Need help please anyone know what this is.

[hillsdown]

Well it's -35 so of course someone would have to calve.

Cow calved her 4th calf big 115lb heifer calf BUT the calf was covered in a thick slimy color of iodine schmang that dies your hands when you touch it.It will wash off but my finger nails are still died.

Mom took one look and smell of baby Stormy and wants nothing to do with her and is very mean to her.After an hour of them being locked up together and no progress I decided that was enough for today in this weather.Will try the two together again in the morning.

Calf is in the house with us now she was standing 15 minutes after she was born and drank 4 litres of colostrum so she is very healthy.

What is that orangey brown crap ??????????????

Anyone seen this before???????????

Thanks, I am going to call the good Doc. tomorrow to see if he knows and if this could be a future problem for my cows.I

 

[dun]

Not sure what it is but it's not all that uncommon in hard deliverys. Some people claim it's feces that is squeezed out of the calf during the birth process. I've also seen it occasioanlly with easy births. Never have had a heifer or cow refuse the calf because of it. The refusal could be more from the hard elivery then the nasty stinky goo.

 

[hillsdown]

Thanks Dun that makes sense.She was is labor a long time but when she was finally working at it the calf slid right out.But her attitude after and how uncomfortable she is says that it was a hard labor.I hope she is calmed down tomorrow and takes Stormy.

Thanks again.

 

[CKC1586]

I have seen it and the vet had a name for it but I don't remember what it is that he called it... :???:
Anyway the crux of it was because of a long labor, I am glad you have a live calf. The times I saw it the calf didn't make it.

 

[rockridgecattle]

It's the feces that was explelled during birth. Vet said to watch that the cow and calf do not go septic from the bacteria.

Good luck

 

[Hippie Rancher]

meconium

 

[Keren]

It is called meconium, the first faeces of the calf, which are normally expelled after birth but are often passed during a hard birth. Because the meconium is passed while the calf is still within the amnionic membrane, it spreads all over the calf and makes it a browny/yellowy/reddy colour. It is a good indicator of stress -- if the newborn is stained with meconium, it was stressed during the delivery. If there is no meconium staining, there was no stress. I agree with dun -- it is more likely she is rejecting the calf due to a hard birth.

FWIW, its pretty common, I have seen it many times and in my experience, it does not contribute to a cow going septic, or any other problem causing higher death rates.

 

[hillsdown]

OK now you have scared me.
Am I going to lose the cow and the calf?

The calf is doing well and still in the house ;momma has cleaned off and is stuffing her face, it is -32 here and with the wind chill -45.

Should I get the vet out for the cow I would hate too lose her.

Dun is this really serious?

 

[angie1]

No, HD, they are OK now. Happens to baby people too. Is more a danger to calf than cow. Both should be fine if they are fine now.

 

[hillsdown]

Angie thank you.
Last check for me and them Mr.HD is going to in a couple of hours.

Good night and stay warm .

Stormy is getting her last feeding of the evening.

Thank you.

 

[dun]

OK now you have scared me.
Am I going to lose the cow and the calf?

The calf is doing well and still in the house ;momma has cleaned off and is stuffing her face, it is -32 here and with the wind chill -45.

Should I get the vet out for the cow I would hate too lose her.

Dun is this really serious?

The -45 is more of a threat then the pooping in the sack problems. Get the calf full of colostrum and back to the cow. Since you took the calf away there may be an issue of them bonding. I've never had a cow or a calf get sick from it.

 

[hillsdown]

It is called meconium, the first faeces of the calf, which are normally expelled after birth but are often passed during a hard birth. Because the meconium is passed while the calf is still within the amnionic membrane, it spreads all over the calf and makes it a browny/yellowy/reddy colour. It is a good indicator of stress -- if the newborn is stained with meconium, it was stressed during the delivery. If there is no meconium staining, there was no stress. I agree with dun -- it is more likely she is rejecting the calf due to a hard birth.

FWIW, its pretty common, I have seen it many times and in my experience, it does not contribute to a cow going septic, or any other problem causing higher death rates.

For some reason I missed your post Keren .
Thank you, we discussed that today and that make perfect sense as it was a very strange labor for the gal and usually she just pops them out.Cow and calf were together today and mom didn't try to kill her again so that is progress.

Baby is in the shop for the night as we are going down to -43, -52 with the wind chill.Will lock her back up with mom first thing in the morn for the day hopefully she will take her.

Thanks again everyone.