Lost baby heifer today

[dexterlady]

Just wanted everyone to know , we lost a red baby heifer today out of Legend Red Mace and Aislinns' Red Caitriona......I don't know what time Caitriona had the calf buy I found her dead .....Caitriona was doing her momma moos trying to get the baby to get up......Then she was trying to nuzzle her neck trying to move her....Then she would look up at me for help crying....Just broke my heart.....Caitriona has been laying with that calf all morning and is still out there with her.....I don't know how long I should leave them out there....We just had a thunder storm got through , got an inch of rain....Looks like more coming.....I guess I need to go pull that dead calf out but I sure hate to .....Now it is thundering again and it is getting dark out....Any suggestions on what to do for the momma?.....I don't dare feed her anything but hay because her udder is getting hugh.....Any suggestions on that?...This was a fully formed , beautiful red heifer, but a big one......Such a shame.....Thanks for listening everyone.....I'm just really down as all who have just lost calves, my heart is breaking as I know yours was also......I guess this was GODs' will or it wouldn't have happened........I wish I could do something for Caitriona, she is such a sweetheart......So gentle and calm.......Thanks everyone......Dexterlady

[Julie]

So sorry for you and your cow! I am a newbie, so no advice, just sympathy.

[lakeportfarms]

Sorry Donna, I would remove the calf as soon as practicable. On the issue of her udder, I would just let her be, and not try to milk her to relieve the pressure. The odds of you needing colostrum at some time in the future is minimal to risk introducing an infection  if you don't intend to milk her from here on out.

If she had a difficult calving, be patient with her breeding back right away. Sometimes it can take a while for things to get back to normal. Also, if you have the opportunity to safely weigh the calf it would be interesting to know in the event the bull you use is inclined to throw higher birthweights.

[lakeportfarms]

Oh, I just checked pedigree and am I correct that Caitriona was bred back to her sire? At two years old she should have been mature enough to calve. Things happen, but I'd look even more closely at the birthweight of your baby heifer. We had a similar experience a couple of years ago with a heifer we purchased who had been bred back to her sire. The calf didn't survive but the dam did with a lot of later complications. The dead calf was a whopper, 65 lbs. She bred back 6 months later to one of our bulls, and had a healthy bull calf of 35 lbs this past late winter.


dextercattle.proboards.com/thread/3000/debbie-strange-calf

[carragheendexters]

Oh Donna J, I am so sorry on you losing your long awaited calf. Maybe she was a little over cooked, just a bit too far over when she should have been born.
Unfortunately these things happen, and it is totally out of your control. You probably will never find out why, just a mystery. We have also had this happen before, with no rhyme or reason. I suppose not every creature born is destined to live.

I agree with Hans, I would also now remove the calf ASAP. She has had a little time to see that it isn't going to get up and live, now she needs to forget about the calf. While ever it is still there, it is a reminder to her. You do not want to encourage anything that may be inclined to want to eat it, and distress her more.

If she is very maternal, do you think she might take a foster calf. We did that with our heifer who lost her calf. We got a new calf straight away (a little Murray grey/Jersey cross) and rubbed the afterbirth all over it. The look on her face when she saw the new calf was priceless. Lots off little moos and licking, it took her a while to let it feed without supervision (she may have done that with her own calf, who knows?) but soon she totally accepted it as her own. It made her one happy little cow.

If you don't want to get a foster or milk her, leave her udder alone, not even a squeeze or two, that will just open up the teats with the risk of letting bacteria in. Keep the plugs there and she will be fine. It will take a while to dry up, and she will get even more swollen before going down, but it will go down. BTW straight hay will be good, help not make more milk.

Go sort her out and get yourself out of the rain, and then sit down and let yourself have a good cry, it does help.

[zephyrhillsusan]

I'm so, so sorry, Donna! How terribly sad! I'm sure Catriona's grief is making yours even more so. That is just heart-breaking! I have nothing to add advice-wise, but just a big hug. After you've had your good cry, you can give Catriona some extra loving in the days to come.

[wagradexters]

Louise you know I never usually disagree with you but this time I do, sorry.
Animals accept death far more readily then they accept disappearance. The calf (or foal) should be left where it is, even if it gets maggot ridden. The cow (or mare) will go back to the herd when she is ready. She may come back to the birhsite a few more times to pay respects, but she will not fret anywhere near as much as she would if the baby disappears before she is ready to move on.
Some cows will came back and defend the birthsite even after the smelly carcass has been removed, so watch your back, but she will not actually hang about for very long after a few days.
Margaret

[cddexter]

Donna, ovesized perhaps or it might be lepto. Deer and rats both carry it in different forms, and if the cow is exposed at about 6 mo. the calf will be born dead. It usually takes the cow about three days to figure out the calf is dead, and for her to move on. Don't touch the udder. Good luck. c.

[dexterlady]

Thank you all for your condolences and your advice....I left the calf there all day until this evening....I fed Catriona a few cubes and some hay and we removed her calf...While Catriona was there with the calf , some black vulchers (SP) showed up...Boy she went right back over to the calf to protect it....So we went ahead and took it out...She is over there laying where the calf was....I'm sure she will heal in time.ust so sad to see her have to go through this...I really don't think it was too big now for her to deliver....The calf was really not as big as I thought it was...When Carl and I picked it up, it was much lighter than it looked...I guess maybe I'm not a very good judge at how much a baby calf weighs....
cddexter, I don't think lepto( I don't know)but Catriona had her vaccinations....Well it happened and nothing I can do to change things....Will just have to help Caitriona get over this.....
You are all so kind to help me through this...It will take time, time heals all wounds and I like everyone who has had this happen, I will survive....GOD bless you all for being there....I love and treasure you all....Thanks....Donna

[Deleted]

Sorry for the loss of your calf. It is hard to lose an animal, and the cows grieving makes it harder. I would not touch her udder either, and feed her hay, no grain. It does take about three days for the grieving process. Sending hugs.

[dexterlady]

Thank you pinevalleydexters...Greatly appreciated.....

[wvdexters]

I'm so sorry about the loss of your calf. Such a thing is as hard for us I think as it is for the mama.

We had a very similar situation here a few yrs ago, back before dexters. One of our young angus/jersey x heifers calved during the night. We found her with the baby the next morning. It had been a difficult birth and she'd had a hard time. We had to take the poor little thing away as animals had already been at it, a little brown heifer. I remember I was as heartbroken as the mother. It took alot of love and care but she (we) recovered. The advice here is good, just wanted to let you know we've been there and know what you are going through.

[wildberryfarm]

Donna I am sorry for your loss...and sorry for your momma cow's grieving.

[ssimons]

Donna:  a situation like this brings a tear to the eye of the toughest cowboy. So sorry for your loss.

Shawn Simons, Simons Brothers Livestock, Magna Utah

[dexterlady]

Thank you Shawn, I have accepted it and I think Caitriona has today also....Time to move on and look for brighter days ahead....Hope all is well with Brayden...I sure miss him....Taken any pictures of him yet?...Would love to see him....Thanks Shawn...Say hello to all for us...