Sudden death of a calf

[Anonymous]

I have neighbor who in the last 10 years has had 3 years where calves have died. This year 2 calves that were several months old died. The vet thinks it was pneumonia. The other 7 years no animals have died. The only connection between this year and the other 3 were that the pastures these calves were in, were cut in June. The other 7 years he always waits until end of July or early August. Is there a possible connection between the early cutting (brush hogging) of the pasture and these calves early deaths?

 

[Anonymous]

poisionous weeds? Black leg?

 

[Anonymous]

What weeds could it be? What do you mean black legs?

 

[la4angus]

What weeds could it be? What do you mean black legs?

Anthrax

 

[Texan]

I have neighbor who in the last 10 years has had 3 years where calves have died.

Sounds like pretty good luck to me! I have calves die every year.

The vet thinks it was pneumonia.

Is there some reason to dispute the vet? There's no reason that I can see for any of us here to try to come up with a diagnosis that differs from what the vet, who was there, told your neighbor. True, vets are sometimes wrong. But in this case, the vet surely had more information to work with than you've given here.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the posts so far. The only reason we question it is around here it seems like evry questionalble death is pneumonia. The other is the fact that it only happens in years that he cuts the pasture early. This farm is also more of a hobby farm, he checks his animals every day and they never showed signs. This is why he is questioning the vets answer. He actually thinks there may be some weed that early in the year may be toxic and we are exposing the animals to, but this is just he theory. My personal theory is the years that he cut early were very wet years and pneumonia is very possible, but why only in the pastures that were cut? His animals in the barn and other pastures were fine except for 1 year he did lose 2 in the barn, but we know why they died.

 

[Texan]

I think its probably natural for all of us to question the vet's diagnosis. I don't know why we do it, but I'm guilty of it, as well. Looks to me like the best way to find out for sure is to have one posted next time.

Hard to even speculate about the weed problem, since none of us have the slightest idea where you are located. I don't know of anyone having problems like that around my area. Your's might be different.