Dexter Calves have a will to live

[wdd]

Yesterday morning I went out to feed and check the new calves before heading to work. The newest little red heifer born at 11:30 the night before was flat out and almost frozen, which was a shock since she was alert & trying to get up when we left her to let the mom calm down. We thought that mom would keep her in a nice sheltered area since this isn't her first calf, but I guess with the other 3 new calves she was pushed out of the shed or felt the need to be separated from the rest We took her into the house and tried to warm her up in the bathroom. My son and son-in-law tried to milk the cow for the colostrum but she wasn't cooperative and very upset about the calf. I had to get to work & in the mean time my wife & son-in-law decided it was a lost cause and were going to give up (both come from Holstein backgrounds and a Holstein calf that is down like that gives up and dies 100% of the time). I headed back home and took her to the vets where they were reluctant to do much with out my insistence (digital thermometer wouldn't give a reading since it was too low a body temp). They tubed her with colostrum, gave her dextrose and got her under a heat lamp (lowered closer to her with my insistence). They kept her over night with a little more hope on their part since she hadn't taken a turn for the worst. Got a call this morning to come pick her up before noon to get her with her mother. She is up and full of energy.

[midhilldexters]

Good save Gary. It really is hard to give up on them. On my way to work a few years ago i heard a commotion and a calf had been born and was in a ditch of freezing water. I dragged it out, flopped it on the 4 wheeler dragged it inside and was lucky to only have to use a hairdryer to warm him up. Accidents happen, its catching them that counts. Great job.

Carol K

[Fran]

Wow! So glad you were able to save her!! Carol K, my dad had the same thing happen with a Texas Longhorn calf. She fell in the creek and couldn't get up the steep bank.

[legendrockranch]

Great saves to you Carol & Gary.
We're fortunate, we bring in our girls to calve. Once the calves are a week old we let them into another controlled area where we can keep a close eye on them. At one month old they are turned out into the larger pasture with the rest of the herd. I realize some folks are unable to do this. I'm just thankful we can.
With the terrible weather you both are having it's a surprise more hasn't happened. Best of luck.

Barb

[lakeportfarms]

Happy to hear she's doing well, it makes the effort worthwhile. Great save.
Dexters also have a great sense of timing. We got blasted Wednesday with snow and high winds, and we had a cow calve during the storm (in the barn). And as I was feeding them yesterday, we saw another cow that we didn't have a date on looking very close so we brought her in to a stall. She was covered with snow and ice. When I fed and watered her this morning she was still full of snow and ice. This afternoon we arrived to find a shortie heifer calf, up and nursing. I bet Vanessa was squeezing her behind yesterday since she wasn't in a stall!

[legendrockranch]

Mar 13, 2014 18:34:21 GMT -5 lakeportfarms said:

I bet Vanessa was squeezing her behind yesterday since she wasn't in a stall!

What a picture that is.

Barb

[zephyrhillsusan]

Gosh, great saves, all of you! And from what I read on KFC, it seems that Dexters are very vigorous calves, yes--will to live! Nice you got a heifer, Gary, but "Will" would have made such a good name for a bull!

[Julie]

Great stories! Nice saves.

[Deleted]

We raised cross bred beef cattle before switching to Dexters. I find the Dexter calves to be stronger, they are up and nursing faster. Our newest Dexter bull calf was nursing before he was an hour old.