Dead calf

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SKF

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Joined
Apr 24, 2007
Messages
1,057
I have a cow that just lost her second calf in a row. The vet office thinks she injured the calves but, I don't see it. Both calves were born healthy and got up and nursed right away. Then a couple days later both calves seemed to be injured because they did want to stand up and acted like their leg was hurt. Xrays did not show any breaks and both calves died within in a day after the supposed injury. This years calf when I found him this morning he also had very bad diarrhea. Neither calf showed any signs of swelling from an injury.The cow is a very attentive mother and she is not crazy acting. She is an old show heifer and seems to be gentle with her calves. The only difference with these last 2 calves of hers from her first calf is that she has been stalled in the barn with her calves due to the flooding we are having but,the stall has plenty of room for her and a calf. Any ideas or does sound like two freak accidents in a row with the same cow? Thank you!
 

WinterSpringsFarm

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Jul 8, 2015
Messages
361
I had a Brown Swiss ex show cow that while not crazy was a bit to attentive and killed 2 calves before I started pulling them right after birth. She wouldn't kill them on purpose but was a bit rough when sniffing and licking.

Not sure if this is your problem but it could be
 

RyanChandler

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Jul 6, 2011
Messages
3,457
Location
Pottsboro, TX
Are you sure she's allowing her calves to nurse enough?  A calf will hang in there for a few days just getting enough to get by but when lack of intake catches up to them, they'll get weak and fade away pretty quick. 
 

cowboy_nyk

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Aug 28, 2013
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658
Location
Manitoba, Canada
Good advice from XBAR.  In the future I'd try giving some colostrum replacer to the calf to help get it through the first week.  We had a cow that used to lay on hers.  Gentle as could be but laid on two in a row and smothered them.  Bye bye cow...
 

MDitmars

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Jul 6, 2014
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I was going to say potentially not getting the calf colostrum or another calf sucking on the cow before hers was born but if they were locked up then that probably didn't happen.
 

SKF

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Joined
Apr 24, 2007
Messages
1,057
Thanks everyone. The vet got back with me today and after cutting him open it shows he died from trauma. So I will not be breeding her for fall borns anymore because, we are always flooded this time of year and have to confine the cow/calves. Going to bred for a spring born and if that calf dies from her she is going to the market.
 
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