Remember this guy?
He was 6 days old on Saturday, and had been doing good all week. When I checked on him Saturday morning he was just standing in the pile of cornstalks that the cows like to sleep on. I thought to myself that he didn’t look as spunky as usual, but I don’t know much about cows so I dismissed the thought.
Some friends came out to see the baby chicks and I wanted to show them the new calf. His mother was at the bale feeder eating, but he was nowhere to be seen. Matt found him in the shed, next to the water tank laying in a puddle, now definitely acting very dumpy.
So Matt hauled him out of there and tried to get some electrolytes down him. He swallowed but wouldn’t suck, so we asked my brother to have a look at him. His breathing was clear, he wasn’t scouring, he just seemed dehydrated. So my brother tubed him to get some more electrolytes in him.
Unfortunately our Easter morning didn’t bring a miraculous return from the almost-dead. Our first calf of the ’09 calving season became the first loss of the ’09 calving season. And I’m wondering why I don’t trust my own instincts.
4 years ago:
3 years ago:
1 year ago:
Oh how sad – and what a nice looking calf he was! It’s always so sad to loose one!Kris
With calves, its always win some, lose some….that’s just the way it goes.
I’m so sorry! It can be so hard raising animals. Don’t beat yourself up, you did the best you could.
So Sorry…ya just hate when that happens especially if you can’t put your finger on why.
Thanks everyone 🙂
I know how you feel when that gut talks and you don’t listen. Have that happen more often than I would like. But sometimes other things are happening that need your attention more. Hope that is your only casualty for the season, but knowing farm life probably not!Just know that the good always outways the bad!
So sorry, it is always hard to lose one of your animals. They bring much joy and entertainment as well as being a product of the farm – but how sad to have them get sick.
Maybe if they weren’t born in the mud and could be on some clean ground, they wouldn’t get sick. Is saving the pasture worth it?
Cows are smart enough not to calve in the mud, if they have an alternative. Ours calve on bedding packs that we make for them, with wood chips and corn stalks. The bedding packs are raised, so water drains away from them, and the composting action at the bottom generates heat. Our cows could also calve inside the shed if they wanted to. They never choose to. But they don’t calve in the mud, either.