Somethings Happen....

[Bright Raven]

....and you never know the cause.

We had a bad storm with a lot of wind Tuesday about 4:30 PM. On Wednesday the bred cows which are on the middle pasture that runs all the way to the back of the farm did not come up. They usually, 5 times out of 6, come to the front of the farm.

This morning I took the Utility vehicle to the back wondering if a tree went down on the fence. On the drive, I saw a huge Pignut Hickory down. All around the crown, the cows had eaten the leaves. And everyone who has seen my pictures knows it is not because they were hungry. I assume they just like tree leaves.

When I got to the back, I could not find one of the bred heifers. She is due to calve September 2 (based on 285 days) to Shell Shocked. When I found her, she was licking a dead calf.

I don't think it as anything to do with eating the Pignut Hickory leaves. Here she is in the first picture and the dead calf in the second.

 

[Buck Randall]

Nice heifer. Bad luck.

 

[sim.-ang.king]

Possible injury during the excitement from the storm? Doesn't seem likely this late in the game she would abort from that, but possible.
Poke around in some of the manure pies, might have some clues on if it's something she ate.

 

[Bright Raven]

Possible injury during the excitement from the storm? Doesn't seem likely this late in the game she would abort from that, but possible.
Poke around in some of the manure pies, might have some clues on if it's something she ate.

I thought about the injury cause. I got one cow that is top of the pecking order. I just cringe when I see her exert her position. She delivers some vicious head butts. I have wondered on more than one occasion when she gives them a blow to the belly what it might do to a pregnancy. But who knows.

 

[Silver]

Well that sucks. Sorry about your luck. Like you say, sometimes things happen.

 

[callmefence]

....and you never know the cause.

We had a bad storm with a lot of wind Tuesday about 4:30 PM. On Wednesday the bred cows which are on the middle pasture that runs all the way to the back of the farm did not come up. They usually, 5 times out of 6, come to the front of the farm.

This morning I took the Utility vehicle to the back wondering if a tree went down on the fence. On the drive, I saw a huge Pignut Hickory down. All around the crown, the cows had eaten the leaves. And everyone who has seen my pictures knows it is not because they were hungry. I assume they just like tree leaves.

When I got to the back, I could not find one of the bred heifers. She is due to calve September 2 (based on 285 days) to Shell Shocked. When I found her, she was licking a dead calf.

I don't think it as anything to do with eating the Pignut Hickory leaves. Here she is in the first picture and the dead calf in the second.

Sorry Raven
It would sure be easy to blame the leaves wouldn't it. Course all the cows ate the leaves probably. Maybe just the storm x her being a heifer ....but yeah definitely poke around in the manure.... things happen.

 

[bball]

Well that's awful BR! Hope this is the only hiccup for your upcoming calving season. Always sucks to lose one, no matter if you have 3 or 3000. Things happen is right....

 

[gcreekrch]

Of all the luck, he who has, must lose.

 

[wbvs58]

Not the best Ron. $hit has been happening here this year Ron, 2 aborted and 2 missing though haven't given up on the missing ones yet. It is a big chunk out of my small herd, all 4 were early AI bred. Things are pretty tough here so this is to be expected. Hoping for some relief come spring though the long term outlook is not promising.

Ken

 

[Caustic Burno]

My place is covered up in hickory and oaks. Anytime a tree is cut the cows are like they are in a candy store.
In the fall a white oak acorn doesn’t stand a chance. Point is it has never been a problem.

 

[Bright Raven]

....and you never know the cause.

We had a bad storm with a lot of wind Tuesday about 4:30 PM. On Wednesday the bred cows which are on the middle pasture that runs all the way to the back of the farm did not come up. They usually, 5 times out of 6, come to the front of the farm.

This morning I took the Utility vehicle to the back wondering if a tree went down on the fence. On the drive, I saw a huge Pignut Hickory down. All around the crown, the cows had eaten the leaves. And everyone who has seen my pictures knows it is not because they were hungry. I assume they just like tree leaves.

When I got to the back, I could not find one of the bred heifers. She is due to calve September 2 (based on 285 days) to Shell Shocked. When I found her, she was licking a dead calf.

I don't think it as anything to do with eating the Pignut Hickory leaves. Here she is in the first picture and the dead calf in the second.

Sorry Raven
It would sure be easy to blame the leaves wouldn't it. Course all the cows ate the leaves probably. Maybe just the storm x her being a heifer ....but yeah definitely poke around in the manure.... things happen.

Thanks.

I don't think it was the Hickory leaves. I think it was an abnormality. Probably developmental. It happens and as they say - Nature Aborted her mission.

I use this kinda thing as motivation. I look at it like this. She is a very nice heifer. She got past her first calf. She is healthy and well. It is not her fault.

 

[Lucky_P]

Without a full diagnostic workup, one is only just guessing - but even with all the parts/pieces/samples available, veterinary diagnosticians only come up with a definitive diagnosis in far less than half of cases - and success is even less if placenta and paired maternal serum samples are not available.
My best guess, at that stage of gestation, in our part of the world, would be Neospora; doubt that the hickory leaves had any association other than just coincidental timing.
I see folks suggesting, all the time, that other cows butting could cause abortion... but I doubt that it EVER happens. That fetus is well protected by hide, abdominal wall, uterine wall, and the fluid environment they're floating in. Hit by a fast-moving car or truck on the highway, maybe, but just another cow butting... nah.

 

[Bright Raven]

Without a full diagnostic workup, one is only just guessing - but even with all the parts/pieces/samples available, veterinary diagnosticians only come up with a definitive diagnosis in far less than half of cases - and success is even less if placenta and paired maternal serum samples are not available.
My best guess, at that stage of gestation, in our part of the world, would be Neospora; doubt that the hickory leaves had any association other than just coincidental timing.
I see folks suggesting, all the time, that other cows butting could cause abortion... but I doubt that it EVER happens. That fetus is well protected by hide, abdominal wall, uterine wall, and the fluid environment they're floating in. Hit by a fast-moving car or truck on the highway, maybe, but just another cow butting... nah.

Do you recommend blood testing the heifer for Neospora?

 

[TCRanch]

Without a full diagnostic workup, one is only just guessing - but even with all the parts/pieces/samples available, veterinary diagnosticians only come up with a definitive diagnosis in far less than half of cases - and success is even less if placenta and paired maternal serum samples are not available.
My best guess, at that stage of gestation, in our part of the world, would be Neospora; doubt that the hickory leaves had any association other than just coincidental timing.
I see folks suggesting, all the time, that other cows butting could cause abortion... but I doubt that it EVER happens. That fetus is well protected by hide, abdominal wall, uterine wall, and the fluid environment they're floating in. Hit by a fast-moving car or truck on the highway, maybe, but just another cow butting... nah.

Do you recommend blood testing the heifer for Neospora?

One of my friends had a positive test for Neospora a couple months ago. Took a while to get the results because our vet sent it to K-State but might be worth taking the fetus in. Not a darn thing you can do about it, though.

Sorry for your loss. Six years ago a fight broke out around the hay bales and a bunch of the cows took off through the draw, bucking & head-butting. One of them aborted the next day. As Lucky P stated, most likely not the cause but sometimes it just makes you feel better to blame something, anything, instead of always wondering why.

 

[Nesikep]

that sucks

Happens here too, though I'm quite sure it's from eating pine needles.. I've had a few of them lose a calf at about the same stage of development, and it's usually right after a heavy snowfall... They usually can't reach the branches but the snow weighs them down and those dumb %#$#$ cows have to go eat them... I've been cutting a few down but there's tons here.

 

[JW IN VA]

Without a full diagnostic workup, one is only just guessing - but even with all the parts/pieces/samples available, veterinary diagnosticians only come up with a definitive diagnosis in far less than half of cases - and success is even less if placenta and paired maternal serum samples are not available.
My best guess, at that stage of gestation, in our part of the world, would be Neospora; doubt that the hickory leaves had any association other than just coincidental timing.
I see folks suggesting, all the time, that other cows butting could cause abortion... but I doubt that it EVER happens. That fetus is well protected by hide, abdominal wall, uterine wall, and the fluid environment they're floating in. Hit by a fast-moving car or truck on the highway, maybe, but just another cow butting... nah.

Do you recommend blood testing the heifer for Neospora?

I'll second that recommendation.From someone who has had a run of it in the past.The positive thing you did(if it is Neosporia) was getting that calf out of the field and,hopefully,burying it. Animals such as dogs,coyotes,foxes etc feed on it and then pass it on to other cattle through the manure.It is not given from one cow to the next except in the case of a cow carrying a heifer calf to term and then the heifer retained for breeding.
The way we caught mine was having some" late calvers" preg checked and blood tested for Lepto.When the Lepto showed OK for the open ones,the vet suggested testing for Neospria since he'd seen a case in his brother's cattle.
Someday we'll have a cure or vaccine but for now the only cure in the stockyard.
I suspect more people have it than we know but some of them either don't keep up with the fact a certain cow hasn't raised a calf in several years or,if one comes up dry a end of calving season,she gets sold no matter why.

 

[Bright Raven]

Without a full diagnostic workup, one is only just guessing - but even with all the parts/pieces/samples available, veterinary diagnosticians only come up with a definitive diagnosis in far less than half of cases - and success is even less if placenta and paired maternal serum samples are not available.
My best guess, at that stage of gestation, in our part of the world, would be Neospora; doubt that the hickory leaves had any association other than just coincidental timing.
I see folks suggesting, all the time, that other cows butting could cause abortion... but I doubt that it EVER happens. That fetus is well protected by hide, abdominal wall, uterine wall, and the fluid environment they're floating in. Hit by a fast-moving car or truck on the highway, maybe, but just another cow butting... nah.

Do you recommend blood testing the heifer for Neospora?

I'll second that recommendation.From someone who has had a run of it in the past.The positive thing you did(if it is Neosporia) was getting that calf out of the field and,hopefully,burying it. Animals such as dogs,coyotes,foxes etc feed on it and then pass it on to other cattle through the manure.It is not given from one cow to the next except in the case of a cow carrying a heifer calf to term and then the heifer retained for breeding.
Someday we'll have a cure or vaccine but for now the only cure in the stockyard.
I suspect more people have it than we know but some of them either don't keep up with the fact a certain cow hasn't raised a calf in several years or,if one comes up dry a end of calving season,she gets sold no matter why.

I buried the calf.

 

[JW IN VA]

That will break the "chain" if it's neosporia. Good job.

 

[True Grit Farms]

No calf eans she's just a cull and waste of time and money. Culling her will prevent any future problems out of her.

 

[CattleMan1920]

I'm very sorry about your loss. This stuff never gets easier to deal with.