Backwards calf

[lithuanian farmer]

We see a big part of our calves being born, but had only one breach calf two years ago. That's in 15years of cattle farming. If any other cow ever had a backward calf, we haven't seen the delivery. Rarely have ever found a dead calf after birth too. Might be just our luck.

 

[sim.-ang.king]

Have seen quite a few sheep have backwards lambs. With twins you have really high chance of one being born backwards.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

LOL - with twins - all "normal" is out the window!

 

[Silver]

I find it interesting that some people refer to a backwards feet first calf as breech. I would call a calf delivered as such backwards, and technically a "normal" presentation. And like Jeanne, when we see one we hustle to help so very seldom does a cow get to even attempt such a delivery.
A breech calf in my world is a butt first presentation, of which I seem to get the honour of delivering at least once a year.

 

[Aaron]

I find it interesting that some people refer to a backwards feet first calf as breech. I would call a calf delivered as such backwards, and technically a "normal" presentation. And like Jeanne, when we see one we hustle to help so very seldom does a cow get to even attempt such a delivery.
A breech calf in my world is a butt first presentation, of which I seem to get the honour of delivering at least once a year.

Yes, backwards is backwards, breech is breech. Been a long time since I have had a breech. They are about as bad as it gets. Other than maybe uterine torsion in a very cranky cow - that could be worse.

 

[Putangitangi]

I called the vet out to help me with the last one I didn't pull myself. As the guy drove in and got out of his truck, there was a wet slop noise and we shone the light over in the pen and the calf was on the ground. It's the only one I've ever seen and I too remembered seeing somewhere that it's a "normal" presentation and since then have been much less nervous of us pulling them ourselves. Before that I thought it was one of those specialist jobs, since it looked so hard.

 

[True Grit Farms]

How do you get a breech calf into position to pull it? I've had 2 breech calves and lost both calves. I've quit waiting for the cow to calve on it's own so that should help. Both cows were laying down when I pushed the calf back in so I could work the legs out, I'm not sure I have the strength to do that anymore.

 

[Silver]

How do you get a breech calf into position to pull it? I've had 2 breech calves and lost both calves. I've quit waiting for the cow to calve on it's own so that should help. Both cows were laying down when I pushed the calf back in so I could work the legs out, I'm not sure I have the strength to do that anymore.

It's hard work for sure. I think it is a lot easier to do with the cow standing up. The calf has to be pushed forward, and it generally takes about all the strength I have to grasp the leg below the hock, lift and apply torsion to the leg to push the calf forward at the same time. Once you can cup the foot with your hand you generally have it made... at least for the first leg. Seems like when the first leg gets straight and into the birth canal the contractions start in earnest so the second leg can be a struggle. Of course a guy is usually getting played out by then so that probably adds to it.
I know of guys that use a toilet plunger and an assistant to push on the calf's behind to get the calf ahead enough to straighten the legs. Someday I'll try that, there just never seems to be one handy when needed lol.

 

[True Grit Farms]

I'm going to try the toilet plunger trick myself next time. I thought that standing up might be a little easier and your face and whiskers would stay cleaner. Hopefully we won't see any tails first for awhile.

 

[Midtenn]

Like several have said on here, we always go ahead and pull when seeing back feet. But it always seems to be so easy, makes me wonder if they actually needed pulled, and how many may come backwards that we never know about.

 

[Nesikep]

I've had two, one was a single, one was a twin, lost both because I didn't notice something was wrong in time, but mommas were fine.
Silver described it about right, that's what I do. Cows were standing each time (I recommend putting a strap under them should they go down in the chute though).
Push calf in, grab hock, lift and twist with your wrist.

In my very old vet book it shows how to do it... I don't know if they were mini cows or NBA players, but shows them into the cow about up to the elbow.. I'm lanky, and I've got my whole shoulder in there and can *JUST* reach

 

[lithuanian farmer]

I've had two, one was a single, one was a twin, lost both because I didn't notice something was wrong in time, but mommas were fine.
Silver described it about right, that's what I do. Cows were standing each time (I recommend putting a strap under them should they go down in the chute though).
Push calf in, grab hock, lift and twist with your wrist.

In my very old vet book it shows how to do it... I don't know if they were mini cows or NBA players, but shows them into the cow about up to the elbow.. I'm lanky, and I've got my whole shoulder in there and can *JUST* reach

We were lucky with our only breech calf. Cow was showing signs of calving since the evening. Have left her for the night as she is a big cow and can handle huge cows herself. No calf in the morning... But no pushing either. Finally put the hand in around a midday. That's when we saw what was wrong. As have mentioned before no breech or any other wrong position with calves before, so no experience. With no luck to fix his position have called to one vet. Been all the way in up to my shoulder and could just barely reach it. She wasn't able to do anything too... Have called to another vet (way taller with longer arms). He came abit later. Fixed the calf in minutes and pulled it out with the jack. Cow was standing all the time. It was a 112lbs bull calf. Very alert and was on his legs by the evening. He was out at ~5pm.
Have witnessed some twins being born and all we saw were born in the right position too... Can't be sure about those which haven't been seen.

 

[sme.misfit.farms]

Our first calf this year was backwards from a heifer. She was up and down for an hour and then finally laid down. Usually she's extremely tame, but wouldn't let us close so we couldn't intervene or see what was going on. She was putting on quite the drama show about this calf and how unhappy she was. Kept watching the clock and an hour on the dot after she was serious about calving, he popped out. She couldn't figure out what to do so now he's a bottle calf. Could tell the light was there, but it wasn't very bright on what she had to do.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Sounds to me like y'all should have left nervous Nelly alone. She would have figured it out. Cattle are enough trouble without looking for it. I would pen mom run her in a chute and start the calf if she didn't. I am feeding a dummy bottle calf right now, I should have put a bullet in his head I would have been time and money ahead.

 

[Nesikep]

I just had to go open my mouth
OK, so it wasn't backward, but both front legs were back on a first timer.. Big heifer calf too.. was a challenge getting them straightened out.

 

[Silver]

I just had to go open my mouth
OK, so it wasn't backward, but both front legs were back on a first timer.. Big heifer calf too.. was a challenge getting them straightened out.

Glad you got it, that can be quite a challenge.

 

[Nesikep]

I just had to go open my mouth
OK, so it wasn't backward, but both front legs were back on a first timer.. Big heifer calf too.. was a challenge getting them straightened out.

Glad you got it, that can be quite a challenge.

Yeah, heifer laid down, pushed a few times pretty good after the water broke, didn't see feet so decided to check what was up.. well, no feet to be had! Once again my arms felt like they were going to fall off by the time I got the legs straightened, was a pretty tight fit. Momma took a while to get back up, gave her a shot of dex, milked her into a pop bottle, put the nipple on it and gave it to the calf, down the hatch it went, then got both of them up.. Momma was wobbly for the first few minutes.. Calf is about 100 lbs, real pretty too




Selfie time..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXIs2V53fws

 

[Silver]

Witnessed another calf born backwards today. Cow had a calf at 3:00 am, everything was fine, she was mothering it and calf was getting up. All good at 6:00 am. At 9:00 am I went out and the cow was standing up with a backwards calf out to it's ribs. A few seconds later it hit the ground deader as could be. Obviously took a little to long to get born. Sadly, the live calf is a little heifer, and the expired calf was a nice big bull calf. But, she will raise a calf this summer and that's a good thing.
This was our 11th set of twins, and the first mortality to this point so I figure 21 live calves out of a possible 22 is still pretty fair.

 

[Nesikep]

yep, timing is critical on the backwards one, she was probably a little tired from the first one and a bit slow getting it out.. always seems it's the 2nd twin that is backwards... 20 of 21 is doing really good on twins!

 

[greybeard]

Yeah, heifer laid down, pushed a few times pretty good after the water broke, didn't see feet so decided to check what was up.. well, no feet to be had! Once again my arms felt like they were going to fall off by the time I got the legs straightened, was a pretty tight fit. Momma took a while to get back up, gave her a shot of dex, milked her into a pop bottle, put the nipple on it and gave it to the calf, down the hatch it went, then got both of them up.. Momma was wobbly for the first few minutes.. Calf is about 100 lbs, real pretty too




Selfie time..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXIs2V53fws

I've had a few of those high 90-100lb calves. All things considered, I'd rather see them hit the ground by themselves in the 80-90lb range.