What would you do?

[rockridgecattle]

Looking for some thoughts, some advice

Cow calved, no problem
After she licked it off, calf looked funny
Eyes did not seem "right" Oddly positioned, smaller maybe
Teeth not right, like not fully formed but also crooked (one tooth)
Hair...now that is a doozer. Not a great coat on the legs but better than the head and back. Hair on the tail and on the hips...not like it should but still hair
The head and the back are like a balding man. Thin and far between. The rest kinda like peach fuzz. Can see the skin stretch and can see when it is wrinkly
Calf is aggressive in the latching on and does the hop and skip when it is awake
Cow is 11 years old, never a problem before (keep good records)
Mineral has been kept up, She has been seen on a regular basis (like the rest of the cows) in the mineral

If i lived in a warm climate, I would not even think twice about keeping her.
But right now and for the foreseeable weeks snow and below freezing at night and around the freezing mark for the day (some days above and some days below freezing
My question is....with gas prices like they are, and since they are on generated power and since there is no means to provide electrical power for now would you keep this calf?
Unless this calf gets a coat of hair and gets looking normal the sale barn will not be an option. It will be freezer beef

 

[randiliana]

I'd put a blanket on it, freezer beef is worth something. OTOH, if it never does grow hair, it won't make it through next winter anyways and you won't get your freezer beef anyways.... Fat cows are worth $.70/lb here right now, that might be the best decision???

 

[rockridgecattle]

Randi, you like the genetic aspect of cows, and have a better understanding of it. Already chatted with the vet about this, what is your take? Genetic or fluke due to any number of things....rubbish summer. poor hay, (but supplemented), poor pasture,...

 

[dun]

Possibily a fever during one part of gestatin or more likely a weed or minerl that was eaten during gestation.
To me it's alwasy surprising how few strange things like this happen. When you consider what all needs to happen right for the calf to be bron as a viiable animal I'm amazed. We had a calf born with no tail. Everyting was normal excaprt for that. No bloddy spot like an injury, just no tail. It was the cow and bull combination for the 2nd time, the first was normal and 3rd and 4th were normal. Just happened that one year

 

[randiliana]

Well, I believe I saw a genetic thing that caused hairlessness, I'll see if I can find that link again. I'd be more inclined to go with a genetic problem than anything else, could be just a flukey thing and I sure wouldn't get excited with only one calf having this problem.

 

[randiliana]

Google hypotrichosis in cattle, might be what you are dealing with?

 

[rockridgecattle]

Thanks to you both.
Googled hypotrichosis in cattle. Describes it well.
Vet thought it to be a genetic thing, with both bull and cow being ressesive.
We had a rat tail yesterday as well. We have had that is our herd. Seems to be more promintent with Angus Sim cross.
Unfortunatly not sure what bull the cow in question was parred with. Normally we would separate one bull with X so many cows. Last couple of years due to the excessive rains we have been dumping all bulls with the cows. Two of the bulls have been with the main herd for several years. The other was bull we introduced for the first time into the main herd. He was our heffer bull. I think he might be the culprit..not sure, not willing to bet the farm on that. He has been here for three years and bred heifers related to the cow in question so....

Fever, feed or mineral...that is an interesting assumption. One which could be on the money. Just don't know what to do with that

Just a thought, when we first came to the farm we had several animals over the course of a few years give birth to calfs with coats like this. (We moved back to work with his parents) We culled alot of cows, got rid of several bulls due to the fact that they were sons of cows on the farm and we retain our own heifers. Would end up with one or two a year like this.
Problem with thinking this might be a carry over from back then is, the cow is a totally different breed and a bought cow, and all the bulls are different breed also bought, not retained

Just thinking out loud on the keyboard

 

[randiliana]

Who knows, I don't think it is a terribly uncommon birth defect from the sounds of it.

 

[dun]

Who knows, I don't think it is a terribly uncommon birth defect from the sounds of it.

Taking all 3 into consideration I think they're pretty uncommon

 

[randiliana]

I meant as far as birth defects go....

 

[dun]

I meant as far as birth defects go....

Right, the hair, the eyes and the mouth. Those would be 3 birth defects

 

[KNERSIE]

There is a test for hypotrichosis, it is a relatively common defect in herefords, the best known HY carrier I can think of is JR Nick the Butler, recent ones that has been identified is Anhinga Vic S84 K16 and RV Stocker

 

[rockridgecattle]

Thanks Knersie, I will check with the vet on the cost when we get the bull semen tested

 

[KNERSIE]

You'll probably have to test all the bulls.

 

[rockridgecattle]

probably, but at this point, we only have one bull...shipped out the rest..

 

[KNERSIE]

probably, but at this point, we only have one bull...shipped out the rest..

That solves that problem!

 

[1982vett]

Looking for some thoughts, some advice

Cow calved, no problem
After she licked it off, calf looked funny
Eyes did not seem "right" Oddly positioned, smaller maybe
Teeth not right, like not fully formed but also crooked (one tooth)
Hair...now that is a doozer. Not a great coat on the legs but better than the head and back. Hair on the tail and on the hips...not like it should but still hair
The head and the back are like a balding man. Thin and far between. The rest kinda like peach fuzz. Can see the skin stretch and can see when it is wrinkly
Calf is aggressive in the latching on and does the hop and skip when it is awake
Cow is 11 years old, never a problem before (keep good records)
Mineral has been kept up, She has been seen on a regular basis (like the rest of the cows) in the mineral

If i lived in a warm climate, I would not even think twice about keeping her.
But right now and for the foreseeable weeks snow and below freezing at night and around the freezing mark for the day (some days above and some days below freezing
My question is....with gas prices like they are, and since they are on generated power and since there is no means to provide electrical power for now would you keep this calf?
Unless this calf gets a coat of hair and gets looking normal the sale barn will not be an option. It will be freezer beef

Not quite sure I follow exactly what you are saying...Veal now or freezer beef later are the only things I'd consider if the sale barn isn't an option.

 

[randiliana]

I think she means, should they put the calf down now or try to keep it going...

 

[1982vett]

I think she means, should they put the calf down now or try to keep it going...

I'm pretty sure thats what it says too.

I guess the gamble is what it does between now and skinning time.

I come across a rat-tail every now and then. Pretty much puts the cow on the cull list when thinning time comes even it it may just be the cow/bull combo.