Went out early between the rain showers to check on the cattle and discovered a stillborn calf. Had to have happened last night. It happens, I know, but it still bothers me.
Lost one this Morning
- Thread starter sstterry
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MurraysMutts
Well-known member
Any ideas or clues?
Only one I've ever had, the sac didn't break and calf suffocated.
Aside from one that couldn't get it pushed out. Lost the nice bwf 1st calver too that time.
Only one I've ever had, the sac didn't break and calf suffocated.
Aside from one that couldn't get it pushed out. Lost the nice bwf 1st calver too that time.
CowboyRam
Well-known member
That sucks. It is one of those things where you cry a tear, and say better luck next year.
Named'em Tamed'em
Well-known member
Dang!
It is bad to lose them, it could be worse. The mother could be dead also, is the way I look at it. If she has had good luck in the past and young enough I usually give them second chance. I have been watching one for the last couple weeks that lost her calf last year. She has always been good, but two strikes and she is out.
If you have time to mess with her and her demeaner is good might could get a nurse calf.
If you have time to mess with her and her demeaner is good might could get a nurse calf.
OP
OP
No clues. Mother has had multiple calves. She still had just a bit of afterbirth trailing out of her. It looks like the calf was born dead.
kenny thomas
Well-known member
A tip for anyone interested. It was mentioned about a calf coming backwards. Many times you can look closely and see where the cow was laying and then tell if the calf was backwards. Really easy in the snow but looking closely many times you can tell in grass.
OP
OP
I looked at the general area. Hard to tell because she had been circling the calf.
kenny thomas
Well-known member
It doesn't matter much except for the fact of knowing. I had 2 born dead in one day recently. Different farms, different bulls. It happens.
Travlr
Well-known member
Just for public information...
If you are helping at a breech birth, air on the exposed umbilical cord causes both the umbilical to stop pumping blood and the calf to begin breathing.
A wet towel can delay that process so that the calf has time to get out if stuck.
If you are helping at a breech birth, air on the exposed umbilical cord causes both the umbilical to stop pumping blood and the calf to begin breathing.
A wet towel can delay that process so that the calf has time to get out if stuck.
DCA farm
Well-known member
Hate to hear about the calf but glad to hear about them showers lord knows we all need some rain.
OP
OP
We were getting pretty worried, but we have had decent rain the past 3 days.
I must not be paying the preacher enough. It came a gully washer just up the road and a gully washer down the road and last night a gully washer over the hill. Were I live just drizzled so far.
OP
OP
We had a good soaking rain almost all Friday night and on and off yesterday. They were calling for more today, but none so far.
kenny thomas
Well-known member
I'm maybe 10 miles away and we have had over 2" this week
I was up just past your way Friday evening at about Maple Hill and it was raining so hard the ditch lines were running over. I got back home and had 2/10ths. I went to Jackson, Tennessee yesterday, going through Knoxville and just this side of Nashville it rained like pouring out of a bucket. I got back home and 2 more tenths.
OP
OP
You need to spend more time in church!
Probably do........
Sorry for your loss. Never easy. I had to put down a good cow last week. As hard as it was to pull the trigger, she didn't deserve to suffer.
We had a first calf heifer bag up and then had a little afterbirth hanging out but no calf. Got her in the head gate at 11pm, palpated and only felt a tail. Called the vet and he got there at 1am. Repositioned the calf enough to get back legs up and pulled a dead bull calf out backwards. Got in the bed at 3am with nothing but a big vet bill.
This was the first of my purebreds and long anticipated - sucked a ton. The vet said there was nothing we could have done to get a live calf out of that situation and it just happens sometimes. Also that the cow had not been working too long and there nothing too traumatic so at least we still have a healthy cow.
This was the first of my purebreds and long anticipated - sucked a ton. The vet said there was nothing we could have done to get a live calf out of that situation and it just happens sometimes. Also that the cow had not been working too long and there nothing too traumatic so at least we still have a healthy cow.
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