Trouble with calf.

[Carnivore]

One of my cows had a calf this morning, and the heifer calf hasn't been able to stand for about 10 hours now, does not look very viable, and to compound matters, the mother keeps knocking it down when it tries to get up.

The calf looks pre-mature by a month or so, as it is smaller than the 3 other calves we have had. It has had no milk, and I am not going to bottle feed it, (perhaps cruel, but I believe in natural selection). My question at this point to the experienced folks here, is does the calf have a chance, or should I just go put her down and end her misery?

 

[Bez?]

One of my cows had a calf this morning, and the heifer calf hasn't been able to stand for about 10 hours now, does not look very viable, and to compound matters, the mother keeps knocking it down when it tries to get up.

The calf looks pre-mature by a month or so, as it is smaller than the 3 other calves we have had. It has had no milk, and I am not going to bottle feed it, (perhaps cruel, but I believe in natural selection). My question at this point to the experienced folks here, is does the calf have a chance, or should I just go put her down and end her misery?

Depends. Do you know when the cow was bred?

You want to try and save it?

Then gather it up.

Try to feed it.

Mom needs a good 2x4 beating. They never get a second chance on this place when they do this. It is "cow love sounds" from the time the calf hits the grass or they travel.

No time to molly coddle a money loser. And the genetics go away as well. Your attitude works well on this place.

Do as you see fit, but a calf is the money - kill it and go forward or try to make a few bucks your choice.

Separate asap.

Bez?

 

[Angus Guy]

EITHER FEED THE CALF OR GET OUT OF THE CATTLE BUSINESS!!!!
The livestock community does not want or need people of your kind. Part of farming is being a good steward to the land and our livestock. Your kind of thinking is totally wrong. If this sounds like I'm mad I sure as hell am!!!

 

[certherfbeef]

The calf should have had colostrum with in the first few hours of being born. You shoud have made sure of that. If the mother was not going to tend to it then you should have penned her, milked her and fed the calf.
Without the necessary colostrum the calf is fighting a loseing battle.

Send them both to town.

 

[Alice]

One of my cows had a calf this morning, and the heifer calf hasn't been able to stand for about 10 hours now, does not look very viable, and to compound matters, the mother keeps knocking it down when it tries to get up.

The calf looks pre-mature by a month or so, as it is smaller than the 3 other calves we have had. It has had no milk, and I am not going to bottle feed it, (perhaps cruel, but I believe in natural selection). My question at this point to the experienced folks here, is does the calf have a chance, or should I just go put her down and end her misery?

Natural selection my a$$...you're too damn lazy to do it.

Does the calf have a chance? Not anymore, thanks to you.

Alice

 

[Alice]

EITHER FEED THE CALF OR GET OUT OF THE CATTLE BUSINESS!!!!
The livestock community does not want or need people of your kind. Part of farming is being a good steward to the land and our livestock. Your kind of thinking is totally wrong. If this sounds like I'm mad I sure as be nice am!!!

What he said! Amen!

Alice

 

[Anonymous]

well whatever you're going to do...do it fast, if you going to put her down then do it...dont wait around and let the dam calf die slowly :x ...would you rather starve or be put down quickly?...think about that

 

[Beefy]

you could likely save this calf if you wanted to from the sound of it. i would give it a shot. it sounds like it is trying. unless its paralyzed or retarded or dumb there is a good chance. even with premies.

 

[Anonymous]

unless its paralyzed or retarded or dumb there is a good chance.

You speakin about the calf or the owner? ...

 

[Beefy]

unless its paralyzed or retarded or dumb there is a good chance.

You speakin about the calf or the owner? ...

the calf. tons of calves die each year naturally on big ranches (starvation, wolves, you name it). thats nature. toughen up, folks. at least he is going to put it down if it doesnt have a chance.

I say either save it or give it 24 hours to do what its going to do. i've seen them lay around and eventually get up. not many times but it does happen. i had one laid out for a week that i saved and taught to walk. she stayed in the same spot until a couple of months b4 she was weaned. the cow returned each night to feed her. the only moving she would do was to get up and nurse, then she'd lay back down. then one day it was like she woke up and decided she was going to be a cow. she walked off and started eathing grass. she made a nice heifer but i sold her cuz she was weird.

 

[Alice]

you could likely save this calf if you wanted to from the sound of it. i would give it a shot. it sounds like it is trying. unless its paralyzed or retarded or dumb there is a good chance. even with premies.

A shot of what? That calf hasn't gotten colostrum and it's likely to late for the colostrum to do it any good.

Is there a shot that takes the place of colostrum. Tell me what it is...I'll pay whatever it takes to get a bottle of that.

Alice

 

[Bez?]

unless its paralyzed or retarded or dumb there is a good chance.

You speakin about the calf or the owner? ...

the calf. tons of calves die each year naturally on big ranches (starvation, wolves, you name it). thats nature. toughen up, folks. at least he is going to put it down if it doesnt have a chance.

I say either save it or give it 24 hours to do what its going to do. i've seen them lay around and eventually get up. not many times but it does happen. i had one laid out for a week that i saved and taught to walk. she stayed in the same spot until a couple of months b4 she was weaned. the cow returned each night to feed her. the only moving she would do was to get up and nurse, then she'd lay back down. then one day it was like she woke up and decided she was going to be a cow. she walked off and started eathing grass. she made a nice heifer but i sold her cuz she was weird.

Your comments ring true.

There are calves that are born with dead calf disease as well.

In this day and age it is not always financially feasible to save them - sometimes your first loss is your best loss - and the price of a bullet is sometimes the cheapest loss.

We do not like to lose them here, but we have definitely taken the approach that we will not put a hundred dollars into them and then have to destroy them.

The assessment is made within 24 hours and the decision is usually final.

Regards,

Bez?

 

[Anonymous]

unless its paralyzed or retarded or dumb there is a good chance.

You speakin about the calf or the owner? ...

the calf. tons of calves die each year naturally on big ranches (starvation, wolves, you name it). thats nature. toughen up, folks. at least he is going to put it down if it doesnt have a chance.

I say either save it or give it 24 hours to do what its going to do. i've seen them lay around and eventually get up. not many times but it does happen. i had one laid out for a week that i saved and taught to walk. she stayed in the same spot until a couple of months b4 she was weaned. the cow returned each night to feed her. the only moving she would do was to get up and nurse, then she'd lay back down. then one day it was like she woke up and decided she was going to be a cow. she walked off and started eathing grass. she made a nice heifer but i sold her cuz she was weird.

Beefy...the fellar said that every time the calf tries to get up, the momma knocks it back down...I know plenty of calves die naturally each year...but you know as well as anyone else that it'd take an idiot to sit and watch a calf struggle to get up, just to be knocked down again, then wonder if he should put it down or let that go on until the calf eventually dies...if the fellar has no intent of helping the calf out, then it should have been put down long ago...so there's no need for anyone to toughen up on this subject, just saying to do the right thing, you know darn well in that situation the calf should be put down right away instead of Carnivore just watching this go on and on...he should know it doesn't have a chance by now

 

[Alice]

unless its paralyzed or retarded or dumb there is a good chance.

You speakin about the calf or the owner? ...

the calf. tons of calves die each year naturally on big ranches (starvation, wolves, you name it). thats nature. toughen up, folks. at least he is going to put it down if it doesnt have a chance.

I say either save it or give it 24 hours to do what its going to do. i've seen them lay around and eventually get up. not many times but it does happen. i had one laid out for a week that i saved and taught to walk. she stayed in the same spot until a couple of months b4 she was weaned. the cow returned each night to feed her. the only moving she would do was to get up and nurse, then she'd lay back down. then one day it was like she woke up and decided she was going to be a cow. she walked off and started eathing grass. she made a nice heifer but i sold her cuz she was weird.

Beefy...the fellar said that every time the calf tries to get up, the momma knocks it back down...I know plenty of calves die naturally each year...but you know as well as anyone else that it'd take an idiot to sit and watch a calf struggle to get up, just to be knocked down again, then wonder if he should put it down or let that go on until the calf eventually dies...if the fellar has no intent of helping the calf out, then it should have been put down long ago...so there's no need for anyone to toughen up on this subject, just saying to do the right thing, you know darn well in that situation the calf should be put down right away instead of Carnivore just watching this go on and on...he should know it doesn't have a chance by now

Oh yeah!

Alice

 

[Beefy]

it doesnt take much to knock down an unstable calf. if she is trying to kill it thats one thing. if it falls over when she licks its butt thats an entirely different scenario. the poster didnt specify if the cow was being malicious or not.

 

[Anonymous]

it doesnt take much to knock down an unstable calf. if she is trying to kill it thats one thing. if it falls over when she licks its butt thats an entirely different scenario. the poster didnt specify if the cow was being malicious or not.

being malicious or not, makes no nevermind, carnivore should at least seperate them and give the calf a chance to stand up, but he wont

 

[Angus Guy]

The key term is "natural selection". The selection process started with the mating of the cow and bull. From there we as caretakers of our livestock should do what is neccesary to maintain the health and viablity of them. If this means bottle feeding a calf so be it. If it means putting one down, do it. But do not let it lay there and suffer. It is cruel and possibly illegal to knowingly do otherwise. All of us who have been in this business for any length of time have had to make the tough decisions. But to say that you beleive in natural selection and will knowingly let an animal suffer then you should have the same thing done to you when you are sick or injured.

 

[Alice]

it doesnt take much to knock down an unstable calf. if she is trying to kill it thats one thing. if it falls over when she licks its butt thats an entirely different scenario. the poster didnt specify if the cow was being malicious or not.

being malicious or not, makes no nevermind, carnivore should at least seperate them and give the calf a chance to stand up, but he wont

Nope, 'cause carnivore believes in "natural selection." What a crock!

Alice

 

[Beefy]

you could likely save this calf if you wanted to from the sound of it. i would give it a shot. it sounds like it is trying. unless its paralyzed or retarded or dumb there is a good chance. even with premies.

A shot of what? That calf hasn't gotten colostrum and it's likely to late for the colostrum to do it any good.

Is there a shot that takes the place of colostrum. Tell me what it is...I'll pay whatever it takes to get a bottle of that.

Alice

there is no shot. i meant give it shot, give it a try, give it a go, try to save it. etc.

i know everyone on here thinks that if a calf doesnt get colostrum in 15 minutes its going to die but the truth of the matter is if it gets in within 24 hours things will probably be ok. calves have lived before that received no colostrum.

 

[Alice]

you could likely save this calf if you wanted to from the sound of it. i would give it a shot. it sounds like it is trying. unless its paralyzed or retarded or dumb there is a good chance. even with premies.

A shot of what? That calf hasn't gotten colostrum and it's likely to late for the colostrum to do it any good.

Is there a shot that takes the place of colostrum. Tell me what it is...I'll pay whatever it takes to get a bottle of that.

Alice

there is no shot. i meant give it shot, give it a try, give it a go, try to save it. etc.

i know everyone on here thinks that if a calf doesnt get colostrum in 15 minutes its going to die but the truth of the matter is if it gets in within 24 hours things will probably be ok. calves have lived before that received no colostrum.

I know they have lived without colostrum...I've raised my share of them. And it took a HE11 of a lot of work...which, in my opinion, is something that Carnivore really doesn't want to do.

Alice