Calving in Below Freezing

[farmerjan]

Beef calves that are with their mommas usually will not need an added source of warmth like the calf coat since they are nursing more frequently. You don't want it to get overheated and get sick and you don't want the cow unhappy with the coat...just giving you some hard learned advice. Their metabolism is very different from a dairy calf that is housed individually and fed only twice or 3 times a day.

 

[Goat Whisperer]

Hoping all is well

 

[Green Acres Farm]

And we better get pictures.

 

[farmerjan]

No news is good news......

 

[cjc]

Unfortunately in this case no news was bad news

Her water broke around 9am, she made little progress so at 3pm I called the vet. I knew something was wrong at that point. I had also called the vet a few days prior bcs this cow was pregnant forever. I kept saying the bull left over 9 months ago how is this possible! He thought maybe she took the day the bull left as she was showing no signs of illness.

He checked her and quickly told us the calf was deformed. He could feel an abdomen filled with fluid and no legs. Crazy.

He had nothing to hold onto to pull the calf so we prepped for a c section. He checked her a bit more and popped the sac and drained it more. The placenta tissue was very abnormal. He determined the calf was too big for a c section so he used a knife to drain the fluid from the calves abdomen before he went in.

We had to call a second vet bcs it was BAD to say the least. They cut her open and determined the calf was a head and giant abdomen no legs. It was too large to take out and her incision was now MASSIVE. The calf was rotting for what they think was a few months. Makes sense considering my complaints on the length of time she was pregnant. But she was showing zero signs of a toxic calf. The calf was also massive, probably about 125lbs. She's a big girl herself but crazy to see a deformed massive calf like this.

I left the barn and my step dad helped the vet. I did not have to stomach for that. Also I think being pregnant myself it's just not what I want to see right now. When they found the rotting calf and accessed the amount of incisions they told us she had a 5-20% chance of survival. My step father made the call, not bcs he would of himself chose this but bcs I love her and kept her alive. They told us we could either euthanaize her which one vet thought was best or sew her up and see if she made the week.

So today was a real crap day. Lost the calf I had been waiting on and probably my best cow. We will give her lots of tlc and try and get her better over the next week. I will not breed her again if she recovers but she will be a pet on the farm. She's earned her place.

 

[Goat Whisperer]

Oh my gosh. No words.
I am so so so sorry

This is many livestock owners biggest fear once birthing season comes.

I hate that y'all and your cow have to go through this

Glad she wasn't toxic, that is amazing that she hasn't been ill. Hoping she is strong enough to pull through this

You definitely don't want to be around any of this. Mentally and also you physically don't need to be around all the fluids.

 

[Southern by choice]

Oh my goodness. I am so sad for you.
I am very proud of you for walking away for several reasons. First, I know how much you care but you truly did what was best for you and your baby!
Second, there was nothing you could do and this helps to preserve some emotional energy as well as not exposing yourself to the fluids like @Goat Whisperer said.

Very much hoping your girl makes it through!

 

[babsbag]

I am sorry about your cow, that is not what I wanted to read. Hoping for that miracle for your cow.

 

[Latestarter]

Sat here reading with my chin hanging... That is insane! So sorry that happened to the calf as well as the cow. I hope that the vets were able to patch her back up enough that she can recover and remain a farm pet for you. Glad you got out of there being pregnant yourself.

 

[TAH]

That is awfull and absolutely crazy!

Soooooooo sorry for you and mama cow, you waited so long for this, and this happened!
Really hoping your sweet cow pulls thru!
You and her desverse it!