Assisting cows at birth

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Roadapple

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Just read a study put out by the U of Mn. that for every 10 minutes you wait to assist a cow having difficulty giving birth, you add on 2 days to her postpartum interval. Now I've read on here how some almost never assist their cows, so it would seem some are extending their calving season by weeks. I've always assisted every cow I see calving, even if it's a slight tug, just because I think it's easier on her. Wrong?
 
I've read similar studies. We try to assist anything that is taking longer than it should. There are several good reasons to assist earlier rather than later.

Getting a live healthy calf, rather than a weak, slow calf with swollen face/feet etc. Or a dead one.
A live healthy cow, that CAN get up and take care of her own calf.
Breed back time
 
Roadapple":1flj1mat said:
Just read a study put out by the U of Mn. that for every 10 minutes you wait to assist a cow having difficulty giving birth, you add on 2 days to her postpartum interval. Now I've read on here how some almost never assist their cows, so it would seem some are extending their calving season by weeks. I've always assisted every cow I see calving, even if it's a slight tug, just because I think it's easier on her. Wrong?

I believe it.. and those are the two key words. "having difficulty".. is when I intervene.
 
They can calve at any hour of the night or day.

One calf had his head back this year. Cow was rolling and having problems. Got her in the medina and shoved the calf back in a bit. Since I was there, I helped her. Calf was fine with help.

Found one born dead and don't know what happened.

All the rest didn't need me or the stress of me messing with them. I hang back and watch from a distance unless they need help.
 
backhoeboogie":2azufnwc said:
They can calve at any hour of the night or day.

One calf had his head back this year. Cow was rolling and having problems. Got her in the medina and shoved the calf back in a bit. Since I was there, I helped her. Calf was fine with help.

Found one born dead and don't know what happened.

All the rest didn't need me or the stress of me messing with them. I hang back and watch from a distance unless they need help.

Same here.

Thing I hate most is finding a cow having a calf....when you first find her you don't know how long she has been trying. That is key here. Only experience gives you some help in determining what to do if visible signs aren't obvious.
 
Roadapple":12bex3gi said:
Just read a study put out by the U of Mn. that for every 10 minutes you wait to assist a cow having difficulty giving birth, you add on 2 days to her postpartum interval. Now I've read on here how some almost never assist their cows, so it would seem some are extending their calving season by weeks. I've always assisted every cow I see calving, even if it's a slight tug, just because I think it's easier on her. Wrong?
You stated you help EVERY cow you see calving. No way in heck I'm doing that. I'll assist when and only when they are having trouble. They aren't pets and they haven't been on earth as long as they have by human intervention.
 
Sounds like another one of those studies that was just a waste of the tax payers money! I'd like to know how they gathered the data for the so called study.
 
10 minutes you wait to assist a cow having difficulty giving birth, you add on 2 days to her postpartum interval
so if it takes an hour for her to calve its going to take 12 days for her postppartum buy which i dont know really what that means for a cow 12 days of no lifting over 10lbs??????????? unless they cant get up never really seen one go days with out walking and eating usaly as soon as its over u cant hardly tell it. so i guess whats postpartum in a cow?
 
I will help if I KNOW they are having difficulty but I leave them alone so I don't add unneccesary stress. Haven't pulled a calf in a few years now and my calving rate of healthy calves is much better than it was when I doted on them. I do wish I had been around to assist one heifer this year.
 
Randi probably explained it better than I did. I don't mean I jump in with a puller as soon as I see her trying to calve.My assisting may be as little as straightning out its head which is folded back under its body, or removing the placenta off it's nose, or if I see she has strained for awhile and takes a break with the calf out up to its hips, I'll give her a little help when she contracts again. No chains, straps or anything, just a little help to save her a little energy. By using the right bull I've only pulled 1 calf in 8 yrs. and that was a mo. ago on a heifer. No puller, just me sitting down on the ice and shyte with my strap and helping her as I did'nt think she was going to do it with out some help. Wound up with nice calf but took her about 30 mins. before she staggered up. Took her awhile to get her equilibrium, but everything turned out alright. Now as far as postpartum time, I think that is the time from birth till she starts estrous again. Correct me if I'm wrong or explain it better than I did.
 

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