latest dead calf - thoughts?

[angus9259]

Vet has pictures and is looking at them now. Any ideas?

about 60 lbs. 14 days early. found dead this am with afterbirth still hanging out of momma but calf was cold.

Missing hair.
No umbilical cord - only a quarter sized hole
On one foot one toe undersized by half

 

[cowgirl8]

It's been dead a while

 

[angus9259]

It's been dead a while

Nope. Checked last night. No calf, cow was fine. 9 am this morning there was a cow with afterbirth and licking calf. Unless you mean dead in the womb?

 

[cowgirl8]

Yes, inside cow.

 

[Lucky_P]

Yep. Dead in utero for several days before expulsion. Explains the slipping hair and the sloughed hoof.
Neospora would be a principal rule-out for me, but I'd also be checking for Lepto, IBR, BVD.

 

[Aaron]

My guess would be it got tangled in the cord and ripped it off. Probably been dead inside for several days.

 

[angus9259]

Shyt. She got in a fight about a week ago with another cow. In that moment I was hoping nothing bad would happen to the calf.....

 

[Margonme]

Yep. Dead in utero for several days before expulsion. Explains the slipping hair and the sloughed hoof.
Neospora would be a principal rule-out for me, but I'd also be checking for Lepto, IBR, BVD.

I agree. The breakdown was occurring before expulsion. I would suspect one of the viral fetal threats you list.

Question I have for Angus. First, not likely anything to do with a fight. What is your Fetal Protection vaccination regime?

 

[cowgirl8]

That couldn't have smelled good.

 

[angus9259]

Yep. Dead in utero for several days before expulsion. Explains the slipping hair and the sloughed hoof.
Neospora would be a principal rule-out for me, but I'd also be checking for Lepto, IBR, BVD.

I agree. The breakdown was occurring before expulsion. I would suspect one of the viral fetal threats you list.

Question I have for Angus. First, not likely anything to do with a fight. What is your Fetal Protection vaccination regime?

Vaccinated to the hilt with vet supervision. Bottom line, the get FP ahead of each breeding and heifers get double vaccinated at weaning and then again prior to breeding each year. But - nothing is perfect.

 

[angus9259]

That couldn't have smelled good.

Interesting now that you mention it. No foul odor whatsoever. I even put the cow in the chute to make she it wasn't an issue with having twins as the afterbirth was still hanging from her. No rotten smell or any sign of rotten tissue. Everything smelled like a new baby calf is supposed to.

 

[Margonme]

Yep. Dead in utero for several days before expulsion. Explains the slipping hair and the sloughed hoof.
Neospora would be a principal rule-out for me, but I'd also be checking for Lepto, IBR, BVD.

I agree. The breakdown was occurring before expulsion. I would suspect one of the viral fetal threats you list.

Question I have for Angus. First, not likely anything to do with a fight. What is your Fetal Protection vaccination regime?

Vaccinated to the hilt with vet supervision. Bottom line, the get FP ahead of each breeding and heifers get double vaccinated at weaning and then again prior to breeding each year. But - nothing is perfect.

Does your vet Administer the vaccinations? And thank you. I appreciate your response.

 

[angus9259]

Does your vet Administer the vaccinations? And thank you. I appreciate your response.

No. I do. Bovishield GOLD FP5L5. They are kept iced as the cattle pass through the chute. Applied 30-60 days pre-breeding.

 

[Margonme]

Does your vet Administer the vaccinations? And thank you. I appreciate your response.

No. I do. Bovishield GOLD FP5L5. They are kept iced as the cattle pass through the chute. Applied 30-60 days pre-breeding.

You da MAN. Good for you. I like the MLV.

 

[angus9259]

well, maybe. but da MAN gots a dead calf so not feeling too much like da MAN right now....

 

[dun]

We had a cow this year do similar. Calf early and missing lots of hair. No odor at all. Only reason we found it was because the cow was standing over it bellering and licking trying to get it up. 2 hours before she was grazing with the other cows. Would have been her 9th calf. Never an issue with the other 8, have several of her daughters in the herd.

 

[angus9259]

We had a cow this year do similar. Calf early and missing lots of hair. No odor at all. Only reason we found it was because the cow was standing over it bellering and licking trying to get it up. 2 hours before she was grazing with the other cows. Would have been her 9th calf. Never an issue with the other 8, have several of her daughters in the herd.

So same question - same cow - different thread - this was this cow's second calf. cull prices being what they are and the fact I have enough hay for two years - breed again?

 

[dun]

We had a cow this year do similar. Calf early and missing lots of hair. No odor at all. Only reason we found it was because the cow was standing over it bellering and licking trying to get it up. 2 hours before she was grazing with the other cows. Would have been her 9th calf. Never an issue with the other 8, have several of her daughters in the herd.

So same question - same cow - different thread - this was this cow's second calf. cull prices being what they are and the fact I have enough hay for two years - breed again?

That's what we did.

 

[TCRanch]

Angus, you've had some baaaad luck and I'm so sorry. It's not like your cows are neglected. Sending good juju, it has to get better!

 

[angus9259]

Angus, you've had some baaaad luck and I'm so sorry. It's not like your cows are neglected. Sending good juju, it has to get better!

Does this juju of which you speak have an expiration date and what are the proper storage conditions? How is it applied? IM or SQ or is it a pour on? ;-)