Lost one

Help Support CattleToday:

A

Anonymous

Found one of the new cows dead. She was fine just last week, and it looks like she just fell over dead. No struggle, shes on her side legs straight out. No blood that I could see, but I didn't flip her. She's pretty bloated and ripe. Probably 3-4 days dead. She was 7 months bred.
Found her 10 yards aways from the fenceline. Cows on the other side of the fenceline belong to the guy who wouldn't move his cows off my lease land.
What could cause a cow to fall over dead beside a gun shot?
First one I've lost, and I'm not real happy about it. I didn't get the mortality insurance yet. My own mistake.
 
hooknline":4x3fve7c said:
Found one of the new cows dead. She was fine just last week, and it looks like she just fell over dead. No struggle, shes on her side legs straight out. No blood that I could see, but I didn't flip her. She's pretty bloated and ripe. Probably 3-4 days dead. She was 7 months bred.
Found her 10 yards aways from the fenceline. Cows on the other side of the fenceline belong to the guy who wouldn't move his cows off my lease land.
What could cause a cow to fall over dead beside a gun shot?
First one I've lost, and I'm not real happy about it. I didn't get the mortality insurance yet. My own mistake.
Click to expand...

Cast?

It happens and all it takes is a really small hump of ground, ice or snow and they cannot get up - a couple of inches in the right place will do it and a sure sign is all four legs out and the cow lying flat in its side.

Any signs of ground or snow disturbance beside her?

Just a little bit of disturbance is all you might see.

Cheers

Bez
 
Lightning strike? calving problems maybe? Most of the time a shot animal will head for water. You need to look it over good for any signs of
what might have happend. That's not a good way to start out, it can only get better. Good Luck
 
Sorry to hear about your loss highgrit! It is always tough when you lose any animals... we lost 2 heavy bred cows last year to lightening strikes.
Hope you find out was caused it.
 
No storms, no ice or snow. And not one sign of disturbance in the grass/sand. So that rules out Calvin problems. I'm leery of rolling her over. With these warm temps she already bloated. I'm afraid shell pop on me.
 
I'm right with you, Hook. Lost one that looked the exact same in mid-November. Perfectly level ground, so no cast. 10 yards from a fence, but no lightening storms. Laying flat on her side all bloated up. Had seen her two days before that and no idea what happened. 5 months bred. Thought for sure gunshot, but checked every nook and cranny, nothing.
 
That pinz char cross cow of mine dropped dead in the lower pasture last year. I had moved them from three pastures over just an hour before and she ran to the new pasture. Her calf was 3 months old. I know she had minerals and all the required vaccines and supplements. No reason whatsoever. No storms or lightening. She was there in the middle of the pasture and did not move at all so I went to see what was up with her. Dead. 4 years old. Go figure.
 
Do you have a metal detector you could run over her? I'd go pay $50 for a cheapo detector before trying to turn a 4 days dead bloated cow. :D
 
There is a plant called night shade that is supposed to kill em pretty quick. We have it and pull it when we see it. Never lost one so i dont really know how quick and what the signs are. Sorry about the loss.
 
Good idea.
Layne, the only thing out there that is bad is lantana and tropical soda apple. But it's all dead now. Ill spray again in the spring
 
Quick pneumonia?

Sudden weather change from hot to cold or cold to hot?... wreaks havoc and sometimes isn't really noticed -- just a little cough one day, dead the next.
 
DavisBeefmasters":1dga8bqw said:
Quick pneumonia?

Sudden weather change from hot to cold or cold to hot?... wreaks havoc and sometimes isn't really noticed -- just a little cough one day, dead the next.
Click to expand...
38 low a few days ago. 80 high yesterday.

Chippie, she was probably 5-8 years old. Purchased bred. No history on her
 
There are countless possibilities. It sure sucks to lose one especially a pregnant one that far in. But if you check your cattle once a week it seems to me that finding one dead for "no apparent reason" or gone to far to help would be the norm. I can see where the insurance would be necessary.

How do those of you who check your cattle weekly handle calving?
 
Once a week is far more often than most see their animals around here. Especially on leased land. As for calving problems, I person just keep my fingers crossed and the adjoining neighbors have my number an some incentive to call if they see a problem. Obviously it's not foolproof
 
Losing one like that can happen even if you see them a couple of times a day.
They can keel over just like a person can. Maybe she had a heart attack.
 
Hooknline, I lost a heifer with a 3 month old calf on her in the spring. She was already bred back. For me, it is not money. My cattle do not provide my support. The heifer I lost was a fine animal. She was gentle and sweet. The calf on her was running back and forth between where mom was dead and me. I still have a vivid image of my dead heifer in my head. It is pure terror for me. I was distressed over the dead cow and confused as what to do with the calf. I took the calf under my wing and she did well. I visit with her and groom her every day. She is 13 months old. The sun was out today and she was laying down in a nice dry spot with hay around her. I sit down and leaned back against her. I have done it many times. I carry a toothed curry comb and she likes to be combed under her throat. I know people will tell me not to do this but I do. I am very fond of this little heifer. Below is her picture which is a few months old. I would hate to think your cow was shot. More likely it was an event of nature. So many things can happen to end a carbon units life, and that includes you and me. The only thing you can really do other than speculate, is to immediately load them and take them for an autopsy. I did not do that and in my case I was almost sure it was bloat due to clover. I know how bad you feel. I am in sympathy with you.
qwzmuo.jpg
 
chippie":3plah3ba said:
Losing one like that can happen even if you see them a couple of times a day.
They can keel over just like a person can. Maybe she had a heart attack.
Click to expand...
Of course it can happen if you see them everyday. I would go so far as to say cows drop dead in pastures everyday for no apparent reason. I am also saying that you increase your risk of this happening when you see them once a week. I was not being critical of his situation or set up. If that is how he manages his herd it is his risk not mine.

Have I offended you in some way chippie? You seem inclined to take offense to my posts regardless of topic.
 

Similar threads

coachg
Lost an old Matron
Replies
11
Views
432
tcolvin
tcolvin
tcolvin
Lost voice
Replies
8
Views
836
tcolvin
tcolvin
sstterry
Lost one this Morning
7 8 9
Replies
168
Views
7K
J Hoy
J
L
Calf lost a hoof
2
Replies
20
Views
1K
Little Joe
L
H
Bull lost his MoJo?
Replies
4
Views
793
coachg
coachg

Latest posts

Top