Calving Time

Despite selection of lighter birth weight bulls, some heifers and cows will still need assistance at calving - here are some ideas to help.

jon e. higgins vmd  acornembryo LLC

Having encountered several two-year olds recently who needed help with their first calvings, beef and dairy animals, I think it is always useful to present some useful suggestions to help that group of animals that typically have the highest rate of difficult calvings, or dystocias. Additionally, calves borne from a dystocia are much more likely to have problems in the period from birth to weaning. Chief among suggestions is when to assist, when to watch, and when to call for help, delivery tips, and using a puller:

Timing your assistance:

Close observations of your animals will show those starting to seclude themselves and once an animal has been in early stages of labor for 6 or more hours without active straining, she should be examined. Once the ‘water bag’ starts to show, second stage of labor is present and close observation without being obvious should be the order of the day – if water breaks and she goes two hours without progress, intervene and find out what is going on. She should also be in hard labor for no more than one hour before you give assistance; excessive times are not only detrimental to the calf’s survival, but to the ability of the cow to rebreed.

It is an often difficult decision to make, but you are always better off assisting those that don’t need it rather than miss one who truly needs help.

Delivery preparations and tips:

I CANNOT overemphasis taking the few minutes it takes to have a proper environment for calving. I know they all aren’t inside, but more to the point of cleanliness of delivery and adequate lubrication. Always wash the hindquarters thoroughly with disinfectants and keep your chains clean and don’t forget to wash your own arms. Tie the tail to the side. Ask your vet for some J-Lube or some type of OB lube that you should use copiously – this will always help and I see instances of birth canal trauma which could possibly be minimized with proper lubrication. Don't have these? Use Crisco - it will provide the protection and lubrication needed - do not use soap as it will tend to dry out the tissues.

Breech deliveries have the aspect of crucial timing once you begin to deliver the calf, as once the umbilical cord ruptures, the calf cannot breathe until it is out, thus be prepared and that is a time I routinely use a puller merely to assure that hiplock is less likely. Be ready once the hips are partly out to stop; reset your chains so that you don’t run out of puller at the moment that the calf’s head is still inside the cow.

The rule of thumb is that two strong people can exert a force of 400lb, while a calf puller can exert up to 2,000lb and should only be used while the cow is actively straining. My personal preference after using and seeing many calf pullers, is the Hercules Fetal Extractor available from Jorgenson. Many people who have seen them and since purchased one have been quite happy and feel they have helped save calves, particularly breech(posterior)births. The main highlights of this device is a simple buttplate, extra hook available for a head snare, and fixed positive movement when advancing the puller mechanism, i.e. no possibility of slippage as might be found with smooth rod pullers. One note of caution: always put two loops of the calf pulling chain on the feet when fastening, first loop above the fetlock and second, a half-hitch around the pastern. This can be done rapidly, easily, and can prevent a fractured bone which can set the calf back severely. Use the puller pole to deliver, using the ratchet only to keep chains tight in between lever moves and be sure to pull WHEN the cow strains.

This is a very simplistic overview of the calving process and how you can help. A longer version of this article will be posted on our website at www.acornemb.com and will be available by mail or fax to those unable to access the website. Good luck this calving season and be ready for the opportunities and challenges these heifers will give you!