Hooves out to the sky is backwards. Tail first, back legs tucked under is breech.

 

[Travlr]

Hooves out to the sky is backwards. Tail first, back legs tucked under is breech.
View attachment 30858

Whatever makes you feel good...

 

[Texas G@l]

Good grief..... that's crazy that 2 vets missed the calf issue!

At least you know in your heart you did everything YOU could do

 

[TexasJerseyMilker]

Murry, I know that really hurt. Jerseys are not like other cattle, they are house cows.



I am reminded of Psalm 23:2-3 I believe every living creature has a part of God in them.

He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
He restores my soul;

 

[MurraysMutts]

I've dealt with a backward calf once. Both rear feet out. Had to pull it. Hard pull!
Big calf!
They say it's a "normal" presentation. Unlike breech, is butt/tail first. I NEVER want to deal with that.

 

[TexasJerseyMilker]

My husband knows how to push mal presented calf back in and straighten out in some cases. He learned it from a vet. They made a video on dystocias and sold it all over the US. We pulled Daphne's first calf.

 

[Hpacres440p]

Did you ever give your vets the feedback @MurraysMutts?