Birth deformities

[Harley]

It's just frustrating that this would happen to an otherwise excellent herd of girls. The only reason I'd stray to genetics is the fact that both calves look identical. It's just tough to figure out what could be the problem, as many variables have remained the same.
As to the Cargill comment... ...the owner of the cows is basically a small time farmer with no known enemies. I couldn't imagine him pissing anyone off enough to mess with his cattle.
At least both of these funny looking calves are otherwise healthy and quite able to suck. I made sure to snap some pictures of their noses. Hopefully I never see this again!

[whiteface]

You could use a little extra hair could you Wilson???!!! Make you an offer I wouldn't make anyone else...
Today only, one time offer. I'll shave my legs just for you. You get 'bout as much hair as is on my scalp and let me tell you, this stuff is premium, it can grow! We git you a hair transplant wit the stuff of my legs.... You'll have a brand new shiney head of hair and I won't go scareing poor Randy wit the Britney Spears thing!
Deal or no deal?
Love Whitey!
Have a great day all!

[cswilson]

I'll better leave you haired up for now winter isn't quite over yet lol.

[whiteface]

Thank you for the chuckle, Wilson, cold wind and snow AGAIN here today, yeah, gonna need all that insulation! Groundhogs are like weathermen, only ones who can be 50% right only 50% of the time and still keep their jobs. I'd a been fired long ago makeing mistakes like that.
Have a good day all!

[cowman]

Getting back to birth deformaties...not to take away from your own little admissions of "personal genetics!"
I doubt this is genetic unless you have been doing a lot of inbreeding(I'm talking cattle now!)? I suspect it is probably feed related? Could be a mineral problem...not sure...but weird things can happen if you don't follow a good mineral program?
For me a good mineral program is a given? You really do need to find a good nutritionalist if you want healthy cattle?
I used to be like most people and just do the old "throw out a block of salt and provide mineral/vitamins free choice" but now believe that cattle need the proper minerals and vitamins if they are going to do their best? Maybe I am a dummie and wasting my money but I use a nutritionalist to formulate the mineral/vitamin/salt ratio I feed my cows...and no it doesn't cost an arm and a leg...and cleaned up a lot of nagging problems(in my opinion)? Things like retained placentas, cracks in feet, better conception rates?
Maybe it was "chance"...but it works for me!

[hayburner]

Harley About 8 years ago a ranch in the west country had rash of severe birth deformities. The calves were born with similar defects as you quoted. They also experienced front legs that were twice as long normal,back legs twisted like a cork screw ,deformed heads you name it .This ranch had over 450 cow and over 50% were born that year withsome type of deformity. The conclusion after alot of blood work and vet studies labelled the problem as a result of IBR and Redwater Hopes this helps.