Real Men Pull the Calf and the Cow !

[Stocker Steve]

Bragged a little last night to my Dad on how well calving was going... Went out this morning and had a bloated heifer on the creek bank. She went into a swampy area, managed to calve in a hole, and then could not get up. The calf rolled into the creek and only its head was showing. Pulled the calf out and went back for a FWA tractor. Rolled the heifer out but now she does not claim the mud covered calf...

 

[alacowman1]

Bragged a little last night to my Dad on how well calving was going... Went out this morning and had a bloated heifer on the creek bank. She went into a swampy area, managed to calve in a hole, and then could not get up. The calf rolled into the creek and only its head was showing. Pulled the calf out and went back for a FWA tractor. Rolled the heifer out but now she does not claim the mud covered calf...

Traumatic events like that on heifers, they'll do that...best if you can corral them together for a period ...sometimes it don't take long to get they're gears synchronized ...

 

[TCRanch]

Oh dang! And the calf is doing okay? Took a bottle of colostrum or did you have to tube? And the heifer is up and otherwise okay? Do you have them penned?

 

[Stocker Steve]

Heifer had an anxiety attack from being stuck in the hole. Stood off for a couple hours but I had a rope on her. Then went back and tried to get the mud off the calf. That is a big project.

Calf is weak from the cold water and cannot stand. Just went back out and gave it a warm bottle of colostrum. Should name it Duck or Muck.

 

[bird dog]

Heifer had an anxiety attack from being stuck in the hole. Stood off for a couple hours but I had a rope on her. Then went back and tried to get the mud off the calf. That is a big project.

Calf is weak from the cold water and cannot stand. Just went back out and gave it a warm bottle of colostrum. Should name it Duck or Muck.

You may want to put a calf blanket on the little one. It may have hypothermia.

 

[Stocker Steve]

You may want to put a calf blanket on the little one. It may have hypothermia.

Good idea.

Is there anything that will prevent navel ill when you have an extra dirty newborn?

 

[coachg]

If the calf makes it a better name might be lucky .

 

[bird dog]

If the calf makes it a better name might be lucky .

I would give it some penicillin.

 

[MurraysMutts]

Heifer had an anxiety attack from being stuck in the hole. Stood off for a couple hours but I had a rope on her. Then went back and tried to get the mud off the calf. That is a big project.

Calf is weak from the cold water and cannot stand. Just went back out and gave it a warm bottle of colostrum. Should name it Duck or Muck.

I'd name it something similar that starts with an F

And add an er to its mother's name.

Sounds like a long day.

 

[Stocker Steve]

"Lucky" has not nursed yet this morning so he got a second bottle. I helped him up afterwards and he only stands on three legs - - one front leg just hangs there with no weight on it. I suppose he got injured during all the thrashing when his mom was stuck in the hole.

Any tips from here?

 

[MurraysMutts]

"Lucky" has not nursed yet this morning so he got a second bottle. I helped him up afterwards and he only stands on three legs - - one front leg just hangs there with no weight on it. I suppose he got injured during all the thrashing when his mom was stuck in the hole.

Any tips from here?

Is it broken? Have you felt around on that leg? Any swelling?

 

[Silver]

Hopefully you fed it colostrum. If it's got a sore leg giving it a NSAID will improve its general outlook.

 

[tex452]

Is it broken? Have you felt around on that leg? Any swelling?

I had one separate it's shoulder and it did Just as you have described.

 

[sim.-ang.king]

Sounds like you got a new friend.
This is why you never brag, the cows know these things.

 

[WFfarm]

Dip the navel in a jam jar half full of iodine and shake it around. May want to do it a couple times. It helps like bacteria and will make the cord dry up faster. Take the calf's temperature, it will let you know if he's hypothermic. Normal should be 101.5-102.5 F.

 

[WFfarm]

A navel infection can turn into a joint infection. Usually it take a few days to turn into Joint Ill. We had one get it in the front leg and it would just drag the front leg around and hobble on three legs. He was over a week old before this started happening.

 

[Stocker Steve]

I had one separate it's shoulder and it did Just as you have described.

I think you are right. I cannot find a break. Lucky got up today on his own, but he is not moving more than one or two hobbling steps,

How did yours turn out?

 

[tex452]

It healed

 

[Brute 23]

What is the deal with cows and heifers having calves in creeks all the time on this board? We have creeks and tank on every single property and not one cow has ever had a calf in or on the edge of one and needed our assistance in my lifetime.

Is that the only place there is cover? Trees, brush, etc? Are yalls fields wide open?

 

[MurraysMutts]

What is the deal with cows and heifers having calves in creeks all the time on this board? We have creeks and tank on every single property and not one cow has ever had a calf in or on the edge of one and needed our assistance in my lifetime.

Is that the only place there is cover? Trees, brush, etc? Are yalls fields wide open?

Neighbor had one spit one off in the creek (and I use that term loosely) this past February.
Right out in the wide open.
Calf was drowned and half frozen