unexplained death

[Anonymous]

what happened?? perfectly healthy six year old cow nursing 2 week old calf found down in the pasture with no previous signs of ill health. moderate to severe bloating present before death, bloody/red vaginal secretions at time of death, labored breathing, inability to move any part of body. the longest she could have been sick is about a day and a half. death occurred within 2 hours of cow being found down in the pasture. can anyone tell me what could have happened? i need to know if other cattle are at serious risk. please help me.

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[Anonymous]

> what happened?? perfectly healthy
> six year old cow nursing 2 week
> old calf found down in the pasture
> with no previous signs of ill
> health. moderate to severe
> bloating present before death,
> bloody/red vaginal secretions at
> time of death, labored breathing,
> inability to move any part of
> body. the longest she could have
> been sick is about a day and a
> half. death occurred within 2
> hours of cow being found down in
> the pasture. can anyone tell me
> what could have happened? i need
> to know if other cattle are at
> serious risk. please help me. Grass tetany maybe? What kind of pasture was she on? Mineral supplement? Milk fever possible but not likely in beef cow. Give more info. for better guess.

 

[Anonymous]

cattle running on mostly unimproved pasture. about 3 of forty acres being grazed has a little bit of vetch and a little bit of red clover, but both vetch and clover are already flowering. she was receiving 20% protein cubes every day to every other day, eating hay, and had both mineral and plain salt blocks available. cow that died was my show heifer in high school, and i've had her since she was 6 months old. she's never had ANY problems before. would it make any difference that she was nursing a 2 week old calf of her own and was supplementing another of the same age?

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