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Author Topic: dead dexter calf  (Read 4969 times)

bibs

  • Joined Jul 2009
  • dorset
dead dexter calf
« on: July 16, 2009, 04:25:45 pm »
Hi - just wanted to say hello as it's my first post. My beautiful Dexter heifer calved last week ( weds ) and my husband found the calf dead at about 8am. No obvious signs of anything - no injuries - and a reasonably sized calf. ( we've crossed this heifer with the same red devon bull last year and the calf was fine and not too big ). Apart from being distressed that we lost a calf I'm now concerned for the heifer. She had bagged up beautifully and although we tried her with a young calf from the dairy farm up the road, she wouldn't adopt it. What happens to her milk now? And is she in danger of getting mastitis ? To all intents and purposes she's behaving fairly normally now .... although she is a little bit moody.
Would appreciate advice
thanks x

hexhammeasure

  • Joined Jun 2008
    • golocal food
    • Facebook
Re: dead dexter calf
« Reply #1 on: July 16, 2009, 05:07:47 pm »
If your dexter is still missing her calf a gruesome option is to skin her calf and  wrap it around the calf you want to set on. Check her bag if you can to make sure her milk is dropping. If she still won't accept a calf then if she is amenable you could milk her and feed the milk by bucket
Ian

Farmer

  • Joined May 2009
  • Sidway, Staffordshire
    • Farmeats.com
Re: dead dexter calf
« Reply #2 on: July 16, 2009, 06:02:14 pm »
Had the same happen to one of mine last year...don't give up trying to get the heifer to adopt another calf...it can take some time but she will accept the calf eventually...I bought a limousin calf from a neighbour which ended up taller than the Dexter heifer, practically had to lie down to succle, but both did fine...I sold the Limousin for three times what I paid and the heifer produced a beautiful heifer calf this year...both mother and daughter are fit and healthy.

Feeding a calf is the best thing for the mother, if you can get her to accept the surrogate calf she will make a better mother next time around...keep trying!

Farmer
 :farmer:

Roxy

  • Joined May 2009
  • Peak District
    • festivalcarriages.co.uk
Re: dead dexter calf
« Reply #3 on: July 16, 2009, 10:53:07 pm »
Sorry about your loss of a calf.

We had a cow last year who calved and her calf was dead, like yours no apparant reason.  Managed to get a calf of a couple of days from a local dairy farm, and thank goodness the cow accepted it straight away.  She is not a heifer though, and has had a good few calves.  Made an odd couple, but she reared it well.

Most cows are pretty good at accepting another calf...so hopefully yours will too.  With it being your heifers first calving, it may take a little time, for her to take to it.

bibs

  • Joined Jul 2009
  • dorset
Re: dead dexter calf
« Reply #4 on: July 17, 2009, 12:57:23 pm »
Hello and thanks so much for replying to my post. I have to clarify that I used the wrong terminology ..... my cow is a cow not a heifer. She's had two healthy calves before now. Sorry! - I'm still learning! Anyway we are going maybe to try again with a new calf - see if she'll decide to adopt. The skinning option is not an option as the calf was taken away pretty soon after it died and was taken to the farm up the road for disposal. I have to report that my other cow (dexter ) Penelope had a healthy dexter/red devon X on wednesday and so far the calf (heifer!) is looking very well. I wish it would stop raining though! Anyway - thanks everyone. I think this is a wonderful forum and I'll be on here a lot more now I know about it.
Bibs

Tullywood Farm

  • Guest
Re: dead dexter calf
« Reply #5 on: July 17, 2009, 06:06:41 pm »
Hi Bibs,

Do you have a crush?.
If not you can use a couple of gates to secure the Cow, Then when you have her secure let the calf Suck from behind.
I have used this method a couple of times and it has worked for me.
The main thing to remember is that it can take a couple of weeks for her to accept the calf as hers, In the mean time (And that is what it is MEAN) try her with the calf as many time in the day as possible.
Try to get a fairly strong calf as the stronger he or she is the less likely it is to get injured from a kick.
Kindest regards (And sorry about your loss)
Joe :)

bibs

  • Joined Jul 2009
  • dorset
Re: dead dexter calf
« Reply #6 on: July 17, 2009, 10:23:19 pm »
Thanks very much. We do have a makeshift crush, which is strong enough to hold the cattle when the vet comes etc. I'm going to try again with the calf - thanks so much for the advice. x

Tullywood Farm

  • Guest
Re: dead dexter calf
« Reply #7 on: July 20, 2009, 02:00:20 pm »
Hi Bibs,

Only glad to Help, I hope it works out for you and then there is not a year wasted in your Breeding Program and not to mention a big space in your freezer!.
Kindest regards
Joe  :)

 

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