We have our first calf heifers pairs right out the front door.

This morning at 8AM one of the cows(2 year old) didn't get up when we fed.

That's odd so of course we checked on her. Wet nose, no labored breathing, no sign or scent of infection.

She calved 11 days ago and has been fine, zero sign of sickness until this morning.

Got done feeding the rest of the cows at 11AM, checked on her and she's laying perfectly normal with her legs under her and her head tucked like she's sleeping.

But she's dead.


I'm stumped.


Thanks for any ideas.

Internal bleeding or infection from calving?

Bad deal Sam. No veterinary me.

Sam, would the cost be prohibitive to have a vet come out and post her? Do a bovine autopsy.

Hi Sam-sorry about your cow-sucks to lose a heifer just starting her career.

What causes a cow to go so quickly with no apparent reason? A necropsy is probably a good idea for this one.

Lots of possibilities, here are some things I would consider-

Metabolic causes like hypocalcemia (milk fever) or hypomagnesemia (grass tetany). MF's are usually dull/quiet and closer to calving date, GT's are usually trembling or shaky-so these aren't at the top of my list.

Peritonitis (infection in the abdominal cavity)-from a tear in the reproductive tract, or from a torsion or volvulus (twisted gut). After calving there's suddenly more room in their belly for stuff to move. Abdominal press, i.e. straining to have the calf-hardware in the GI tract can perforate to cause infection in the abdominal or pleural cavities.

I've seen blackleg (Clostridial infection) in a heifer that had just calved-and she had 2 doses of vaccine at 2 and 8 months of age!

Netwrap or plastic from baleage causing GI obstruction.

Cutting her open might rule in or rule out most of these guesses?

Thanks for the replies.


Cowdoc, thanks explaining all the possibilities. Just hard to say I guess as we didn't cut her open and the nearest vet is 50 miles away.

Busy afternoon and to be honest I'm not much of an internal csi guy.


Only 20 pair in that pen and I walk through them 2-3 times daily. I know this critter and just a couple days ago she was running around just fine.

I'm a netwrap nazi hate to see any little bit laying on the ground, if she had just calved maybe we might have guessed she had a twin still in her. But no sign of straining and it's been 11 days since she calved.

She left a nice big heifer calf, hate to see it happen.

Sorry to hear, Sam.

I think most of us worry about losses like that.

The fact that we do, makes us fit for the job.

That really sucks to lose a heifer, or cow, after you kinda figure you're out of the woods with baby on the ground and nursing well.

So will you be able to work the calf onto another cow?