Major birthing trouble

Help Support CattleToday:

Kell-inKY

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 4, 2015
Messages
503
Reaction score
0
Location
Far Western KY
Old cow I bought, tried calving yesterday, checked this morning and apparently calf is dead, all I can see is a bit of the placenta, and she has pushed some innards out which goes back in when she stands, calf is stuck inside. No legs to pull on, cow is in bad shape. It's a holiday of course. Do I put her down immediately? Don't think I could wait to make hamburger out of her, don't like seeing her suffer. If I kept calling around I might find a vet willing to come out, maybe. Salebarn price on this old slaughter cow would be right at $500. Guessing vet bill would be high, even if she is treatable?

Any advice appreciated, I don't think I have any good options here due to holiday. Thanks
 
Yeah if you can't get a vet you'll have to I think. I wouldn't count on 500 at a sale barn with current prices. More like $10.
 
Hate to hear it but I think that putting her out of her suffering may be the only way to go if you can't find a vet. Yes, it will cost on the holiday too. Sale barn cull cow prices here are not good, don't think she would be bring .10 a lb here if you were lucky.
 
If you do put her down. Make sure you use the X- method. The brain is not between the eyes. It is higher!
 
Kell-inKY said:
Old cow I bought, tried calving yesterday, checked this morning and apparently calf is dead, all I can see is a bit of the placenta, and she has pushed some innards out which goes back in when she stands, calf is stuck inside. No legs to pull on, cow is in bad shape. It's a holiday of course. Do I put her down immediately? Don't think I could wait to make hamburger out of her, don't like seeing her suffer. If I kept calling around I might find a vet willing to come out, maybe. Salebarn price on this old slaughter cow would be right at $500. Guessing vet bill would be high, even if she is treatable?

Any advice appreciated, I don't think I have any good options here due to holiday. Thanks[/quote
]
First thing, have you checked her to be sure the calf is coming wrong. Are you sure she was trying to calve? If your seeing placenta and it's going back in something don't seem right there. You shouldn't see placenta till the calf is out.
Is the cow down?
 
Schistosomus Refluxus calves can come guts first. Have seen a few around the country over the years. Have C Sectioned 4 or 5 myself. They can come in many shapes.
 
You gotta figure out if birth is actually happening out and why it hasnt made it out. This is basic stuff to owning animals, I was doing that when I was 10 yrs old likely. If you can't get a vet - you don't know any neighbour farmers that know what they are doing? 10 seconds (with a glove?) is all it takes.
 
I think after this episode is over, you should really consider not owning cattle until you educate and supply yourself with the tools to care for them. If you rely on a vet to stick a glove in and tell you things are wrong, it's going to be an expensive lifestyle for you.
 
There's only one way to learn and that's to deal with it. You needed to glove her yesterday if you thought she was having a problem. Probably just a breach birth with the legs forward, easy to fix but can and will kill a calf and cow. Someone on here could of helped you out yesterday, there's a bunch on here that have been through it multiple times.
 
Restrain her then get a arm in there and see what is going on. Most likely the calf is out of position and must be shifted around. By now the calf is probably lost but it is possible to save the cow. In moving the feet it is important to not puncture the calf bed which would cause the cow to possibly bleed to death. Wish I was where I could help you more.
 
I wish I would have seen this yesterday. I would have come out and given you a hand. Far western kentucky you can't be that far from me.

And some people are being a little harsh. If you want to own cattle, own cattle. You'll learn your way through it; sometimes the hard way.
 
Bigfoot":13cg678b said:
I'd say everybody passin judgement on the guy, run him off.

Not "everyone". I suggested that if and big IF, he shot her to make sure he hit the brain.
 
Bright Raven":3k7aqmbq said:
Bigfoot":3k7aqmbq said:
I'd say everybody passin judgement on the guy, run him off.

Not "everyone". I suggested that if and big IF, he shot her to make sure he hit the brain.

I painted with a wide brush. If he had posted a day earlier, I'd have offered to help him. I think he only lives about 45 minutes from me.
 
Bigfoot":24ajuxcq said:
I'd say everybody passin judgement on the guy, run him off.
Hopefully Kell will stick it out and check back in. CT is a great place to bs, and when needed someone knows the answer when it comes to having a cattle problem. I know Milkmaid saved two cows and a calf for me through the years, wish she'd check in a little more often. At least we have Randi back, she's very knowledgeable and knows cattle problems. AC cowman, Brad knows more about cows than anyone I've ever met. CT has sure lost a lot of cattle knowledge through the years.
 

Latest posts

Top