1st time calving concerns

[lukem86]

I am expecting a couple of my heifers to calve toward the end of this month....

This will be the first time that I have dealt with beef cattle giving birth, (I have always had animals around, but never breeding stock)

Im looking for some tips (or good resources you know of) from you more experienced cattlemen about what to watch for... I guess im most concerned about knowing when mama is having trouble and needs help... that kind of thing, and any other advice.

Thank you.
luke

 

[redangus]

If you had the heifers bred when they were 750+lbs and you didn't put a high growth, high bw bull on them, you are probably going to be fine.

Watch for the signs of calving: springing on the back side and the utters filling up. Check them 2 to 3 times a day when they get close.

This is my timeline:

1. When she is first in labor, she will get a kink in her tail; like she might be trying to urinate.

2. Within two hours, she should have a water filled sack coming out. You won't always see this step.

3. Within two more hours, you should see feet.

4. You should have a calf within the next two hours after you see feet. If it takes longer for any of these steps, I usually try to help her out.

Some may think this is too long, but I rarely have problems with calving with my red angus. It's a good idea to have them in a catch pen where you can get them up to pull the calf if you have to.

 

[dun]

The following will give you guidelines on when to help

http://animalscience.tamu.edu/ansc/publ ... assisting'

http://muextension.missouri.edu/explore ... assisting'

 

[Diehard40]

If you had the heifers bred when they were 750+lbs and you didn't put a high growth, high bw bull on them, you are probably going to be fine.

Watch for the signs of calving: springing on the back side and the utters filling up. Check them 2 to 3 times a day when they get close.

This is my timeline:

1. When she is first in labor, she will get a kink in her tail; like she might be trying to urinate.

2. Within two hours, she should have a water filled sack coming out. You won't always see this step.

3. Within two more hours, you should see feet.

4. You should have a calf within the next two hours after you see feet. If it takes longer for any of these steps, I usually try to help her out.

Some may think this is too long, but I rarely have problems with calving with my red angus. It's a good idea to have them in a catch pen where you can get them up to pull the calf if you have to.

I agree here
most people are all to anxious to jump in and help.
give her about 2 hrs when feet appear unless they are the back feet or upside down feet, then you better jump in

 

[dane12]

i just had my 3 calf in 10 days out of first time heifers today none of them needed any help.something is wrong in you breeding program if your cows need a lot of help just my 10cent worth

 

[dun]

i just had my 3 calf in 10 days out of first time heifers today none of them needed any help.something is wrong in you breeding program if your cows need a lot of help just my 10cent worth

Bingo, we have a winner! As i've said before, we challenge the cows to raise big gives calves not have big calves

dun

 

[Running Arrow Bill]

i just had my 3 calf in 10 days out of first time heifers today none of them needed any help.something is wrong in you breeding program if your cows need a lot of help just my 10cent worth

Bingo, we have a winner! As i've said before, we challenge the cows to raise big gives calves not have big calves

dun

Amen!

 

[lakading]

If you had the heifers bred when they were 750+lbs and you didn't put a high growth, high bw bull on them, you are probably going to be fine.

Watch for the signs of calving: springing on the back side and the utters filling up. Check them 2 to 3 times a day when they get close.

This is my timeline:

1. When she is first in labor, she will get a kink in her tail; like she might be trying to urinate.

2. Within two hours, she should have a water filled sack coming out. You won't always see this step.

3. Within two more hours, you should see feet.

4. You should have a calf within the next two hours after you see feet. If it takes longer for any of these steps, I usually try to help her out.

Some may think this is too long, but I rarely have problems with calving with my red angus. It's a good idea to have them in a catch pen where you can get them up to pull the calf if you have to.

I agree here
most people are all to anxious to jump in and help.
give her about 2 hrs when feet appear unless they are the back feet or upside down feet, then you better jump in

With heifers we usually only give them 45 minutes to an hour after we see feet. Personally, I'd rather be all too anxious to jump in and help than wait another hour. I can't sell a dead calf.

 

[NewCowboy]

How do you know if they are front or back feet? The calves we have seen being born, you see tips of hooves first, no nose or anything to help identify. Just wondering...... :?:

 

[lakading]

How do you know if they are front or back feet? The calves we have seen being born, you see tips of hooves first, no nose or anything to help identify. Just wondering...... :?:

You can tell if it is front feet or back feet by which way the hooves point.

 

[Bez!]

Back legs first - bottom of hooves are up.

Front legs first - top of hooves are up.

Bez!

 

[msscamp]

I am expecting a couple of my heifers to calve toward the end of this month....

This will be the first time that I have dealt with beef cattle giving birth, (I have always had animals around, but never breeding stock)

Im looking for some tips (or good resources you know of) from you more experienced cattlemen about what to watch for... I guess im most concerned about knowing when mama is having trouble and needs help... that kind of thing, and any other advice.

Thank you.
luke

I'm assuming these are first time heifers. There are no hard and fast rules with first time heifers as each one is different. Some will spit a calf out in an hour or so and some will mess around all night and have it with no problem at daylight. It just goes with the territory. Our time line is, if the heifer is putting forth energy pushing and I don't see feet within an hour from the time the water bag is expelled, she is in the chute and the position of the calf is checked. What happens next is totally dependent on what is found is step one. If the calf is in the proper presentation, she is given another hour, maybe two, to produce a calf. I'm not a big believer in trying to pull calves from an exhausted mom - it simply adds to the stress, makes things more difficult for all concerned and increases the chances that she will not want to accept her calf. Just my thoughts.

 

[lukem86]

Thank you for all of the responses... very helpful... these are 1st calf heifers, all bred to a good calving ease bull...

Another question....

I know this will depend on each individual animal, but in general how willing is momma to let you get your hands on the calf the first day? All I would like to do is get a tag in their ear as soon as possible (i dont know how easy it will be to catch them when they are much older, unless i run them through the chute a couple months from now)

I have had mommas locked in the barnyard for most of the winter, and can walk up to a few of them to pet them, others have a pretty good disposition as well...

Thanks again for the help...

 

[Bez!]

Thank you for all of the responses... very helpful... these are 1st calf heifers, all bred to a good calving ease bull...

Another question....

I know this will depend on each individual animal, but in general how willing is momma to let you get your hands on the calf the first day? All I would like to do is get a tag in their ear as soon as possible (i dont know how easy it will be to catch them when they are much older, unless i run them through the chute a couple months from now)

I have had mommas locked in the barnyard for most of the winter, and can walk up to a few of them to pet them, others have a pretty good disposition as well...

Thanks again for the help...

:lol: :lol: :lol:

Stand back and let God and Mother Nature do their thing. If you see the water bad and nothing else over the space of an hour - intervene.

Have a way to restrain them in event of intevention being required. Do not do this alone!!!!!!

I do not care how "nice" these animals are. One of them may very well have you for breakfast, lunch AND supper if you step into the arena at the wrong moment.

If you always think you might need an out - you will have one when - not if - but when it becomes necessary.

Have fun - let the heartbeats slow to regular pace. All will unfold as it should. First day works for some - second for others. Only you will know.

Bez!

 

[msscamp]

I know this will depend on each individual animal, but in general how willing is momma to let you get your hands on the calf the first day? All I would like to do is get a tag in their ear as soon as possible (i dont know how easy it will be to catch them when they are much older, unless i run them through the chute a couple months from now)

I have had mommas locked in the barnyard for most of the winter, and can walk up to a few of them to pet them, others have a pretty good disposition as well...

Thanks again for the help...

I personally wouldn't mess with mom or the calf the first day if I didn't have to - especially first time calvers - others will disagree with me, however. We generally give them the first 24 hours to settle down and take care of the calf before tagging. The younger the calf the more protective mom is going to be, generally speaking, but it depends on the mom. It is not difficult to catch and tag a calf up to about 3 days or so old, we just tagged a bunch that were a week old. Ran them in the alleyway, cornered them and tagged them - but it was a two person operation. A man could probably do it alone, I cannot.

 

[Bez!]

I know this will depend on each individual animal, but in general how willing is momma to let you get your hands on the calf the first day? All I would like to do is get a tag in their ear as soon as possible (i dont know how easy it will be to catch them when they are much older, unless i run them through the chute a couple months from now)

I have had mommas locked in the barnyard for most of the winter, and can walk up to a few of them to pet them, others have a pretty good disposition as well...

Thanks again for the help...

I personally wouldn't mess with mom or the calf the first day if I didn't have to - especially first time calvers - others will disagree with me, however. We generally give them the first 24 hours to settle down and take care of the calf before tagging. The younger the calf the more protective mom is going to be, generally speaking, but it depends on the mom. It is not difficult to catch and tag a calf up to about 3 days or so old, we just tagged a bunch that were a week old. Ran them in the alleyway, cornered them and tagged them - but it was a two person operation. A man could probably do it alone, I cannot.

Yeah, a man can do it alone!

But not if he is smart.

And msscamp - as you know - most men are actually quite brilliant!

Bez!

 

[msscamp]

I know this will depend on each individual animal, but in general how willing is momma to let you get your hands on the calf the first day? All I would like to do is get a tag in their ear as soon as possible (i dont know how easy it will be to catch them when they are much older, unless i run them through the chute a couple months from now)

I have had mommas locked in the barnyard for most of the winter, and can walk up to a few of them to pet them, others have a pretty good disposition as well...

Thanks again for the help...

I personally wouldn't mess with mom or the calf the first day if I didn't have to - especially first time calvers - others will disagree with me, however. We generally give them the first 24 hours to settle down and take care of the calf before tagging. The younger the calf the more protective mom is going to be, generally speaking, but it depends on the mom. It is not difficult to catch and tag a calf up to about 3 days or so old, we just tagged a bunch that were a week old. Ran them in the alleyway, cornered them and tagged them - but it was a two person operation. A man could probably do it alone, I cannot.

Yeah, a man can do it alone!

But not if he is smart.

And msscamp - as you know - most men are actually quite brilliant!

Bez!

I plead the fifth! ;-) :lol2:

 

[jkwilson]

How do you know if they are front or back feet? The calves we have seen being born, you see tips of hooves first, no nose or anything to help identify. Just wondering...... :?:

You can tell if it is front feet or back feet by which way the hooves point.

They also come upside down and backward. Happened to us a couple of years ago. I went out and checked her and all looked well. After another 20 minutes with no progress, I checked again. Went fishing for the head but all I found was the tail :shock: That was a long night. Wound up losing them both, although the cow lived and we sold her.

 

[KMacGinley]

Cows are far more dangerous than bulls in my opinion, when they have a new calf on them. I assume that it is a hormone thing that is related to estrogen or ocytocin and makes them an aggressive protector of their, at first, essentially helpless baby. This is a good thing as there are dogs and coyotes that would like a nice veal dinner. Ideally you want to tag that calf as soon as possible, especially if you are calving in a woodlot like we do. The calf becomes quite athletic after 24 hrs, and may be hard to catch. I carry a stout cane with me so that I can hook the calf and hold it, and /or use it to administer a preemptive strike or 3 on the tip of mama's nose if she becomes aggressive. Have the tagger ready to go and if possible have an assistant to watch your back or vice versa. Try to keep the calf between you and the cow. Don't turn your back on her. Get the calf down with a knee on its neck. They rarely bawl then, It is when you grab them and hold them that they bawl usually. Sometimes you can divert the cow with grain for a time, but watch out if the calf bawls. If they are penned up, run the cow out, until you are done. Don't take any chances that you don't have to and good luck

 

[msscamp]

I assume that it is a hormone thing that is related to estrogen or ocytocin and makes them an aggressive protector of their, at first, essentially helpless baby.

Unless I'm mistaken, it's called mothering ability. Just my thoughts, though.