Our President calf lost his mommy today. Very sad moment for us at Branded

[CattleMan1920]

This cow was absolutely fine last night, and has always been a healthy cow, no issues at all. Went to check cattle today and saw this. Nobody else in the group is sick or showing any problems.

She was an Edella cow from Stone Gate, still fairly young.

[image]264[/image]

She will be taken to University of Kentucky in the morning for a necropsy

Here is a video of it all.

http://bit.ly/2I0rswb

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

How tight is that collar?

Sorry for your loss.

 

[wbvs58]

That's a bit of a bummer BH. The calf looks ready to do it alone OK with a little bit of help. It will be interesting to hear what they find with the autopsy, doesn't seem to be any struggle on the ground in the video. I have had a couple of sudden deaths like that which I put down to botulism, the last was when I had a load of chicken litter dropped off, always the chance of a carcase or two in that stuff.

Ken

 

[CattleMan1920]

How tight is that collar?

Sorry for your loss.

Thank you.

You can put a fist with a glove on it through the bottom. They all get checks and readjustments on them several times throughout the year. We have them where they won't drop off, but will stay on if they scratch or rub on other cows.

She had access to high quality mineral, nothing was altered on her diet, and she was not introduced to lush pasture yet.

 

[CattleMan1920]

That's a bit of a bummer BH. The calf looks ready to do it alone OK with a little bit of help. It will be interesting to hear what they find with the autopsy, doesn't seem to be any struggle on the ground in the video. I have had a couple of sudden deaths like that which I put down to botulism, the last was when I had a load of chicken litter dropped off, always the chance of a carcase or two in that stuff.

Ken

Thank you Ken

I think it was sudden. I will share the results with everyone else on CT, maybe it will help others.

 

[M.Magis]

Found the same thing a couple weeks ago. I was worried about getting the calf penned and eating I didn't look into why the cow died. I wish I had now. She was only 5, always healthy before.

 

[bball]

MI secondary to obesity, BMI >50. :hide:
In all seriousness Branded, very sorry for your loss. Hate to find any dead cattle. Interested to hear necropsy results.

 

[Redgully]

I lost one a few years back suddenly, never worked out why, we put it down to salmonella poisoning as we recently had a flock of ibis turn up in the paddock. 12 gauge sorted them out and no problems since but still not sure that was the cause. Vet said possibly a abcess near the heart the way it all happened.

 

[gizmom]

So sorry BH horrible to find one, did y'all have bad storms come through last night? We found one like that once and she had been hit by lighting. Probably not lighting but just a random thought. Very sorry for your loss, it hurts.

Gizmom

 

[snoopdog]

So sorry BH horrible to find one, did y'all have bad storms come through last night? We found one like that once and she had been hit by lighting. Probably not lighting but just a random thought. Very sorry for your loss, it hurts.

Gizmom I believe they did, and sorry for your loss bh

 

[gizmom]

Snoop
The one we found didn't have a mark on her, and she wasn't under a tree but the theory was she was the only one in the kill zone of the strike. At that point even though we lost one we realized we were blessed that it wasn't a bunch more. We found it the morning after the storm we actually lost the heifer calf not the dam, when we called the cows up the dam was bawling for her baby went looking and found something very similar to the photo BH shared. It just makes you feel ill and I mean that literally.

Gizmom

 

[W.B.]

Did she possibly overcenter?

 

[True Grit Farms]

That stinks.

 

[Silver]

Sorry for your loss. It sucks, but it happens.

 

[CattleMan1920]

So sorry BH horrible to find one, did y'all have bad storms come through last night? We found one like that once and she had been hit by lighting. Probably not lighting but just a random thought. Very sorry for your loss, it hurts.

Gizmom

Thank you, I appreciate it, she was a really nice momma.

 

[Bright Raven]

That is one of the downsides to life. You told me about this. I still think she might have gotten overcentered even on level ground. I saw W.B. also mention that. Your cows are big and heavy. Right now with this nice weather, I notice cows laying over totally on their side instead of on their sternum. A big cow can struggle getting her legs back under her.

BTW: there was absolutely no lightning associated with the storm. It was just a very light rain. I assume it was the same over there.

 

[Rydero]

Sorry about the loss, never nice to lose a cow. I'd tend to agree it could have been overcentered especially after last night because we had one here. My calving shift runs to 2 am and I had a heifer calve. I decided to make sure the calf nursed before sleep so I stayed out there till 3. Noticed another calving so when I went to bed I let my wife know. By 4 she was waking me up because the one calving was on her back. Ended up she was in such a pickle I needed the tractor to get her up. Joke is around here that my wife tips them, she's saved 3 or 4 already over the last couple years, we lost a couple too, not always when calving.

 

[Silver]

Generally if they expired from being on their back there is quite a sign of struggle.
Also, I've found the best way to get them back on their feet (when the tractor isn't immediately handy) is to grab them by the tail and pull towards the head. The downside to this procedure is that cows rescued from this predicament are very seldom thankful towards the rescuer, so it is wise to have an escape plan.

 

[76 Bar]

Sorry you lost a cow. Looking forward to the autopsy report. Considering she was on flat terrain and aside from the slight depression at her head it doesn't appear she struggled if at all. Considering you'd observed her the previous day and all was well and unless it was usually hot I'd be suspicious of how quickly she bloated.

 

[Rydero]

Generally if they expired from being on their back there is quite a sign of struggle.
Also, I've found the best way to get them back on their feet (when the tractor isn't immediately handy) is to grab them by the tail and pull towards the head. The downside to this procedure is that cows rescued from this predicament are very seldom thankful towards the rescuer, so it is wise to have an escape plan.

Two of us couldn't right her. In a hole, front foot through a panel, head curled up against it, calf feet sticking out. We could've pulled her tail all night, it was a full on clusterfunk, lmao. They can sure get themselves in trouble!

The autopsy will tell. Seen some where there's big sign of trouble, others where there isn't. Hard to say.