Missing calves

[Anonymous]

I have a cow who had her 2nd calf just before Thanksgiving. To date I have not seen the calf. She lost her first calf I think to coyotes. This yr we haven't had as many coyote problems. Shouldn't she have brought the 2nd calf up by now? I am starting to think she has lost another calf. Because of this I am considering selling her. Any suggestions?

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[Anonymous]

i dont guess i have ever had a cow keep a calf hid over about 3 days... after that the calf is strong enough to run any where the momma cow goes. your calf should be close to a month old now and be running all over the pasture...

it would seem to me that your fears of another lost calf are correct... unless there is some unusual circumstance... calf is lame or blind.. just guesses.. but even then the momma cow would come up missing from time to time because she has gone to the calf.... if you lock her up she should tell you pretty quickly by hollaring for her calf...

good luck,

gene

> I have a cow who had her 2nd calf
> just before Thanksgiving. To date
> I have not seen the calf. She lost
> her first calf I think to coyotes.
> This yr we haven't had as many
> coyote problems. Shouldn't she
> have brought the 2nd calf up by
> now? I am starting to think she
> has lost another calf. Because of
> this I am considering selling her.
> Any suggestions?

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[Anonymous]

> I have a cow who had her 2nd calf
> just before Thanksgiving. To date
> I have not seen the calf. She lost
> her first calf I think to coyotes.
> This yr we haven't had as many
> coyote problems. Shouldn't she
> have brought the 2nd calf up by
> now? I am starting to think she
> has lost another calf. Because of
> this I am considering selling her.
> Any suggestions?

I assume that you and your neighbors don't have a huge, verified coyote problem but that this is an isolated experience with that particular cow. If such is the case my suggestion would be to get rid of the cow right now.

I had a very large heifer some years ago that successfully gave birth to a large calf. I saw the calf shortly after he was born and he was plenty strong, up and trying to nurse. Three days later I found his meager remains in essentially the same spot in the pasture. I chalked it up to death by natural causes or perhaps a pack of dogs or coyotes. The heifer bred back and about 11 months later presented me with another big, good looking calf. The cow left the pasture early in the morning to go to water and graze with the rest of the herd. All during that day I worked fences in the pasture in which the calf was laying and I never saw the cow come back into the pasture to allow the calf to nurse, which I thought was worrisome, but I had to leave the ranch to go to my "real" job. Sure enough, a few days later I found the calf's remains in about the same place. I concluded that the cow just didn't know how to be a mother and probably never would learn. Perhaps if I lived on the place, penned her and forced her to regularly nurse the calf that scenario would have changed. But I don't live there, and I just sold her lousy ass as soon as I could. I've not had any similar problems with any other cows and I don't think coyotes or dogs were the problem with her. Every now & then I guess you just get a cow that doesn't know how to be a mother and IMHO those are best turned into hamburger meat.

 

[Anonymous]

> i dont guess i have ever had a cow
> keep a calf hid over about 3
> days... after that the calf is
> strong enough to run any where the
> momma cow goes. your calf should
> be close to a month old now and be
> running all over the pasture...

> it would seem to me that your
> fears of another lost calf are
> correct... unless there is some
> unusual circumstance... calf is
> lame or blind.. just guesses.. but
> even then the momma cow would come
> up missing from time to time
> because she has gone to the
> calf.... if you lock her up she
> should tell you pretty quickly by
> hollaring for her calf...

> good luck,

> gene

Thanks for the info. We lost 3 calves last yr to coyotes but none this year. I think I will take her to the sale this evening. I just wanted to confirm my suspicions because she is my best looking cow.

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[Anonymous]

I completely agree with AZ's and Gene's advice to part with her ASAP. Regretfully, some cows (just like some humans) don't seem to have the mothering instinct and will forget about their babies. Fortunately we can get rid of the cows.

A little off subject, but it's interesting how Herefords are good momas, but seem to be the worst about hiding their babies. It's amazing how hard they are to find – often impossible in tall grass or weeds. I remember when I was young my dad would always tell me to go slow when driving the pastures looking for a baby because I might run over one. He hit a baby calf when he was back in the brakes one day. Didn't kill it because it spooked right before and got up in time to deflect off the corner of the bumper. Boy, was I glad it was him and not me – ha.

Y'all are correct, though. Shouldn't be more than a day or two (three max) before you see the calf. She will continue to hide it but not all the time.

Craig

 

[Anonymous]

> something you said set me off. Isn't it funny that the best looking cows are always the one that looses her calf, is a fence buster, damn, is open this year, ect, It seems that the rough, skinny,bow legged, udder dragging animals that your ashamed to have on the place never cause a bit of trouble and bring a calf up regular as clockwork every year,

 

[Anonymous]

yeah... i was thinking also about that. the best looking one.. i dont know how many times i have said that only to have problems with her... maybe i should automatically add to my sentence.. that is the best cow i have and i am going to sell her within 6 months... lol

just my 2 cents... hope everyone has a merry xmas and happy new year...

gene

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[Anonymous]

> yeah... i was thinking also about
> that. the best looking one.. i
> dont know how many times i have
> said that only to have problems
> with her... maybe i should
> automatically add to my sentence..
> that is the best cow i have and i
> am going to sell her within 6
> months... lol

> just my 2 cents... hope everyone
> has a merry xmas and happy new
> year...

> gene

I hear ya. I was showing a friend my place the other day when he spotted this bony looking, low bag hanging cow that appeared scared of her shadow. He asked me why I keep her, so I showed him the calves she has had, including one he had just bought. I guess it just shows that looks aren't everything.

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[Anonymous]

That reminds me of some old lady friends!

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