sudden death, crazed calf

[ineedaremedy]

Hi, Im not a cow person and rarely eat beef, but I had to register to ask this question.....actually Ill just tell the story of what happened and if anyone would like to give their opinion feel free to do so.
I live in Missouri and love the outdoors. The other day my roommate and I were out looking for arrowheads on some land that has a bunch of cows on it. Ive noticed in the past a blind calf thats always alone wandering around bumping into things. No big deal, he's always there. This time when we went, there was a cow bellowing nonstop for her calf, so we looked around and saw the calf. At first we thought it was in a pen trying to get out. We got a little closer and realized it wasnt penned up but was foaming from the mouth and nose, tongue hanging out and in a mad frenzy. It then began to frantically run in circles, faster and faster until it was head to tail, head to tail...this lasted maybe 45 seconds and it fell down still trying to run circles on the ground, it got up, convulsed and killed over dead. This all happened in less than 5 min......Ive never witnessed anything so crazy in my life and have not a clue what caused it. As soon as it killed over, the bellowing stopped and the mama cow went back to grazing like it was nothing. Anyone ever encountered such a thing? If so, please let us know because it is driving my roommate and myself nutts not knowing why it died so fast........

 

[ga. prime]

Could be the little understood Sambo syndrome. Did the calf turn into butter?

 

[ineedaremedy]

Boy am I glad I picked this site to gain such brilliant answers from helpful knowledgeable users.............. :clap:

 

[ga. prime]

Yep, you came to the right place.

 

[3waycross]

Hi, Im not a cow person and rarely eat beef, but I had to register to ask this question.....actually Ill just tell the story of what happened and if anyone would like to give their opinion feel free to do so.
I live in Missouri and love the outdoors. The other day my roommate and I were out looking for arrowheads on some land that has a bunch of cows on it. Ive noticed in the past a blind calf thats always alone wandering around bumping into things. No big deal, he's always there. This time when we went, there was a cow bellowing nonstop for her calf, so we looked around and saw the calf. At first we thought it was in a pen trying to get out. We got a little closer and realized it wasnt penned up but was foaming from the mouth and nose, tongue hanging out and in a mad frenzy. It then began to frantically run in circles, faster and faster until it was head to tail, head to tail...this lasted maybe 45 seconds and it fell down still trying to run circles on the ground, it got up, convulsed and killed over dead. This all happened in less than 5 min......Ive never witnessed anything so crazy in my life and have not a clue what caused it. As soon as it killed over, the bellowing stopped and the mama cow went back to grazing like it was nothing. Anyone ever encountered such a thing? If so, please let us know because it is driving my roommate and myself nutts not knowing why it died so fast........

Don't take it too badly. That could be one of the better answers you get around here.

On a slightly more serious note I would think it has to be one of two factors, Internal or Environmental. Either the condition(maybe genetic) that made him blind caused it, OR he was poisoned or snakebit.

 

[ineedaremedy]

This wasnt the blind calf......this one was pretty good size, a little smaller than a shetland pony?? It was just crazy how "berzerk" it went and killed over dead within a minute or two and then the mama cow just stopped bellowing for it like no big deal..(not that I think cows are all full of emotion or anything...lmao) was just a really weird deal.

 

[I luv herfrds]

Sorry but unless a post mortem and blood test is run there is no way to tell what caused the calf to do this and die.
Too bad you didn't find the owner, I would have wanted to know what killed my calf in such a crazy way.

 

[ineedaremedy]

We did find the owner, he showed up on a 4whlr just as it took its last breath.....I was mid-run to my truck to get my phone but my roomie stood there w/the calf when he rolled up. She said she told him what happened, he got off the 4whlr, walked up to it, kicked it and said, "yup, its dead" got back on his 4whlr and came back as we were leaving. Weird deal. I hope we dont get wtvr it had from digging around in the dirt and stuff....... :frowns:

 

[bward]

listeriosis, rabies, lead poisoning, are a few ideas that come to mind, but literally, there are more than a dozen things that can cause those symptoms.

The Mama was bawling becasue she was observing strange behaviour in her calf. Once the calf keeled over she thought he was finally over his fit and was sleeping. She'll bawl again when she realizes he isn't getting up anymore.