[Berkshire Boy]

I had my first experience of calving yesterday and it wasn't very pleasant.
Went out to feed in the morning and the cow was at the bottom of the field which was unusual, she turned and saw me and walked half way up the field and mood quietly, turned and walked back.
I went after her and lying on the ground was a lovely bull calf, except it was dead.
I left her with it for half the day and then moved it. She stays there all day and night but does come up to the yard to eat.
Should I just leave her to mourn or should I be doing anything else. Thanks

[Bodger]

I'd be trying to buy another calf to put on her.

That's really bad news BB.

[Rosemary]

What a shame  If you hurry, you may be able to put another calf on her 

[SallyintNorth]

   What a shame.

Get her a calf - your local dairy farm will probably have one.  Get one that knows how to suck a cow

If you get one and she doesn't want it straight away, come back on and shout for help.

(If you haven't already disposed of the dead calf, hold onto it in case you need its skin for camouflage )

Was the cow a first-timer?  Sometimes they don't know they need to lick the cowl off the calf's head, and quickly, so it can breathe.  And sometimes they don't do it even when it's their fifth or seventh calf - we had one like that a couple of years ago.  It's nearly always a big strong bull calf too - which may be that the calving has taken it out of the cow so much she doesn't immediately have the energy to get up and attend to the calf 

BH often brings them in to calve indoors, so we can check them through the night and make sure the calf breathes and gets up and suckles quickly.  You can't do that with all of them though - and more than 90% of the time, probably 99% or more of the time, everything goes fine.  It's probably always worth keeping a closer eye on a heifer, though.

[darkbrowneggs]

I used to get any calves through Warwickshire Calves but I think they may now be
http://www.meadowq.co.uk/calves


The prices were fair and you can select quality sex and breed you want.  They deliver and are quick.  Assuming no one has a spare one nearby.  Dairy herds often do and a friesian bull calf can make lovely rose veal.

[Berkshire Boy]

Thanks for the advice everyone much appreciated.
 
My initial thought was to get a calf for her, tried locally but no luck. My neighbour whose bull we used didn't have anything either so he suggested to just leave her to settle, feed her up and get her back to the bull when ready.
 
She wasn't a first timer but the first was born by Cesarean so first naturally and my must admit I hadn't thought of that.
 
The plan was to bring her in but she caught me out, there was a stable she had access to but chose to go off on her own to the bottom of the field.
 
I do feel a bit guilty that I let her down but I certainly won't make that mistake again.

[Bodger]

You'll have to dry her up quickly but depending upon what she's like, that can be tricky.

[SallyintNorth]

Do you have a local mart?  Our local mart - Carlisle - has a calf sale every Wednesday.  If you went along and had a look at the calves in the pens, sometimes the breeder is with them and you can ask questions about its history, has it drunk from a cow, what is the health status of the herd it's from, etc.  (TB status, BVD, IBR, Johnnes disease, etc.) 

But better to dry her off and breed her again sooner than take risks with a calf of unknown provenance, I agree.

If that's your plan then yes, get her on poor pickings - no cake, indoors on poor straw if necessary - to get her dried up.  Not sure whether you might have to draw off just a little to relieve the pressure - but not too much or you'll stimulate production.  Maybe use one of those anti-mastitis thingies in her teats?  I'd check with the vet whether s/he thinks that necessary.

[darkbrowneggs]

You don't fancy a house cow then 

[Marches Farmer]

Bad luck on that one, BB.  If only we could be on duty 24/7.  I knew someone who had a Dexter in a similar situation and got an Angus calf.  By the time he was 4 months old he lifted Mama's back end off the ground when he suckled, but they were both very happy.

[Brandi]

So sorry to hear about your distressing experience, as stated sbove it is so difficult to be on duty 24/ 7 and you have been unlucky. Unfortunately, death is an inevitable part of life and you will have better experiences in the future. You're doing everything you can and take heart from that.

[shygirl]

dont beat yourself up,  my cow was right next to my house and we watched her constantly for weeks, never left the farm at all. then when we popped out in the car to stop the battery getting flat - she gave birth and we missed it. we were only gone an hour or so. (same has happened with sheep so im sure they know you are watching)

i presume you are not wanting to milk her?
very sad for you.

[shoveller]

My strong recommendation is that this cow is not bred from again.  If the first calf had to be born by cesarean and she couldn't give birth to the second one herself, then there's something wrong somewhere.   Fatten and cull. 

[sabrina]

I am with Shoveller on this one, best not to breed from her again.

[SallyintNorth]

My strong recommendation is that this cow is not bred from again.  If the first calf had to be born by cesarean and she couldn't give birth to the second one herself, then there's something wrong somewhere.   Fatten and cull. 

She did give birth to the second one herself.  What she didn't do was lick it and feed it.  Typical first-timer mistake - and as a caesarean the first time, understandable perhaps.  If BB does breed from her again, I'm sure he'll keep her close at hand and ensure the next calf gets properly licked and suckled.