Lost first calve tonight

[TexasGulfCoast]

I had a calf 5 days old that died tonight. He was doing fine up until the last day maybe two. I kept an eye on him, but it appeared that the mother wasn't tending to him since yesterday. I checked on him this morning and he seemed alittle week, but was standing. Checked on him a couple hours later and he was worse...however it was getting hot! I went and got a bottle and milk replacement...he looked like he had enough strength to nurse. By the time I got back he couldn't stand, but did try to nurse on the bottle...but very weak. Was able to get a few ounces in him and let him take a break for a minute, then he started convulsing. Brought him in to the A/C and he looked like he was turning around...then his breathing increased then stopped! Could I have messed up bottle feeding this calve...is it possible that it went into his lungs? I didn't force it...felt as if he was sucking!? I am fairly new and secong year with calves and so far heathly animals. I feel terrible that he died, but worse if I might have made it worse! But I would like to know, so I don't make the same mistake twice! Thanks, Eric

 

[Caustic Burno]

Sounds like the cow wasn't tending to him period takes about 4 to 5 days for one to starve to death. Were her teats shiny like the calf had been sucking? Did you see milk foam when the calf was nursing? I have no use for a cow that can't do her job here she just bought a ticket to the Wolf Brand Chili cannery.

 

[Beefy]

thats what i think too- that the calf wasnt being taken care of and it took that long to starve to death. the convulsions could have been from heat stress or encephalitis/meningitis (likely from not getting any colostrum), etc.. if you got milk in his lungs he would have gotten pnumonia and died. you would probably hear some raspy breathing. mom may have not been doing her job, or had a bad bag in which case it wouldnt matter if she tried or not, or calf may have not been doing his job. i lost a calf this week too. dont like having them this time of year.

 

[TexasGulfCoast]

I checked on the cow just a few minutes after having the calve. I made sure that the calve nursed...This cow has big teats and the calve was small, so I made sure he could nurse. She would hide him in the woods and I would go out and find in atleast once a day to make sure he was doing ok. After a coupld of days of hiding the calves my cows normally bring their calve up to water and then everything is fine, but after 3-4 days and he was still being left hid for most of the day I started to worry. So I checked on him early then a couple hours later...but it was too late. This cow is off to sale...I just wish I would have started to worry sooner. I would have bottle fed if necessary. Just thought it was strange that as soon as I gave that calve a bottle, within a minute or two started to convulse? Did I do it?

 

[rockridgecattle]

Jmo...make sure the calf gets it's first suck and then that the cow continues to look after him/her. Watch the bag, teats, calf belly.
Second, for us and not everyone will agree...calf weak...get the calf up to suck on the momma...momma in a mat pen for safety.
No work...bottle of milk or drench with elctrolytes and milk ASAP. No waiting for us cause a calf can die at the drop of a hat. Get the vet to teach you how to drench safely. (buy a drench bag with a small end not an inch big ball on the end)
good luck with the rest of your calving.

 

[TexasGulfCoast]

I really do appreciate everone's reply. I just wouldn't have thought that that calve would have gone down hill so fast! I just wish I would have done something earlier, but the old timers around here just said if he nursed right off the bat then leave him be. But I would rather be doing too much than not enough...Just really a bad day! Just trying to get that calve out of the field without the mother trying to stomp a mud hole in me was a wild experience!

 

[Beefy]

i dont think you killed him with the bottle. like i said, you would hear raspiness when the milk got in the lungs and it would take a little while for the calf to die. the convulsions alone indicate to me that by that time it was too late to do anything for the calf. i have never saved one that convulsed.

in the future, just because you see a calf nursing doesnt mean its getting any milk. just because you see ones tail wagging while it nurses doesnt mean its getting any milk either. old wives tale! i know. so how do you know if the calf is getting milk if you cant tell by watching? you can get a good indication by watching how it nurses. if it switches from teat to teat looking for milk its probably not getting much milk. if it latches on one for a while it probably is. if you see milk on his tongue, nose,etc. you can tell by looking at the poop. you can tell by watching how the calf behaves. how much it moves around, how far. etc.( this can vary though).

some calves are dumb suckers and cant figure out how to suck or what to suck. they will suck on the neck or flank when a nice little perfect sized teat is staring them right in the face. others arent strong enough to get the wax plug out of the teat canal ( serves to keep foreign bodies out of the teat). some cows look like they have tons of milk but it isnt accessible. then you have cows that wont be still long enough for the calf to latch on a teat. etc. you will learn...

 

[rockridgecattle]

i'm going to be a bit rough here so bear with me please.
Now that you know what happened and have learned from it, let it pass and get on with the rest. I so know how when loosing the first one it's rought to say the least. but you have the rest of the herd depending on you to get them through.
Here are some things you've learned:
1. new ways to check if the calf and mother are working well together.
2. What to do and when to assist in a situation like this
3. If the cow is going to kick your butt for working with her calf:
a. Cull or
b. change the way you work your calving area. Maybe the cows before they calve should be in a smaller area where you have access to a materity pen or squeeze chute. However you have to make it work for you so that you are safe # 1 priority. And you may change it a time or two or three untill you are satisfied with your calving handling system.
Now pick yourself up...quit what if.. cause you can't change what happened...only learn from it.
Good luck! We have all been there.
I've been doing it for well since 1996 and we still make whoppers.

 

[TexasGulfCoast]

Thanks Guys...it was just a shock being the first and it had just happened. But, I can say I learn a valuable lesson! Live and learn...

 

[mnmtranching]

Those cows that get big udders and large hard teats that hang low are a problem. If a calf is a little weak, and the mother not real patient, like it sounds, she was more concerned with hiding the calf than nursing it. I agree sounds like the calf starved to death and without liquid dehydrated. I don't believe it got milk in it's lungs. Watch those cows that develope bigger udders as they get older and get rid of them.