Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Lost a calf, need some help....

Lost a highland calf this morning in birth, first lost calf for us. Momma (3y/o healthy heifer) had no chance at delivery, completely shocked at the size of the young bull. He was bigger than our two month old calves running around here.
I tried to pull his carcass with a neighbor but eventually had to choose the grizzly bike, and that was a serious tug.

That stuff isn't normal with highlands, this was our ninth calf and have never seen this.
We got this cow along with a 3 y/o highland bull last Summer from a couple who couldn't care for them due to lack of space. But I'm suspecting that she was bred by an angus or large breed, rather than the highland bull.

My question: Momma was really traumatized, she was shaking, laying on her side for a few hours. She couldn't get her front legs under her and I got a few more neighbors and we got her on her stomach and she responded with a bit of perk. She's having a really hard time standing; her back legs are weak. We finally got her standing up after about 11 hours after the calf pull, and she stood there with our guidance for about ten minutes. She finally went back down.

She's laying and eating and drinking at this point--perked up, but those back legs look weak. I'm hopeful she makes the night okay out there.

Have any of you cow guys dealt with this? Thoughts? Experienced only please...

Not a cattle guy and can't help that way.

But I do wish the best for your animal and the humans involved.

Good luck with it all.

I'm no cow guy. But that sounds like a real hard pull. I'm wondering if her pelvis is broken? Hope not.

Sorry you lost the calf. Hope that mom makes it.

Sounds like she might be a little spraddle legged, it happens. She's in shock and rightfully so, she's been through a lot. Keep a bucket of water near by and maybe a touch of food, she'll come around. Sorry for the loss, it's always a bummer

A hard birth like that can lead to some paralyses in her back legs. Hopefully tomorrow she'll be getting some control of her legs and want to get up. A vet can give her something to reduce swelling and inflammation. Keep her laying upright, prop her up with a bale or something. Keep us updated on her situation.

A hard birth like that can lead to some paralyses in her back legs. Hopefully tomorrow she'll be getting some control of her legs and want to get up. A vet can give her something to reduce swelling and inflammation. Keep her laying upright, prop her up with a bale or something. Keep us updated on her situation.

Thanks, guys.

maybe get vet out tomorrow for a dexamethasone shot to help with the swelling . AS mentioned a bale or two, water to keep her upright on her stomach

I’ve seen this several times a year growing up on a dairy farm. It was usually with first calf heifers and bull calves. Some bulls produce larger offspring and recovery is iffy. Best to keep her up and on her feet as much as possible. If she lays to much, I’d be surprised if she recovers. Not sure what a vet will do other than give you a large bill.

Cows are tough though and I wish the best for you.

Thanks fellas, you guys sound spot on with the scenario and your theories....I appreciate the advice in dealing with it.
I did have some bales along her sides today until she got control of her balance while laying.

I'll pop them beside her again for the night.

Big bull, your cow needs to go to the sale barn

We have had similar issues over the years. A pull can be extremely taxing on the heifer and time will tell you what you get. You are doing all the right things with getting her water and food but don't try to get her to do something she doesn't want to do. If she won't stand don't make her. If she stands but lays back down let her. Good idea to do what you did with the bales to give her some support. A heifer can have a uterine prolapse up to a week after a tough calving, although it usually happens within a couple of days. Check for that daily. If you have never sewn one up call the vet. If she isn't up in a couple of days I would call the vet to take a look at her.

If she gets up tomorrow try to keep her in a pen with good footing for awhile. If she doesn't get up you should work out a plan to get her up using a hip lift with a loader for a while every day until she can get up on her own. Often when a cow realizes she can't get up she tries to quit. Don't let her. She's got the advantage of being a young animal she can recover from this.

As others as said. She should be ok.
Keep water available. Consult a vet
If possible.

She might get up if she is watered and fed. For future reference you can get a calf puller which you can brace against her hind legs and start winching the calf out if he's loaded properly with nose and front hooves coming. The device is a few feet long so once you get him started you can leverage down against the cow's hind legs and the calf pulls out in a more natural downward slant lessening the chance of injury to the cow. Valleyvet.com or medical-tools.com might have what you need. Just get it out and make sure you know how to use it before you need it.

In addition to all the other advice above, I would be, or having someone be standing coyote over-watch all night. If she can get up
she is sitting prey, be a damn shame to loose her to a yote.
Jeff

was that her first calf ? any idea if she went over term?

norm

Hate to say it but seems like more often than not when they don’t/can’t get up for more than a few hours...they never do.

Stay with her all night . Then you'll know.

Hoping the best for her, poor girl.