Saturday, May 6, 2017
Decisions
The calf that was born yesterday and wasn't doing so well managed to make it through the night.
When I drove up to the pair this morning I thought he was dead at first, but then he raised his head and seemed to be making an attempt to get up. He only tried for a few seconds though and gave up.
I was glad to see that he was still alive. But I was disappointed, too. I would have been giddy with delight if he'd been able to get up. The head raising followed immediately by giving up and just laying there on his side foreshadows what is likely to happen.
More to the point, it foreshadows what I'll probably have to do.
I mixed up a half-gallon of milk replacer and gave him a quart or so via a stomach tube. I tried to get him up but I wasn't successful.
He actually seems to have some weak control of his front legs, but no control whatever of his back legs.
If you've ever seen a cow or calf get up, you probably noticed that the back end comes up first, then the front. When they lay down it's the opposite. Front end goes down, followed by the back end.
So if he can't get his back end up, he's probably not going to get up at all.
He was conscious and alert this morning. When I approached he heard me first, then moved his head to look at me. The fact that he was alive and conscious and alert is due in part to the milk I gave him yesterday. Without that energy he would probably have died in the night.
But the fact that he can't get up points to a profound brain injury.
I could be wrong. Perhaps he just needs time. I'll keep feeding him, and each time I feed him I'll reassess his progress.
But if he doesn't get up today or tomorrow I'm faced with the need to make a decision about putting him down. If he doesn't get up and about he'll develop pressure sores and pneumonia and die of illness and infection. If he doesn't become predated first.
Most of this ranching stuff is a great joy. Even when the weather is awful and the work is too hard. But sometimes you have to make these life and death decisions. And one of the more awful things to do is to shoot a cow or calf to end or prevent suffering when the prognosis is hopeless.
But it's what you have to do sometimes. It's the heaviest part of the responsibility that comes with owning livestock.
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Something that most city folk will ever understand I suppose.
ReplyDeleteIt struck me what a beautiful day it was out there, blue sky, wispy clouds, breeze wind rustling through the grass, but there stands the concerned mother, not understanding what's going on, and there's that wee calf, struggling to live.
While the world goes on, for some things the end comes all too soon.
While I hope all turns out well, I know that it's not likely. Prayers for all involved.
Yes, a beautiful day. These things play out in the world of reality, and nature does as nature does.
DeleteThanks Sarge.
I am at a loss for words. I know that you will do what must be done, one way or the other. I am near tears, both for you and the calf. My best wishes for the both of you.
ReplyDeletePaul L. Quandt
Thanks Paul.
DeleteI just watched the video, still have no sound though. I was struck by how the cow seemed aware that you were trying to help. Is that the usual reaction in these situations?
ReplyDeletePaul
It's impossible to know what the cow thinks or understands. She has a powerful instinct and some powerful hormones driving her to protect and nurture her calf. Sometimes they'll attack you as you're treating the calf, sometimes they'll stand patiently by.
DeleteI'm glad that in this case she was standing patiently. Are the different reactions in the same cow at different times or different cows reacting differently?
DeletePLQ
In general, individual cows seem to have individual dispositions. A "quiet" cow will usually be fairly quiet under stress, and a "wild" cow will be fairly wild under stress. But there are a lot of variables, and sometimes they will behave paradoxically. It's an interesting question and one that I've spent a lot of time trying to figure out. I've learned to "read" cattle over the years and I've found that they usually let me know exactly how they will behave with body language. I've also learned that they read my body language, and if I do my job right I can often defuse the cow's "fight" reaction simply by projecting calm and confidence. So there's no simple answer to the question, and of course I'm describing only the cattle we raise on our place.
DeleteThank you for your answer to my question.
DeletePaul
Sometimes doing the right thing is very hard to do. But putting an end to what what soon be a life of pain and misery is doing the merciful thing.
ReplyDeleteIt is. You always wonder though, if you should have waited longer or tried just one more thing. This calf is a tough problem because he's alert and lively and seems to be quite healthy except for not being able to get up. I don't want him to suffer, so if I put him down it'll be before he gets sick and while he's seemingly healthy. It's a lot easier to do if they're clearly suffering and clearly going to die anyway. I don't want to make too big a deal of it but this one is a tough one to deal with.
Delete