Calf deaths

[pandiana]

We also had a higher than average backwards calves. Also, had late abortions. On the other hand calves are in good condition and have done well up until March weather.

We are now fighting with some scours and pneumonia although we haven't lost any yet. We still have about 40% snow cover and corrals and paddocks are mired in mud. We will quite likely not have grass until June. We started AI last week and will put cleanup bulls out come June. Can hardly wait!

We do hear some horror stories of huge calf losses. Most of my neighbors are fighting scours to some extent.

[dalek]

My vet has been talking to some of the feedlot guys here in Ontario, they're running into the same thing in the feedlots. Lots running 25-30% losses on the bigger calves they have in and can't figure out why other than the strange weather the last few months.

[farmerboy]

We have finished calving, l84 head. We had no breeches, a couple of backwards, and one backwards plus upside down. We think sometimes malpresentations are caused by poor quality feed or feeding a lot of straw. In March, we had very cold and stormy weather and during this time we got some very scary cases of pneumonia in the February calves. They were fine one day and the next they were looking like they would die: pumping and struggling to breathe. We treated them with white penicillin and trivetrin together and all made it. The ones that were dull but not pumping we just gave LA-200 but there were a few that should have had the trivetrin and white. We heard of others who got this pneumonia outbreak too; caused by the wet (snowstorms) and the cold. It sure made for hard work and long hours, trying to determine who needed what and then catching them. We checked them twice a day, once was not enough.So far we have 2 cows without calves, the one having lost hers at birth (most likely it drowned in the birthbag as it was small and born quickly) and the other had a dead calf, we don't know why. Definitely there is no magic solution, the only thing you can do is be there and do your best. Its true that no one is paying you to work from sunup to sundown but if you don't stop working, so to say, the wheels wil fall off the wagon.

[cowman]

Calving cows can be weird. I have had a very easy calving season but my neighbor has had a hard time. I've been up to pull three breech calves and one upside down and backwards. He is fairly new to this business and get shook when he reaches in and all he finds is a tail!
Those upside down calves really help to work up a sweat! Talk about participaction!
He has fed pretty moderately but his silage is pretty high in protein and the calves are large. I suspect that is why he is getting a lot of backwards calves and also the breeches. He uses high performance Char bulls which tend to throw awful stout calves.