The Farm Giveth, and the Farm Taketh Away

[mothernature]

Soooo, yesterday I was jumping up and down over my new bull calf. This morning I go out and feed. All is well. Bitter cold and howling winds here, so I go out to check everyone again and break ice about 10 a.m.   And there is another new calf, laying flat out, with his first time mamma bereft. It's not moving, so I think the worst.  

I get to the calf, eyes are open and the mamma has licked her (yes, I checked that right after I realized she was still alive) dry on both sides. So she must have been up at some point, but it didn't look like she nursed at all.  I couldn't lift her and carry her the distance, so I had to go back and get a wheelbarrow and try and push it over some really pugged up ground.  

I get her into the truck and after about 1 hour of the heat on high she is bleating and looking around. My vet advised me to give her 2 qts of colostrum replacement (tried milking mamma, that wasn't happening if I was planning on keeping my teeth).  I have a little greenhouse that is toasty and out of the wind, so that's where she went for the day.  

Go out to feed in the afternoon and the Mamma is prolapsing her uterus.  Call the vet. He gets there right before dusk. Can't get a rope on her and can't get her in the chute. She took a gate down and joined up with the rest of the herd. Couldn't fish her back out. I was jumping from mud clod to mud clod and finally went in up to mid calf and lost my boot.  There was almost crying on my part, which is bad because I'm generally a screamer. My left foot is still slimy and stinky as I type this. We had to give up. Vet says he hopes her prolapse doesn't freeze overnight and we will try first thing tomorrow.  I'm hoping to have her put back together, but she may need to be put down. She is a nice heifer and I am sad for this.

Before the vet came I put the baby back with Mom and even though they liked each other between the two of them they couldn't work out how mamma feeds a baby. So back in the truck and out to the greenhouse and another bottle for the baby. I'm hoping they will bond tomorrow. If not, I have a bottle baby. There are worse things.  

And that, of course, is how it goes sometimes on a farm. But talk about swinging from one extreme to the other!

[3cows]

In the winter we battle the cold and in the summer we battle the heat just to keep them alive. At least that's what farming feels like sometimes. Hoping you can save the heifer and turn this into a happy ending. Thinking you could use a hot bath and some sleep before the next round and hoping you get them.

[Deleted]

Waaay too much excitement for a Friday night. Wish I was there to help.

[dunderi]

Oh dear. I hope it doesn't freeze and your vet can stitch her back up.

What an awful thing, I hope the calf does well.

[lew92]

How exhausting, physically and emotionally.

I hope you are able to get the heifer in tomorrow and get her put back together. It is heartbreaking to have to put down a young cow.

Best wishes for a good night's sleep and a boring weekend.

[susaq]

Congrats on saving the baby. Sorry that the momma heifer isn't doing well. Even more sorry that you lost your boot & got all slimy.

Hot bath, chocolate, and sleep in a warm & cozy bed! Hope you get her fixed up tomorrow. Do let us know how it goes.

[Nonesuch Melissa]

Right now I hope you are sleeping like a baby! And that everything goes well in the morning.

[elnini]

Sympathy and {{{hugs}}}

[marseydoats]

Hope things go better today! Sending you a hug.

[MaggieGal]

That was mostly a crappy day for sure. But you did get to the baby and got it warned up and started. That's a good thing!

I hope today goes easier with good outcomes.

[mothernature]

Well the vet is on his way to try again this morning. The baby is drinking from a bottle and doing well. She will probably lose about half her right ear. Not sure about her tail yet. I tried to get her to follow me out to her mom (mind you she is bedded down in a toasty mini greenhouse)...she walked out behind me a few feet then when I got too far ahead of her she turned around and went back in the greenhouse. I thought 'good for you....not only are you smart enough to know how to stay warm, but you suckered me into being your new Mommy'. I just can't bring myself to stick her out in the cold with her mom and wait and see what happens...bottle feeding her might not be easier, but it seems a little more controllable.

[lew92]

Especially since you have no idea of what the outcome will be with the mom.

Best of luck with her today.

[Meadow Creek Mama]

That was quite the day! I sure hope things are more sorted out for the better today, hang in there!

[mothernature]

Well the mamma cow's prolapsed uterus did not get frost bitten over night. I called the butcher just in case to see if they would take her as an emergency..not until Tuesday morning...too long to make her suffer. The vet put her back together. He doesn't think she will get an infection...but I will have to watch her. I won't breed her again but would like to put some weight on her before I butcher her. Still sad about her. I named her Valentine because she was born on VDay.

Resigned to keeping the calf as a bottle baby. Still really cold and windy today, so I don't want her out in it, and by the time it warms up it will be too late. I think she will lose 1/2 of her right ear to frostbite but she is normal in every other way.

[eljay]

I'm sorry to hear that this happened. I hope she is able to stay healthy until she gains enough.

[lew92]

I'm sorry to hear that you'll have to let her go. But I appreciate that you are making the decision to take care of her in an appropriate way.