Warning, gross pictures.

[wbvs58]

Well Jeanne, if you weren't up so early dealing with the heifer you may not have found Java in time.

Ken

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Ken, you are so right. Her eye is swollen shut. Her ear actually split and was bleeding. Not sure if cracked from swelling too much...or frozen? Whole half of her face is huge.
Silver, that's a heart wrenching sight.
Uplander, that's sure not the first time we have had them get stuck. Lost some and found some. Sure glad we saved this one. Looks like she melted thru some snow and ice and created a crater.
Elsie, Java's human, (4H junior) came this evening after getting out of college (she's 14 or 15) . She took it well. Used a curry comb on her and worked a lot of the mud off her.
She is very attached to Java.

 

[MurraysMutts]

Love that @Jeanne - Simme Valley

It's encouraging to see the kids care for their critters.
Hope she come along easy for ya

 

[BFE]

Had to pull her this morning. Normal presentation. Simmental bull simangus cow. View attachment 3607

Had one two years ago. Was able to pull it.

 

[Hpacres440p]

Has anyone had a calf born to a cow that survived Prussia acid toxicity? I have one due in 2 weeks, concerned that there might be a calf issue (or not) due to the Prussia acid. Wondered if anyone with hydros calves could identify any issues during gestation with those cows…

 

[bird dog]

Hp, Prussic acid should not be a problem. I had two get in to some Johnson grass years ago. One died and one was just down for a number of hours. The survivor was older but went on to deliver a couple more calves with no issues. She was a brahman cross and those old girls are tough.

 

[topstock]

Had a first for us AND our vet. First calf heifer, about 1200#, bred to easy calving bull.
Saw on camera she was not getting it done. Couldn't SEE her backend. We go out at 4am and she had 1 leg and head. Calf is dead. My nephew is amazing with calving difficulties. Neighbors call him for help. Couldn't push the head back but heifer was down. Got my little Mini zapper, got her up. Pushed head in. Got 2nd leg out. Ok. Piece of cake. Small calf. Pull. Nope. Put rope in handles and made a come along. Nope. Got out the calf pullers (only tried using once). Nope.
Called vet.
Thank God my regular vet came out. Clinic has about 6 large animal vets, mostly new.
He felt and felt and felt. Said calf had fluids in bellie.
Never had this before. Thought about taking a big needle and puncture bellie, but knew that would not be good for heifer. Cut head off, went INSIDE the calf and punctured the stomach inside calf, so all the fluid came out the neck of calf right on the ground.
Calf came right out.
Vet raises reg Angus. Said this was not a genetic defects that the sire or dam was carrying. Said it was a fluke developmental issue with the calf.

Definitely not the calving experience you want. Glad the cow is ok. Hopefully smooth sailing here on out.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Had one two years ago. Was able to pull it.

The picture of your calf's bellie is about the size of this calf AFTER vet got at least 5 gallons of fluid out.
A friend of ours said about 10 years ago he had some cows get exposed to toxins in baleage and he had about 20 calves with this "waterbellie". Vet said it must have happened at the developmental stage that affected the fetuses.

2-yr old heifer seems to be doing fine. She keeps spending time near the barn. Her instincts tell her she left something behind!

Java's eye is a little opened today - that's encouraging. She is acting normal - super great appetite (like normal - little piggie). She is loving life staying in the barn. She is a show diva. Some like to be shown, some don't. She LOVED IT!!! Elsie's coming tomorrow to visit. She showed her as a calf all season and again last year as a bred heifer.

 

[BFE]

I think "waterbelly" has been used to describe this condition in unborn calves. An accumulation of fluid in the belly due to improper fluid movement in the calf and exchange with the cow. I don't know if "waterbelly" is the correct term or not, but I see it used for this.

I think the more common use of "waterbelly" is in feedlot steers that develop urinary calculi in the urethra, blocks the urine flow, bladder overfills and bursts and urine accumulates in the belly. Detected early, a little surgery to redirect the urethra externally can be done and the animal immediately slaughtered even if not finished. My understanding is that more salt in their diet will help to prevent the calculi.

I had a young steer with this kind of waterbelly one time as well. I get all the fun stuff!

 

[Mountaintown Creek Ranch]

It's pretty ironic that yesterday I was just telling my wife about your story and last night she seen doctor Poi with the same issue.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Did she say how Dr Pol handled it? With my vet never having to deal with it before, I thought he was pretty ingenious with what he did. He actually poked a couple holes in the stomach (reaching thru the calf's cavity), stuck his fingers in the holes and pulled the stomach out then spliced it open. Drenched him and my nephew. I was standing to the side, so they missed me. haha

 

[Mountaintown Creek Ranch]

Not sure . She said it was a hugh bladder.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Not sure . She said it was a hugh bladder.

My calf had fluid in the STOMACH. It was not urine. No smell at all. Looked like red water.