Our President calf lost his mommy today. Very sad moment for us at Branded

[W.B.]

The fact she is left side up makes me think that she overcentered. I have seen some that fought hard to stay alive and I have seen some give up rather easily. Just really hard to understand sometimes. I am sorry for your loss Branded. Hang in there if this business were easy every one would be doing it. No one is promised tomorrow and that applies to cattle as well.

 

[Davemk]

Read this thread. Walked out the door to the barn and there in the feedlot is my sons show steer dead from bloat. Not a good day.


Sorry for your loss Branded.

 

[Bright Raven]

Read this thread. Walked out the door to the barn and there in the feedlot is my sons show steer dead from bloat. Not a good day.


Sorry for your loss Branded.

Gosh dang. Very sorry Dave.

 

[Silver]

Sorry to hear that Dave.

I came across a week old calf laying on the ground kicking and grunting bloated up two days ago. Fortunately I had was in time to let the air out and and give her Resflor. Hasn't looked back yet, hopefully she keeps on keeping on.

 

[gcreekrch]

An old Norsk from this country always said, "He who has must lose."

Never fun to lose them.

 

[Nesikep]

Dave and Branded.. that sucks for both.
I've actually had a pretty good year, though I've had a lot of close calls, Today a first timer had a 100ish lb heifer calf, both front legs facing the wrong way, a prolapse 4 nights ago, that was a stressful night and I looked like an axe murderer by the end of it, and 2 weeks ago another first timer had a calf I swore I'd pull in half getting it out.. However, they're all doing well

Go watch some calves play.. really helps with the blood pressure.

 

[Silver]

I finally got the picture to enlarge. The armchair vet in me agrees with the above posts that bloat was the cause. She was obviously flailing her head and feet around.

 

[slick4591]

Sorry for your loss, Branded.

 

[Lucky_P]

Grass tetany?
Retired, so I'm out of touch with what's going on across the state, but it's that time of year... saw a press release from Dr. Arnold earlier this week, and a Drovers article about numerous GT deaths in MO...

 

[Bright Raven]

Grass tetany?
Retired, so I'm out of touch with what's going on across the state, but it's that time of year... saw a press release from Dr. Arnold earlier this week, and a Drovers article about numerous GT deaths in MO...

Lucky,

Our grass over here is still pretty puny. Only in the last 3 days has it started. Plus, Branded uses excellent mineral (I think he said he found a mineral better than Vitaferm which he had been using).

Just some information to consider!

 

[CattleMan1920]

Grass tetany?
Retired, so I'm out of touch with what's going on across the state, but it's that time of year... saw a press release from Dr. Arnold earlier this week, and a Drovers article about numerous GT deaths in MO...

Lucky,

Our grass over here is still pretty puny. Only in the last 3 days has it started. Plus, Branded uses excellent mineral (I think he said he found a mineral better than Vitaferm which he had been using).

Just some information to consider!

No report back yet from U.K., we delivered her yesterday morning.

Here is my best guess, she laid down after eating, got herself in a position where she had trouble, perhaps she was bloated, not sure, then could not get up. She was in a position when I found her with her legs uphill. I'm chalking it up to a freak accident.

She was not one of the bigger cows, she was around 1700 pounds, never a ravenous eater like some of the others.

I prefer to see her in this light, R.I.P. you great momma.

[image]265[/image]

[image]266[/image]

I truly appreciate all the comments from the folks on CT. They have helped me a lot, believe it or not.

Time to move on, things happen, that's cattle for you, that's life for you. We have lost 3 cows in the past 5 years, we are almost obsessive about their care, but no matter how hard you may try to prevent things, there is always the outlier that hits. The other two passed because of leg issues, one went into a groundhog hole, broke her leg, nearly certain of it, and the other slipped near a hilly area and suffered a stifle injury. None of which we could have prevented unless we followed them around 24/7. Again, thank you all for the kind words.

 

[CattleMan1920]

Grass tetany?
Retired, so I'm out of touch with what's going on across the state, but it's that time of year... saw a press release from Dr. Arnold earlier this week, and a Drovers article about numerous GT deaths in MO...

Lucky,

Our grass over here is still pretty puny. Only in the last 3 days has it started. Plus, Branded uses excellent mineral (I think he said he found a mineral better than Vitaferm which he had been using).

Just some information to consider!

I have the mineral feeders full to the brim with Gro Tec Fescue 7 medicated, with Rabon mixed in for flies. They are highly unlikely to get grass tetany.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

1,700 lbs "is not one of your bigger cows", seriously?

 

[CattleMan1920]

1,700 lbs "is not one of your bigger cows", seriously?

No, our average is about 1825 for a MATURE cow, our heifers are about 1500-1600 when they have their first calf, our low end for a cow is about 1600. The momma to our 1st Elation calf was about 1625, she is smaller framed.

When you come out, you will see what I'm saying is a fact.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

1,700 lbs "is not one of your bigger cows", seriously?

No, our average is about 1825 for a MATURE cow, our heifers are about 1500-1600 when they have their first calf, our low end for a cow is about 1600. The momma to our 1st Elation calf was about 1625, she is smaller framed.

When you come out, you will see what I'm saying is a fact.

Not questioning your veracity just marveling at your weights.

 

[Silver]

We need to remember that there are 1825 lb cows and there are fat cows that weigh 1825. Just sayin'

 

[CattleMan1920]

We need to remember that there are 1825 lb cows and there are fat cows that weigh 1825. Just sayin'

Mine are now down to around 1-2 pounds of supplementation a day, and they are transitioning to grass. I put hay in the rings and they take a lot longer to go through a bale. The hay will be removed soon, and then the daily grain ration pulled down even further, just a little each day to get their attention for moving them around from lot to lot and for any other reason I might need them to move for me.

With that said, they will be almost entirely on grass and clover soon, and the older cows will not drop below 1700 unless we have a drought or something drastic happens. They will maintain that size off grass as long as they are not crowded. The same goes for the 1800+ pounders, they won't suddenly drop weight, they might lose some, but not much once the hit the grass. They have plenty of grass, shade and fresh water, no stress either, that keeps the weight on.

 

[NEFarmwife]

Which calf is in the 2nd picture behind her?

 

[CattleMan1920]

Which calf is in the 2nd picture behind her?

That is her calf, President 8422 of Branded. The calf to the left of her is a President daughter.

 

[NEFarmwife]

Which calf is in the 2nd picture behind her?

That is her calf, President 8422 of Branded. The calf to the left of her is a President daughter.

You have better pictures of their feet? I've never seen a front set and back set looks so diversely different. So I'm just wondering if it's the photo themselves.