Tough Decision

[gabby]

One of my favorite cows gave birth two days ago to a bull calf that didn't make it. He looked normal but never had much energy or strength. He died today.

I bought the cow 2 1/2 years ago as a two-fer and she has had two fine calves. She's 5 years old.

Question: Do I keep her or get rid of her?

Thank you for your thoughts,
gabby

 

[whatabull]

One of my favorite cows gave birth two days ago to a bull calf that didn't make it. He looked normal but never had much energy or strength. He died today.

I bought the cow 2 1/2 years ago as a two-fer and she has had two fine calves. She's 5 years old.

Question: Do I keep her or get rid of her?

Thank you for your thoughts,
gabby

DO you have a line on what was up with the bull calf? log it so two good maybe one bad, see what drops from her next year then if it is the third good calf she stays, if another bad calf. cull her.

 

[Brandonm2]

If she is your best cow, I would forgive her for this one indiscretion and make sure my herd was vaccinated for BVD, Lepto, etc that could possibly have played a role. I would also look at nutrition and make sure I was right there and with my mineral program. In some herds in some places additional phosphorous can help both breeding percentage and early calf thriftiness.

 

[Running Arrow Bill]

Sorry to hear of your loss!

If you haven't already, I'd have the Vet take a look at cow & check her out to rule out infection, etc. Also, did she pass the placenta within a few hours after giving birth? Any unusual bleeding or discharge from the cow?

Comprehensive vaccinations without fail along with de-worming are first line of insurance for healthy calf, everything else being equal. Also nutrition and mineral program most important, especially in last trimester of pregnancy.

Did the bull calf nurse any?
Was the calf out of your or someone else's bull?

I'd give her one more try a producing a viable calf. If she doesn't produce a good one next time...take her to sale barn.

 

[Susie David]

Count my vote for giving her another try....I'd use a different bull and make real sure that she has proper nutrition....DMc

 

[Farmhand]

I vote keep her also. She's given you two good calves already so you know she can do it. This one may just be a fluke. If it happens again next year then she goes. The exception to this would be if you weren't totally happy with her or her other 2 calves. Then ship her now. I know you said she was a favorite so this doesn't apply. I am just saying how I make a decision to cull.

 

[eatbeef]

buy a day old, preferably beef breed if ya can find one if not buy a dairy calf, they are easier to find. graft it onto your cow and at least she is raising a calf and you could fatten this calf for your own table. Skin off some of the dead calfs hide and tie it on the new calf, pen them up and she should take to him, getting a little far down the road though

 

[cypressfarms]

I vote to keep her.

Especially since you were happy with the two previous calves. Did you change anything like (bull, vaccine program, feeding, supplements)?

Sorry about the loss

I had a heifer abort a calf about the time she was due to deliver this year. I'm keeping her because I figured that I was the bonehead who worked them and moved them to a new pasture during the summer. The calf looked as if the umbilical cord was knocked off. A friend of my dads brought his cow dogs to practice on moving cattle. I didn't like the idea then, and really don't like it now. Everyone does something stupid once. In my case, it's been more than once, but I won't be working any more cattle in the summer anymore. And I'll get the shotgun out if any one wants to try dogs on my cattle again. The stupid things you do not to offend someone.

 

[CattleAnnie]

Agree with Eatbeef. If you can buy a lively young calf for a reasonable price and graft her at least you won't be feeding a dry cow. It's a bit of work grafting, but generally pays off well at weaning time.

A downside of leaving her dry is that some cows seem to become too fleshy to rebreed (seen most often in those easy keeping individuals).

Take care.

 

[gabby]

Thanks for the votes to keep her. That's what I will do. Her name is Beefy and she's one of my pets.

Her nutrition, worming, and vaccinations should be fine. I spend a small fortune on minerals and I've been supplementing with molasses blocks and range cubes for a few weeks now until I have to start feeding hay. She's in excellent shape.

I suspect it's the bull and he's been gone for a few months now. This is the fourth calf I've lost this year and I've never lost that many before. Two others died at birth and one had a deformity in his urinary tract. The old bull was slaughtered.

Coincidentally, another calf was born the same day and he's running around mama with his tail up in the air.
gabby

 

[jcarkie]

the bull has alot to do with vigor in newborns, my bulls calves are trying to get up almost as soon as they hit ground. that is worth alot, do they have an epd for that

 

[Dana Kopp]

I agree, if you can find a calf at a reasonable price within a very short time - say three days or less. You'll want to keep milking her so she doesn't either start to lose her milk or get mastitis. Also, so you don't have to do the calf skinning see if the feed stores/ranch stores carry a calf claim powder. We have never skinned a calf and have had fabulous results with the claim powder. An active calf makes all the difference in the world - I love to see ours trying to get up when they are only 1/2 out, cleans the lungs and gets the blood pumping!!

 

[LegacyBreeder]

Old method we've used in the past for getting a cow to adopt is to pen the cow and calf together, rub mentholatum on the cow's nose and a bit on the calf. Watch them for a few days to see how things turn out. Nine times out of ten the cow will take the calf as her own, in our experience. Its a whole lot nicer than skinning the dead calf, plus a whole lot cleaner.

 

[jbar]

i wouldnt try to put a calf on her unless it from a heathy herd that you know.there was a study done on this and just buy a sale barn baby and putting on a cow that had lost hers put your whole herd at risk mainly scours, osu did the study if i ramember right. i like the idea of keeping the cow working but not if it put my other calves at risk. :cboy:

 

[sidney411]

I have had real good luck grafting calves. All I do is pen them together and once a day for about 3-4 days run momma in the chute and let the baby nurse. It takes 3 days for the milk from the cow to make the calf smell like her. By day 4 the cow should be treating it like her own. I've never skinned a dead calf or rubbed any smell stuff on them. One time I had the afterbirth and I rubbed that all over the calf (YUCH!!!) the cow didn't accept that calf any faster then the above mentioned method.

 

[Rod]

If she's healthy then I'd try her again sometime, these things just happen. Only other route I'd consider would be to sell her and replace her with a third stage cow to quicken your returns.

 

[msscamp]

Since you're asking for input, I'll give you mine. She has proven she can deliver and raise good calves. She delivered this calf alive and - from all indications - tried to raise it. Unfortunately he didn't make it and I'm very sorry for that, but I don't see how it can be attributed to her alone. I would keep her, graft a calf on her if possible and see what happened next year. Just my thoughts.