Sad day yesterday...lost my favorite cow

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OKshorthorn

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 2, 2009
Messages
606
Location
Kingfisher, Oklahoma
Hey guys. I wanted to share with you what has happened out at our place the past week, it does have a good ending! I noticed one of our cows (my favorite of course) was a little lame a couple weeks ago, I actually posted a thread about that earlier. She got progressively worse over the next week and a half. She was 9 years old and was AI'ed to calve Sept 12. Since Monday she has been unable to get up, her hind legs had no strength and before then she would only stand for a minute or two before going down. We think she may have stifled or possibly a pinched nerve.

We decided to induce her on Wednesday and did it that night around 11 pm so that 36 hours would be yesterday morning. Yesterday we had everything ready to pull the calf if necessary, and just waited. Around 11 I felt of her and didn't think she was dilated, about an hour later I felt again and could feel only one hoof and not the head or other hoof. I called the Doc at 1 and he came out and said that she wasn't dilated, probably just too weak. We did a C-sec and my cow didn't make it but we were able to save the baby heifer! She is 9 days early but is looking healthy and has eaten well in her first hours of life!

Here is a pic of the little one
 

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forbes family farms

Well-known member
Joined
May 30, 2009
Messages
999
Location
Iowa Lone Tree
Very sad story. I can't imagine how you felt, because i am very attached to favorite cow Sweet Pea, i wouldn't sell her for anything she is a great cow she holds a very special place in my heart. It will be her first year this next spring  having a calf and i A.I.'ed her to Peer Pressure, i hope nothing goes wrong because i don't know what i would do without this cow. She was born and raised on my farm and she will stay on this farm forever, if she gets to be in bad health i will put her down if i have to beause i don't want her to experience any pain. Her mom was won cattle shows and is also a very great cow. At least you got to get the calf out and it's a heifer, which is even a greater.  (angel)
 

lowann

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 24, 2008
Messages
630
Location
Northwood, Iowa
Boy, do I know what you are going through! We lost two of our herd matriarchs this year. One was pregnant with a Who Made Who calf. The other one died of a systemic infection.  The vets did everything humanly possible to save her, I guess it was just her time to go. We did save her heifer calf. She will remain in our herd. It's tough to lose the good ones!
Nice baby! Keep us informed as to how she does.
 
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