Why does a calf die right after birth?

A calf dying right after birth may be caused by difficult calving in the cow, improper care, the cow being old, weak, sick or disabled, or improper feeding. Among these, difficult calving is the most common cause of stillbirth, so using a bull that sires easily born calves for breeding is a long-term method of preventing stillbirth.

Causes and preventive measures for a calf dying right after birth:

Cause 1: Difficult calving

When a cow has difficulty calving or when manual assistance during calving is improper, the newborn calf may develop certain conditions, such as suffocation from inhaling amniotic fluid or infection with pneumonia, or it may suffer limb strain and joint dislocation. The main reason is that the calving attendants lack the necessary skills and sense of responsibility, and do not observe the cow's calving progress in time, leading to harm caused by the rupture of the cow's amniotic fluid.

Preventive measures: Assist with calving scientifically and promptly to ensure the safety of both the cow and the calf. Calving attendants should make observations and records before calving, move the cow into the calving pen in time when signs of calving appear, and make preparations for assisting the birth. The calving pen should be quiet and hygienic, and the floor should be covered with soft straw. In cases of difficult calving, ask someone with relevant experience for help.

Cause 2: Improper care

Newborn calves have relatively weak resistance. If care is improper, they may develop illnesses such as colds, pneumonia and diarrhea, and once a young calf develops them, it is very difficult to feed. There are also cases where improper care causes calves to freeze to death or become stuck and die.

Preventive measures: Care for calves must be done attentively, keeping the cattle shed at suitable temperature and humidity to avoid infection and disease and to ensure healthy growth and development of the calves.

Cause 3: Cows that are old, weak, sick or disabled

Cows that are old, weak, sick or disabled have lower physical quality and reduced reproductive performance, and may even lose their reproductive capacity. Some cows, if feeding and management cannot keep up during the conception period after calving, are very prone to stillbirth and difficult calving, and the survival rate of the calves they deliver is also relatively low.

Preventive measures: Cows that are old, weak, sick or disabled should be culled in time and replaced with young, vigorous cows to ensure good reproductive capacity on the farm.

Cause 4: Improper feeding

Newborn calves grow and develop relatively quickly and have a strong metabolism. As their body weight increases, their nutritional needs also grow higher. If the cow's milk yield is insufficient or nutritional feed is lacking, the calf is very prone to malnutrition, slower growth, poorer physical condition, poor adaptability to the environment and weak resistance, making it highly susceptible to infection and death.

Preventive measures: Feeding of newborn calves should be strengthened, and sufficient nutritious feed should be supplied to ensure the calves grow quickly and well.

The above is an introduction to what is going on when a calf dies right after birth. We hope it is helpful to everyone.