Yesterday we were checking our heifers and noticed one off to herself- which we knew was a bad sign. Sure enough when we got over to her she had slipped a calf. She had been slow to come up the last week, and pretty much stays to herself(still is this evening). Anyway we weighed the calf and he was right at 40#. This will be the first group of calves from this bull; He has decent calving ease numbers, but his sire was anything but. My question is- about how much bigger would that calf of been if he'd made it full term? I know there's no exact number, I'm just curious how much they grow in that last month or so. Thanks
Premature calf question
- Thread starter Rennatrc
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branguscowgirl
Well-known member
:welcome:
Don't know the answer to your question exactly, but there is quite a bit of growth in the last month I believe. I would not think it would have been much more than 20 lbs or so though. Just guessing. It sounds like you would have still had a pretty small calf.
Don't know the answer to your question exactly, but there is quite a bit of growth in the last month I believe. I would not think it would have been much more than 20 lbs or so though. Just guessing. It sounds like you would have still had a pretty small calf.
Nesikep
Well-known member
I don't know the exact number either, but I know on my big cows they grow a LOT in the last month, I would guess some grow 50 lbs, but this was a smaller calf to begin with so I'd say branguscowgirl is in the right ballpark anyhow, perhaps a little more?
Did the calf survive?
Did the calf survive?
If you got a live calf, i wouldnt be too worried. If the calf was very short on hair and had no teeth and was born dead because it was too early....i'd be worried. Sure wouldnt want to go into heifer calving season on that start.
Black and Good
Well-known member
:welcome: When was she bred/due? It would help to know how far along she was. I've had twins born 30days early that we're dead and they looked complete just little with short hair. dun, once post a writing on what preemies look like at what stage. It was interesting. Maybe he can pull that back up. B&G
Black and Good":2g8slsq0 said:
Sorry- I thought I put all that info in the first post, don't know what happened to it. She should've been due Feb 10th assuming she was bred the day the bull was put with her. No the calf did not survive. It had started to develop teeth and hair, albeit very short. Yesterday evening she didn't even look like she'd calved; however this morning she'd hollowed out quite a bit. I'm not sure if she had twins or what, I couldn't find anything when looking but that doesn't mean anything. Shes back up with the rest of the heifers this evening and looks fine, so that's a plus. Thanks
Lucky_P
Well-known member
Month and a half + early; I'd classify that as an abortion. Might have been worth submitting for a diagnostic workup. Hopefully, this is the only one you'll have...but, gotta consider that it could be the first event in an 'abortion storm'.
Even with everything we need - fetus, placenta, maternal blood sample(acute & convalescent), and good history - we only come up with a definitive diagnosis as to the cause of abortion in maybe 25% of cases. But!!! I only get placenta submitted with about 10% of cases - and in easily 50% of those, there's something going on in the placenta (necrosis, inflammation, visible organisms) - and NOTHING in the fetal tissues.
So...I usually approach those abortion/stillbirth cases with the intention of ruling out the things that the owner & veterinarian can actually do something to prevent...like vaccinating for Lepto, IBR, BVD, etc., knowing at the outset that I'm unlikely to find the full answer.
If you have another one...I'd recommend working with your vet to submit fetus, placenta, and serum samples from affected cows to your state veterinary diagnostic lab.
Even with everything we need - fetus, placenta, maternal blood sample(acute & convalescent), and good history - we only come up with a definitive diagnosis as to the cause of abortion in maybe 25% of cases. But!!! I only get placenta submitted with about 10% of cases - and in easily 50% of those, there's something going on in the placenta (necrosis, inflammation, visible organisms) - and NOTHING in the fetal tissues.
So...I usually approach those abortion/stillbirth cases with the intention of ruling out the things that the owner & veterinarian can actually do something to prevent...like vaccinating for Lepto, IBR, BVD, etc., knowing at the outset that I'm unlikely to find the full answer.
If you have another one...I'd recommend working with your vet to submit fetus, placenta, and serum samples from affected cows to your state veterinary diagnostic lab.
