Calving in Below Freezing

[Sumi]

So sorry to hear this! I hope your cow is going to be o.k. Look after yourself and your baby

 

[Green Acres Farm]

I am so sorry.

 

[NH homesteader]

So sorry, that is truly awful.

I hope she recovers!

 

[Hens and Roos]

So sorry to hear

 

[farmerjan]

Cjc; I am so sorry for you. I know that you waited forever to get her settled. I am hoping that the vets are exceptional and could get her patched back together and that she will recover. No, you didn't need to be right there for all that and god bless your step-dad for stepping in to help. There are always some tough decisions and I think he made the right one for you. If you can get her through the healing and the threat of infection from the surgery, you will have the "biggest" pet and if not then you can feel right about having tried everything you could. I think you will feel better about them trying to save her regardless of what happens now. One good thing, with the colder weather you will have less problems with other infective agents like flies and such, so if you can get her over this hump (mountain) then....
There is no good reason for the deformed calf, but there is more chance for that as an animal ages. Yet we have many old cows that have calves every year. It's just one of those things. And let's face it, there are just things that there are no real good reasons for. You have to just take it and go on, KEEP yourself and your baby safe, that is the most important thing. Go and whisper sweet nothings in her ear and tell her that she is your favourite cow and that you love her. The rest will happen as it should.

 

[jhm47]

Sorry to hear this. It's always difficult to lose a calf, and possibly the cow too. Happened to me many times. Now that I use AI extensively, I don't have genetic problems that cause deformed calves like this. The Shorthorn breed has several genetic defects, and you must be sure to never mate a carrier cow with a carrier bull. This holds true for any breed, so I'm not picking on Shorthorns. The club calf breeders are especially careful with their mating decisions. There are DNA tests that can determine which cows/bulls are carriers of these problems, and the AI studs are very careful to test their bulls prior to selling semen on them. Good luck in the future!

 

[Goat Whisperer]

Hope your cow is doing okay today

 

[norseofcourse]

Wow, I can't imagine how difficult this has been - so glad you had someone to step in and help. Best thoughts for her to heal up quickly.

 

[cjc]

Thank you all for your kind words!

She is up on her feet today, groggy but eating and drinking. The vet thinks she will start to turn around day 4. So we will see how she is on Sunday.

We buried the calf today. It was 180lbs!!!!! Like a giant pile of bones.

I feel sad for her. I was originally going to put a orphan calf on her when I heard she was about to have a stillborn but as the night progressed we of course decided that was not what was best for her or a new baby.

She's still got fight in her though, she is trying to kick pretty hard when injecting her today.

 

[Goat Whisperer]

Good to hear! It seems with goats that the first 24 hours after the C section is crucial. Your girl made it through the night so I'm hoping this means she will have a smooth recovery!

I don't know cows, but I do know a 180 lb calf is huge