New calf is bald

[Alan]

Just watched a cow drop a calf, the calf is now about an hour old. Birth went fine calf seems to be very strong, is up and has already nursed, weighs about 92 lbs, heifer. But she is very thined haired over most of her body and almost bald on her neck and the top of her tail. Maybe a bit premature? But like I said very strong up in about 20 minutes after she was born and big.

Any thoughts,
Alan

 

[Caustic Burno]

Just watched a cow drop a calf, the calf is now about an hour old. Birth went fine calf seems to be very strong, is up and has already nursed, weighs about 92 lbs, heifer. But she is very thined haired over most of her body and almost bald on her neck and the top of her tail. Maybe a bit premature? But like I said very strong up in about 20 minutes after she was born and big.

Any thoughts,
Alan

Hereford?

 

[KMacGinley]

If she was a preemie at 92 lbs. you should count your blessings. Had a heifer that slipped a calf at 7 months once and it had all its hair, so I doubt that yours is premature.

 

[Alan]

Just watched a cow drop a calf, the calf is now about an hour old. Birth went fine calf seems to be very strong, is up and has already nursed, weighs about 92 lbs, heifer. But she is very thined haired over most of her body and almost bald on her neck and the top of her tail. Maybe a bit premature? But like I said very strong up in about 20 minutes after she was born and big.

Any thoughts,
Alan

Hereford?

Yep, out of the same bull I've used for 3 years, I kept a full sister to this calf from last year.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Just watched a cow drop a calf, the calf is now about an hour old. Birth went fine calf seems to be very strong, is up and has already nursed, weighs about 92 lbs, heifer. But she is very thined haired over most of her body and almost bald on her neck and the top of her tail. Maybe a bit premature? But like I said very strong up in about 20 minutes after she was born and big.

Any thoughts,
Alan

Hereford?

Yep, out of the same bull I've used for 3 years, I kept a full sister to this calf from last year.

A trait of Herefords when you have two carriers. I can't remember the name.

 

[Alan]

The skin on the calf don't look scraped up or anything and I watched most of the birth seemed normal with no assistance needed. Out of a big cow, her second calf.

Alan

 

[Alan]

Just watched a cow drop a calf, the calf is now about an hour old. Birth went fine calf seems to be very strong, is up and has already nursed, weighs about 92 lbs, heifer. But she is very thined haired over most of her body and almost bald on her neck and the top of her tail. Maybe a bit premature? But like I said very strong up in about 20 minutes after she was born and big.

Any thoughts,
Alan

Hereford?

Yep, out of the same bull I've used for 3 years, I kept a full sister to this calf from last year.

A trait of Herefords when you have two carriers. I can't remember the name.

Anything to watch for or worry about?

 

[Caustic Burno]

It will hair over you need to change the bull or breed the cow to another bull.

 

[Scotty]

I had a Brangus type cow have this. She peeled during the summer and seemed to be ok and raised great calves. When I was an ag teacher we used to look for sheep this away. Thin skin. Always seemed to do better in the show ring. Don't know if the cattle are thin skinned but that one cow seemd to be easier to pierce with a needle during vacinating.

 

[Susie David]

Learn something every day.

 

[rustydude]

Get off the little guy's back....It's ok to be bald.... Isnt it?

 

[Scotty]

Get off the little guy's back....It's ok to be bald.... Isnt it?

Year after year I tend to agree more and more.

 

[1848]

Just watched a cow drop a calf, the calf is now about an hour old. Birth went fine calf seems to be very strong, is up and has already nursed, weighs about 92 lbs, heifer. But she is very thined haired over most of her body and almost bald on her neck and the top of her tail. Maybe a bit premature? But like I said very strong up in about 20 minutes after she was born and big.

Any thoughts,
Alan

Hope this isn't too big, but you may be able to see how thin the hair is, top of the tail is completly bald.

Alan,

If you are using a registered Herefords, I would have it or it's parents DNA checked for "hypotrichosis". AHA has already identified some animals, and specifically some Hereford bulls to be carriers of this defect. The American Hereford Assoc. has a list of the bulls which are carriers. Perhaps one of the bulls is in your lines.

If you don't run registered stock and can't track the bloodlines then I would watch the offspring of that cow or bull closely to see if this passes some more.

The calf also appears to have a light rash under the skin too, so it could be something completely different and you should check with your vet.

 

[txag]

here's the list of carriers on the AHA site:

http://www.hereford.org/AHA/tabID__3855/tailored.aspx

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Get off the little guy's back....It's ok to be bald.... Isnt it?

Year after year I tend to agree more and more.

But, it's A GIRL!!

 

[Alan]

I posted this on the health board but will paste it here also, just simply thinking it could be thin hair on a big calf... your thoughts: Thanks, Alan

Some of you know I posted a couple of threads on the beginners board about a baldish calf born yesterday. Since then speaking with a Vet and doing some research I'm having a hard time believing it could be hypotrichosis.

First off the AHA only list 19 head of cattle to be confirmed carriers, which I have none in the first several generations of the sire or dam. Hypotrichosis is a recessive gene, meaning both the dam and sire need to be carriers to have it show up.

Through the generations it seems that this gene would continue to be bred out of the Hereford breed, thus reducing the chances of hypotricosis showing up.

I'm not saying it is not impossible to have it show up, just should be getting more unlikely through the generations. There is a test to see if it is hypotrichosis, which I'll have done.

Can the calf just simply have thin hair right now? does this happen?

Thanks for all input.
Alan