Stillborn calves?

[billinohio]

My neighbor was telling me about these. His bull did the services for a fella with 7 or 8 cows, and in the last several days, 3 calves born dead. He says the last one looked like it had been dead for a while before birth.
What could cause this?

[Erstwhile]

... and there is an occasional "walk off" Mother cow too.  About twice on that got them a ride to Port City.

[billinohio]

Walk off, or stomp on the calf, too. Such behavior gives them an early exit.
I do not know the details, but, these calves were dead on arrival.
My buddy saw the last one in person, small, bloated and starting to decompose. I think he saw pictures of the first 2, just small and dead. It ain’t his first rodeo, he has been around animals all his life, and he is quite puzzled.

[sandbur]

I would recommend consulting a veterinarian right away, with loses like that . It could be environmental,  nutritional, viral, infections , etc.
Some things that can cause stillborn, are ibr, bvd, neosporosis, anaplasmosis, or even a nitrate toxicity,etc.,
Is he feeding silage? Maybe with dry conditions in the fall, silage can have a high nitrate level. 
This is advice is worth what you paid for it......

[Erstwhile]

A coupla those names come from way way back in my memory:  Neosporsis & Anaplasmosis. Wow.  Haven't heard of them in ~~5 decades. 👴👴

[rustyfarmall]

Any wind turbines in the area?

[billinohio]

No windmills, how would that affect them?
I wouldn’t expect them to be getting silage.
I do not personally know the man with the cows, I am getting all the news through my buddy, who furnished the bull.

I agree, it is high time to call the veterinarian.

[rustyfarmall]

Mar 30, 2024 6:16:31 GMT -6 billinohio said:

No windmills, how would that affect them?
I wouldn’t expect them to be getting silage.
I do not personally know the man with the cows, I am getting all the news through my buddy, who furnished the bull.

I agree, it is high time to call the veterinarian.

I am not a 100% believer about the effects of wind turbines on livestock OR humans, but many folks have reported strange health problems in livestock AFTER wind turbines were installed. Something to do with the infra sound affecting  the heart muscle and such. There are enough reports to make me believe that at least some of them are viable.

I do know that when I am too close, for too long, I get dizzy and nauseous and then develop a headache that lasts all day.

[sandbur]

Mar 30, 2024 6:16:31 GMT -6 billinohio said:

No windmills, how would that affect them?
I wouldn’t expect them to be getting silage.
I do not personally know the man with the cows, I am getting all the news through my buddy, who furnished the bull.

I agree, it is high time to call the veterinarian.

Sometimes silage is supplemented  to cattle if there is a hay or forage shortage.  My buddy supplemented silage one year when he was short on forage..he said he had a alot of "dumb calf" syndrome that spring. Calves just acted dumb..weren't vigorous,  and he had a lot of problems getting them started on the teat. He things it was due to fermentation ...like drunk calves, or fetal alcohol syndrome.

[Butcher]

Mar 30, 2024 12:53:33 GMT -6 sandbur said:

Mar 30, 2024 6:16:31 GMT -6 billinohio said:

No windmills, how would that affect them?
I wouldn’t expect them to be getting silage.
I do not personally know the man with the cows, I am getting all the news through my buddy, who furnished the bull.

I agree, it is high time to call the veterinarian.

Sometimes silage is supplemented  to cattle if there is a hay or forage shortage.  My buddy supplemented silage one year when he was short on forage..he said he had a alot of "dumb calf" syndrome that spring. Calves just acted dumb..weren't vigorous,  and he had a lot of problems getting them started on the teat. He things it was due to fermentation ...like drunk calves, or fetal alcohol syndrome.

Hmmm. I wunder if they shouldnt check the food supply in D.C. Feeding silage to our government officials would explain alot.

[Erstwhile]

Forsooth!