Newrancher2020
Active member
How often do you think heifers need assistance in calving
Assisting heifers with calving
- Thread starter Newrancher2020
- Start date
GoWyo
Well-known member
If I breed them right, 0%. But on average for me it is less than 10%. Especially if they are calving outside in good weather. The barn calvers in bad weather gets watched real close and I wind up being ready to assist just to make sure everything goes smooth.
farmerjan
Well-known member
If the heifers are well grown, they should calve unassisted... the only one we have helped in many years was 1 that had a head and a foot out... other one was back... So for us it is less than 1%. Yes, we use an easy calving bull for heifers to help stack the odds in our favor..
I'm with @GoWyo , I much prefer to calve them outside.. and we start calving the cows before the heifers... so can start in the "iffy weather" in mid-late Feb... Heifers mostly in April, and again in Sept/Oct... usually 10 +/- each calving.... knock on wood, this spring we have 5 on the ground, 7 more to go from the heifers. I want them to "spit them out" and get up and wanting to be a momma... easier when they are not all stressed or hurt...
We also calve at 27-30 months... not what a lot of people want or expect... this works for us... I like the little older heifers as they seem to do a little better job mothering and coming into milk, and have more "growth" themselves. Since we calve in 2 groups, spring and fall, we often find we keep fall born heifers, so they are 2 1/2 when they finally calve in the spring group.... and vice/versa...
Since we keep most of our calves to wean and sell in groups, the lighter calves from the heifers is not a problem for us... good growth bulls will put that growth, into the smaller birthweight calves and they catch up fairly fast.
The cows all get bred to bulls that are not calving ease... don't want monster calves, but a 70-90 lb calf is pretty well expected... we have mostly 11-1200 lb cows average...
I'm with @GoWyo , I much prefer to calve them outside.. and we start calving the cows before the heifers... so can start in the "iffy weather" in mid-late Feb... Heifers mostly in April, and again in Sept/Oct... usually 10 +/- each calving.... knock on wood, this spring we have 5 on the ground, 7 more to go from the heifers. I want them to "spit them out" and get up and wanting to be a momma... easier when they are not all stressed or hurt...
We also calve at 27-30 months... not what a lot of people want or expect... this works for us... I like the little older heifers as they seem to do a little better job mothering and coming into milk, and have more "growth" themselves. Since we calve in 2 groups, spring and fall, we often find we keep fall born heifers, so they are 2 1/2 when they finally calve in the spring group.... and vice/versa...
Since we keep most of our calves to wean and sell in groups, the lighter calves from the heifers is not a problem for us... good growth bulls will put that growth, into the smaller birthweight calves and they catch up fairly fast.
The cows all get bred to bulls that are not calving ease... don't want monster calves, but a 70-90 lb calf is pretty well expected... we have mostly 11-1200 lb cows average...
chevytaHOE5674
Well-known member
If bred right I don't help heifers calve out any more than I do cows.
Ky hills
Well-known member
If heifers are big enough for their age, in good body condition, not too thin and not too fat, if they have had pelvic measurements that that are large enough, and bred to calving ease bulls, then probably less than 10%.
Maintaining access good mineral and nutrition is important.
Those are all things that can be done and managed to greatly reduce calving troubles.
There are some instances of calving trouble that just happen even under best of conditions that you can't prevent and it's why there is a need to regularly check cows and heifers when calving. Sometimes a calf will just be presenting wrong and cannot be born without assistance. A leg can be turned, head can be turned, calf can be coming backwards etc,
A little piece of advice to look for if you see feet coming there should be two feet with the toes pointing up. That would mean the calf is coming right and the head should be close. If you see feet and the point of the toes are pointed down then it is turned wrong and those are back legs coming first and the cow or heifer will need assistance.
I think to me heifers require a bit more watch after they calve, to make sure they claim their calf and let it nurse. Sometimes they may not have enough milk.
coachg
Well-known member
With what calves are worth I'll help anytime I think they have been in labor too long ! So far 5 out of 11 have calved . We helped # 4 . Right presentation but had not made any progress in over 2 hours . Time to help in my book . Low birth weight bull , big healthy heifer , but when in doubt: help !
No more than once a year
Ky hills
Well-known member
Yeah, I've always heard 2 hours for heifers. Always better to help than to let it go too long. The quicker you can get the calf out the better for both calf and cow.
wbvs58
Well-known member
My heifers do pretty good over summer on my grass here so when I put the cows into my scrub block in autumn and early winter before bringing them home mid June to start calving early July the heifers go with them. They have to forage hard in there for the last few months so it just keeps their condition in check, I get very few that need assistance. On the other hand I know from experience if I leave them at home on the good grass and clovers I get heavy calves 5-7 days over due date that need assistance.
Ken
Ken
GoWyo
Well-known member
When I see a heifer hunched up with her tail out, she better be making progress within 30 minutes (feet showing) and then be done in another 30 minutes. Mine are generally quick calvers and if not there is a problem. Once the calf is out, I expect to see them trying to stand up within 15-30 minutes and nursing shortly after.
SBMF 2015
Well-known member
We were at a producer meeting put on by a local vet one time and the vet asked the room how long should you wait before helping a cow or hfr? I quickly replied " well you like to leave the office by 4:30 so probably any time before that " I got a laugh out of everyone in the room including the vet. But seriously I agree 2 hours is plenty. I don't want hfrs so wore out that they don't want to take care of their new calf.
Ky hills
Well-known member
Yeah, I've always been told 2 hours, but then in reality how many times do we really know exactly when they started.
If I come across one that's in the process, and I don't have a reference point to start from, I'll give her 15 minutes to half hour to see if there's any progress. If it's been a half hour and no progress then I'm getting my puller and chains in place.
The other day we checked cows and came across a mature cow laying stretched out calving. My first thought was oh no she's having trouble. We drove on and checked others and came back about 15 minutes later and from a distance it looked like she'd made a little progress, she walked a little bit laid back down and in just a few minutes later she got up and was licking a calf off.
coachg
Well-known member
We've 
been using an ultra black bull who until today has thrown super calving ease calves . But we saved on today that's making me rethink if he's what we thought he was bw wise . Gotta give myself an atta boy for pulling this one .
been using an ultra black bull who until today has thrown super calving ease calves . But we saved on today that's making me rethink if he's what we thought he was bw wise . Gotta give myself an atta boy for pulling this one .
wbvs58
Well-known member
You are always going to get the odd one that doesn't go to plan. I would not be concerned if all the others calved just like shelling peas.
Ken
Our heifers calve in the pasture with the cows. It's rare that I will catch one actually having a calf.
This place in an hour from my house. When I was there 2 weeks prior I made a note in my tally book the said HB next to her number. When I went back a week ago she can sneaking out the brush with her calf.
This place in an hour from my house. When I was there 2 weeks prior I made a note in my tally book the said HB next to her number. When I went back a week ago she can sneaking out the brush with her calf.
coachg
Well-known member
Beautiful pair !
Thank you. She's a 1/4 blood. F1 Braford momma to Black Angus bull
coachg
Well-known member
I'd take a pasture full like her !
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