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Post by arlen on Apr 22, 2015 21:29:31 GMT -5
Well, it finally happened. I checked on my cows at about 6:00pm, and noticed the next one in line for calving had one foot sticking out, but it was the wrong kind of foot! So after a little screwing around we got her into a pen and got a rope around her neck, then a halter. The calf was backward, and one leg was folded under the belly. Got the leg freed up, folded the tail under the belly and pulled it. It hit the ground just as the vet pulled up, but it was dead.
Cow is fine at least. She was the last one I expected to have problems. She is pretty big, and she is 6 or 7 years old, so she is pretty experienced.
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Post by Pinevalleydexters on Apr 22, 2015 23:07:41 GMT -5
I am sorry for the loss of your calf, it's never easy to lose one. You did everything you could, it's a hard birth to have one come backwards.
I am glad that your cow is alright, although it's hard on a cow to lose her calf.
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Post by Olga on Apr 22, 2015 23:18:59 GMT -5
What a bummer! Backwards calf is the kind we lost too. But so glad the mama cow is ok, lucky for the both of you that you were there to help her.
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Post by midhilldexters on Apr 23, 2015 2:01:09 GMT -5
So sorry. Even with an easy calving breed there are losses, I've also had a backwards delivery but it was presented well and all was ok. Glad your cow is ok, she will mourn her loss for a few days.
Carol K
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Post by Fran on Apr 23, 2015 5:57:04 GMT -5
So sorry for your loss!
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zephyrhillsusan
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Caught Dexteritis in Dec. 2009. Member of this forum since Oct. 2013.
Posts: 1,502 
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Post by zephyrhillsusan on Apr 23, 2015 7:47:17 GMT -5
I'm so sorry, that's really hard. That's one of my worst nightmares.  |
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Post by cddexter on Apr 23, 2015 8:39:54 GMT -5
Hi Arlen. Darn. We all know these things happen in the best of run farms, but it's never easy, even when we know there was no way for us to anticipate problems like this.
Against our tidy and antiseptic nature, but you might think about leaving the calf with the cow for two or even three days (curl it up in a corner slightly out of the way). She will moon around some, but it won't take long for her to accept it's not going to get up. If you remove it, in my experience she will be anxious, and go looking for it and her grieving will last longer. Kinder to let her come to her own conclusion, even if to us it's unsightly.
c.
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Post by Pinevalleydexters on Apr 23, 2015 9:54:31 GMT -5
Hi Arlen. Darn. We all know these things happen in the best of run farms, but it's never easy, even when we know there was no way for us to anticipate problems like this. Against our tidy and antiseptic nature, but you might think about leaving the calf with the cow for two or even three days (curl it up in a corner slightly out of the way). She will moon around some, but it won't take long for her to accept it's not going to get up. If you remove it, in my experience she will be anxious, and go looking for it and her grieving will last longer. Kinder to let her come to her own conclusion, even if to us it's unsightly. c. This is very good advice. It's always hard to see a cow mourn for her calf. |
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Post by kansasdexters on Apr 23, 2015 11:57:57 GMT -5
Arlen,
I'm very sorry for your loss. I agree with cddexter, leave the dead calf with the cow for at least a day or two, until she stops coming back to it and resumes grazing and rejoining the herd. There is something about the three day mourning period, that is significant for cows (and for some other animals, as well).
When we take the dead baby away too soon, the cow thinks that it got up and is alive somewhere, if she can only find it. She will call for it, over and over, doing everything in her power to reconnect with her lost calf. These Dexter have powerful maternal feelings, and they do not give up on their calf easily. If she knows it is dead, she will stop calling for it.
I often wonder how similar people are to cattle in many ways. If a young woman gives birth to a stillborn baby, and the baby is taken away from her before she has held it and she has positively convinced herself that it is dead; her brain may play tricks with her. She may actually believe that she "hears" the baby cry and that it is still alive, and that people are keeping it from her and lying to her about it being dead. This is exactly what the cow goes through, if you take the dead calf away from her too soon.
Patti
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Post by midhilldexters on Apr 23, 2015 12:28:17 GMT -5
I had a still birth once and left the calf there on the advice on John P. It took her three days and then she stopped coming back, but she would lay with it, go to graze and come back to it all the time. It was so hard to watch, broke my heart, but it was right for her. On the third day she grazed and never came back. Good advice from CD and Patti.
Carol
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Post by triplec on Apr 23, 2015 12:42:44 GMT -5
Has anyone tried grafting another newborn on a Dexter? They aren't cheap these days but it is another route to think about.
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Post by arlen on Apr 23, 2015 18:17:51 GMT -5
Has anyone tried grafting another newborn on a Dexter? They aren't cheap these days but it is another route to think about. I did think about getting a holstein bottle calf, but they are selling for $700.00 now!!! I don't think I will be doing that. |
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Post by arlen on Apr 23, 2015 18:32:28 GMT -5
Thanks everyone for the words of encouragement. Regarding leaving the calf in there, that's what the vet recommended also. Funny thing though... As soon as I untied her, she went over and started licking its nose and sniffing of it. She did that only for maybe 30 seconds. She figured out right away it was dead, then she just walked away, went back to the round bale feeder and started eating. She never came back. The vet said to sprinkle some sweet feed on the calf to encourage her to lick it so she would get a certain chemical that would help shrink her uterus back down.
When I did that, she came and ate the sweet feed, and walked away again. She's pretty much over it, but she is kinda trying to steal her daughter's calf.
She cleaned out a couple hours later and ate it, so I think she will get enough of whatever chemical that the vet was talking about.
Her bag looks like it's about to pop.
Since statistically the dexters are easy calvers, I should have a good long run before I have any more trouble. I'm sure glad the cow came out unscathed, she is my favorite cow. I got her from Chuck Daggett so she has sentimental value.
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zephyrhillsusan
member
Caught Dexteritis in Dec. 2009. Member of this forum since Oct. 2013.
Posts: 1,502
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Post by zephyrhillsusan on Apr 23, 2015 20:13:59 GMT -5
It sounds like you're going to be milking or getting a foster calf! midhilldexters, that would be heart-breaking to watch. I'm glad for Arlen that his cow didn't put them through that. |
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Post by arlen on Apr 23, 2015 20:49:39 GMT -5
It sounds like you're going to be milking or getting a foster calf! midhilldexters, that would be heart-breaking to watch. I'm glad for Arlen that his cow didn't put them through that. I would like to get a bottle calf...they used to be 50 or 100 bucks. Now they are 700!! As far a milking I figured she would be better off if we didn't disturb the wax plugs. What do you think? |
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