In the end, the little calf who couldn't get up couldn't pull it off. She died about 3 p.m. today.
She seemed to be fine this morning, seemed to be continuing to gain strength and coordination. She was trying hard to figure out how to get up on her own, and looked as if she'd figure it out in a day or two.
But at lunchtime she was flat out, unresponsive, and had developed cheyne-stokes breathing. She was clearly on her way out. Thankfully she was unconscious and in no pain.
I posted her and found that her lungs were completely congested. Interestingly, she also had free blood in her pericardium. I could find no other defect in the heart, so that pericardial blood is a puzzle.
The proximate cause of death was fulminant pneumonia, long known as the friend of the dying.
She had a short life with a lot of challenges but she never suffered as far as I could tell. Sometimes that's just the way it goes.
Life's like that.
Dammit
ReplyDeleteYeah. Sigh. Thanks Marc.
DeleteSo sorry Shaun, it's never easy to lose one.
ReplyDeleteThanks Brig. It's not, but it is what we do.
DeleteI'm so sorry to read this; my heart goes out to you Shaun. I don't know what else to say, so I'll just say thank you for letting me/us know.
ReplyDeletePaul L. Quandt
Thanks Paul. That means a lot.
DeleteSadness abounds. But life goes on. Fair winds and following seas little 768.
ReplyDeleteThanks Sarge. It's sad but more than that it reaffirms life's reality.
DeleteYou did your best, and far more than many would have done. Sure, there is some economic motivation to keep the critters growing and profitable to feed the family. But, even if this calf had not been a cash crop animal, you still would have done everything you could, just because you are a good guy. Thanks for all you do to feed us all.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy the blog.
Thanks very much. I'm glad you enjoy the blog, and I appreciate your kind words about agriculture. Of course we're all in it together. Kind of like the military and civilian parts of society, no one part is "most" important. I couldn't do what I do without the products and services everyone else makes available through their diligent efforts.
DeleteWell, at least she has 743 to show her where everything in Cow Heaven is. I am wondering if your suspicions about the sires of the herd may be correct. But, at least you have 66 doing just fine.
ReplyDelete