Cow that lost calf?

tomstractorsandtoys · Jan 3, 2018

I bought some more beef cows last summer that were to have early fall calves. Some vet or farmer got things wrong and two more still are yet to have calves. One cow that calved a month ago lost here calf last night. It was fine yesterday at noon when we fed but did not want to get up when we bedded the sheds at dark. We moved the calf to our heated shop and gave it some meds but it was dead this morning. I wonder if maybe it was stepped on by another cow? It had been very healthy. It is a younger cow that has a nice udder that looks like she is milking very well. How do I dry here up? I asked the vet if there are any shots but he said no. I lost a cow a year ago that got watery mastitis. Should I pen here up without water for a day or two? My beef herd milks good as we feed them silage every day as well as good hay. Vet says all former dairymen feed their beef cows way to well and I know I do. The cow has a bit of an attitude but we do have a tub and chute so we can handle her if needed. Thanks Tom

Lazy WP · Jan 3, 2018

They dry up fine on their own, unless you are over feeding them. I have never given a cow anything.

dhermesc · Jan 3, 2018

If you are planning on keeping her and you are worried milk her out and give her some dry cow mastitis treatment.

https://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html?pgguid=30E079BC-7B6A-11D5-A192-00B0D0204AE5

donjr · Jan 3, 2018

I used to go to a neighbor who was a dairyman and get a calf from them, then put the cow and calf in a pen for afew days and graft the calf to a surrogate mom. That way, you don't lose the cow completly for a year until she calves again.

jamstra · Jan 3, 2018

I guess if she has 'attitude' there's no chance of fostering a calf onto her? That's the best and most profitable way of keeping her udder right. At this time of year, though, in my experience (40 years with beef cows) there is less chance of getting a bad mastitis than out on the grass in the summer time (no flies to spread infection) so milk her out a couple of times if you can, pop in some 'dry cow tubes' and chance it. Jim

tomstractorsandtoys · Jan 3, 2018

With some of my cows I would try it but not her and we are having -10 every night right now. Guess I will strip here tomorrow and give her four tubes of dry cow treatment. Tom

rdandersom · Jan 3, 2018

I would think penning her up with restricted water and the worst hay you have as her only feed would be your best choice. A vet told me once that she has to build up some pressure in the udder to signal her system to stop milk production. You may have to milk her every couple of days for a week if she insists on milking. In my experience bringing in a calf from another farm to foster on her can bring more trouble than benefit. You could introduce a new pneumonia or scours strain to your own calves.

JMS/.MN · Jan 3, 2018

Remember the hand operated tire pump? Old time treatment for milk fever was to hook up a cannula to the pump, and pump air into the udder to make the cow think it was full, thus stopping production of more milk.

coonie minnie · Jan 3, 2018

And if they didn't die from milk fever, they did from mastitis...

RalphWD45 · Jan 3, 2018

Anyone around you, have a newborn dairy, bull calf you can get, to put on her?

Bruce from Can. · Jan 4, 2018

I no this sounds harsh, but I would ship the cow. Unless you run a bull, and are going to be getting her bred back real soon, she is going to get fat. I have no idea if you get all your calves at one calving time, or calves can be born all year round , with a bull always exposed to the cows. My personal choice would be to uncomplicated life, and have all cows calve at the same time on grass. It is so much easier to avoid problems rather than dove problems. Warm weather gives baby?s one less thing against them from the start, you get less pneumonia, and less scours with calves born on grass. Much easier on the farmer caring for the cattle when the weather is warm , ground dry, not muddy or frozen. And your profitability will generally be better as your calve mortality rates will be lower. If you ship this cow, you can buy another bred cow to take her place most likely for the same price as feeding this cow for a year for nothing. Kind of harsh, but business is business.

Traditional Farmer · Jan 4, 2018

Hard to say about the calf,some cows just have problem calves and I agree with Bruce she'd be at the sale barn next time it was open if mine.BTW your vet is right ex dairy farmers always seem like they have the need to be feeding their cows.I'm farther South but my cows do just fine on pasture except in Winter and they get all the grass hay they can eat plus a good mineral year round.That's it and I rarely have a problem with the cows or calves a small bottle of antibiotics will go out of date before I use up and the good part is I have very little
out of pocket expense when I sell a calf.

Tx Jim · Jan 4, 2018

I also agree Bruce & Traditional Farmer. Sell cow & don't bother with trying to milk her

Cow that lost calf?

tomstractorsandtoys

Well-known Member

Lazy WP

Well-known Member

dhermesc

Well-known Member

donjr

Well-known Member

jamstra

Member

tomstractorsandtoys

Well-known Member

rdandersom

Member

JMS/.MN

Well-known Member

coonie minnie

Well-known Member

RalphWD45

Well-known Member

Bruce from Can.

Well-known Member

Traditional Farmer

Well-known Member

Tx Jim

Well-known Member

Similar threads