Well my last heifer finally calved last night, I knew she was close and with storms rolling in I figured that would be the case. She was the last one in my heard to calve and I've been anxiously awaiting this day, unfortunately things didn't go so good 
I kept an eye on her most of the day then towards evening I had to leave for a few hours, I got home after dark went to check on her and there she was cleaning off her calf. At first glance I knew something was wrong, the calf was pretty small probably 40 lbs or so and it's feet were somewhat curled up and it couldn't even stand up, it was alive but not very lively just kind of laying there so I know it hadn't sucked or even been up.
I picked it up and tried to get it to stand but there's no way... it may be hard to see in the pictures but the way his front legs are turned in I don't think it would ever walk or be able to stand. I tried to stretch it's legs out just to see if they even could straighten up but they seem to be crippled. Upon further inspection it appears to be underdeveloped or premature it's a little bull calf there's what looks to be a sack but it's empty and about the size of a kernel of corn.
A little back story on her I picked her up as a weaned yearling in a package deal didn't really want her but the price was right so I figured why not, she was cheap because she's a rat tail fast forward I raised her up and about 15 months old I bred her to a full simmi bull.
Kind of feel foolish several people told me to dump her and not risk it, I doubt the calf developmental issues had anything to do with her being a rat tail. Just kind of bummed that I took a chance on her knowing there was a chance her offspring would be rat tailed. I feel like at least if she had a health living rat tailed calf I could've sold them both and recouped some money.
Now I am just out period no calf and she won't bring crap at the sale......
Friend suggested grafting a calf on to her she seems to have a good mothering instinct for a heifer, but then if that fails I'll just be out that much more money and I'll have a damn bottle calf.
Guess I just needed to vent a little bit but it looks like she's getting wheels, she's always had somewhat of a bad attitude anyway She wasn't having any of me messing with her calf either and she wasn't bluffing.
I won't be sad to see her go just hoped for a better outcome.
I kept an eye on her most of the day then towards evening I had to leave for a few hours, I got home after dark went to check on her and there she was cleaning off her calf. At first glance I knew something was wrong, the calf was pretty small probably 40 lbs or so and it's feet were somewhat curled up and it couldn't even stand up, it was alive but not very lively just kind of laying there so I know it hadn't sucked or even been up.
I picked it up and tried to get it to stand but there's no way... it may be hard to see in the pictures but the way his front legs are turned in I don't think it would ever walk or be able to stand. I tried to stretch it's legs out just to see if they even could straighten up but they seem to be crippled. Upon further inspection it appears to be underdeveloped or premature it's a little bull calf there's what looks to be a sack but it's empty and about the size of a kernel of corn.
A little back story on her I picked her up as a weaned yearling in a package deal didn't really want her but the price was right so I figured why not, she was cheap because she's a rat tail fast forward I raised her up and about 15 months old I bred her to a full simmi bull.
Kind of feel foolish several people told me to dump her and not risk it, I doubt the calf developmental issues had anything to do with her being a rat tail. Just kind of bummed that I took a chance on her knowing there was a chance her offspring would be rat tailed. I feel like at least if she had a health living rat tailed calf I could've sold them both and recouped some money.
Now I am just out period no calf and she won't bring crap at the sale......
Friend suggested grafting a calf on to her she seems to have a good mothering instinct for a heifer, but then if that fails I'll just be out that much more money and I'll have a damn bottle calf.
Guess I just needed to vent a little bit but it looks like she's getting wheels, she's always had somewhat of a bad attitude anyway She wasn't having any of me messing with her calf either and she wasn't bluffing.
I won't be sad to see her go just hoped for a better outcome.
