what to do with newborn

[cowfarmer]

Last month I had a heifer give birth to a large heifer calf.@70 lbs
I happened to drive up right after it was born. She was still
cleaning it up and it hadn't stood up yet. I watched it for a few
minutes and saw it move some and moo a little. I was afraid
of makeing the cow abandon her calf, as it was her first, so I
left them alone. I came back 4 hrs later and the calf was dead.
It had never stood up, as it still had afterbirth on one side that
it was laying on. Should I happen upon a newborn calf again,
should I leave it alone or do something else? I am trying to
learn about all this and am learning a lot of things the hard way.

 

[trapper]

when we had calves on our dairy farm we would bring them down that day usually in a few hours but when they had them in the barn we would just leave them in a pen together

 

[Texan]

I think you did the right thing. Give the new momma a chance to do her job. Try to quit worrying about it---you'll lose plenty more. What kind of cattle do you run that you consider a 70 pound calf large?

 

[Farminlund]

I had the same thing happen a number of yrs ago - saw the calf on the ground & alive, came back about 3 hrs later to find it still on the wet ground (raining at the time). Tried to save it but I think my lack of experience may have helped in it's demise - but then again why would it not get up in the first place? I chalked it up to some bad luck & still let a live calf & ma do their own thing (especially don't want to mess with a heifer unless things don't look good after a few hrs). A calf that doesn't get up is in my opinion is one that would likely be hard to save anyway. Never had it happen since, that I am aware of (of course you find them dead & know not why - so I can only speculate here).

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

If your cows are thin, the calf can have "weak calf syndrome" - some never get up, others are very slow at getting up & sucking (and if the weather is bad this will lead to them getting sick), others manage to get going quick enough with good weather & survive.

Like Texan, I'm curious what kind of cattle you have also.

 

[jerry27150]

would have done the same, i think some aren't fully developed right in lungs or something else wrong. just natures way.

 

[rgv4]

On heifer's especially, I will always stay and watch until the calf gets up and sucks. If it hasn't in an hour, I will get it up and make sure that it sucks.

Alot of times on heifer's the more dominant cows in the herd will come and check the calf out and the heifer will back off, so she will not clean it good and stimulate the calf into wanting to get up and suck.

Even the older cows, I always watch to make sure the calf gets up and sucks before I leave the pasture.

 

[cowfarmer]

thanks for all the input.

The heifer is a black angus and bull was red brangus.
I was guessing at the weight, as I am really new. I know
it was bigger than most of the other calves I have had born.

I have only a small herd. 6 cows and a 3 yearling heifers
that I will start breeding in about 6 months.

 

[Medic24]

Some of you may not agree, but in a case of a calf, that I am sure is not going to make it right off from the start, I butcher it for veal. I am sure not going to waste it if I don't have too. :cboy:

 

[dun]

Some of you may not agree, but in a case of a calf, that I am sure is not going to make it right off from the start, I butcher it for veal. I am sure not going to waste it if I don't have too. :cboy:

I just wack them and use them for coyote bait.

dun

 

[Farmhand]

We do the same as rgv4 and stay until they get up. Unfortunately I can't bring myself to give up on a calf. Probably would be better off if I did like Medic24 or dun and hubby would probably be happier but I just can't seem to do it. There's just something about babies....

 

[Medic24]

Speaking of which, any one have a really super veal recipe they care to share? We have several more calves due yet, and knowing our luck, we will have use of such a good recipe. :cboy:

 

[dun]

We do the same as rgv4 and stay until they get up. Unfortunately I can't bring myself to give up on a calf. Probably would be better off if I did like Medic24 or dun and hubby would probably be happier but I just can't seem to do it. There's just something about babies....

As long as there is hope I'll work with a calf, probably more then is smart at times.
The point is that there are sometings that are either a disaster up front or a disaster down the line.
I hate to loose a calf especially after having worked with it for a day or two. But sometimes the best solution is still a bullet.

dun

 

[Bez]

As long as there is hope I'll work with a calf, probably more then is smart at times.
The point is that there are sometings that are either a disaster up front or a disaster down the line.
I hate to loose a calf especially after having worked with it for a day or two. But sometimes the best solution is still a bullet.

One good thing about bullet culling - after a few years you can almost put the gun away and watch them hit the ground and start sucking.

Some folks work those weak calves too hard and then after they get them going they put them in the herd.

The wheel goes around and around.

Bez