Lost one.....

[4hfarms]

Calf born last night right after dark, took to mom and was hidden in the weeds next to the herd when we left last night about 9pm. Found it this morning when the sun come up with the face half eaten off of it, In the next pasture with mom bellowing.
We have always had spring calves. She was open so set her up on a date and wa -la!
Would have been our first born in fall.

 

[M.Magis]

Any idea how it died? No other marks on it? Coyotes would have eaten starting at the back. The face being eaten is almost always vultures. Free roaming dogs will tear at the face too.

 

[4hfarms]

We heard coyotes last night while we were in the pasture about 6. We left at nine thinking it was clear. Round here vultures multiply until the carcass is consumed. It had canine bite marks here and there.
We thought about local dogs.
Was thinkin about hunting over it today.

 

[4hfarms]

Just the fact that she wasn't with the rest of the herd in the other pasture shows me it was a chase. We have a few formidable cows that will chase a dog out for fun. They flip the dog up with a horn and it's usually over at that point, then the dog takes off for the hills. If not the rest will join in until it finds its way out of the pasture or I find it in the morning.

We figure that mama took the baby out of the pasture. Once separated it would be easy pickings for a pack. Think it happened right before sun up.

 

[Ky hills]

Coyotes will bite into the throat/neck of sheep, and bite the head of lambs.
My guess is that it's coyotes. Not understanding all of the details but from what I'm piecing together coyote may have came across the calf and killed it by by suffocation ie biting and holding onto throat or in this case of a newborn calf it's nose and causing fatal damage. The cow may have heard the commotion and came back and ran the coyote off after the kill, thus preventing more signs of predation.
Dog attacks are generally just a gruesome mauled mess with no rhyme or reason to the carnage. They also tend to chase and attack several animals. Tearing at tails hind quarters of running animals. Then if they get something down they're just all over it, if there's more than one dog.