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calf puller
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<blockquote data-quote="diamond_a" data-source="post: 101455" data-attributes="member: 1985"><p>Yes, please explain that! I can't imagine pulling a calf just to be doing it is any good for the cow or calf.</p><p>TheBullLady</p><p></p><p>First thing you have to understand about "assisting" a labor is that you are there to do just that. </p><p>Second thing you have to be sure of is that you know how, and are properly set up to pull calves. Now when I say assist a cow (heifers in this case) I am not talking about running her into your shed (or whatever your facilites might be) and just go to yanking stuff. What I do is bring her in. Let her nest in the shed for about an hour or so. After this point one of two things is gonna happen. She'll either have some feet sticking out, or she will be in a corner laying down pushing. Actually three things. The third being absolutely nothing. If shes ready to go then I catch her in the maternity pen and get to pulling. If shes not, I don't give her more than about another hour to calm down and start pushing. If shes still not ready after this point thats when I catch her, reach inside, and find either a leg back, a breech, a head back, a dead one... You name it. Its either C-Section time or turning body parts around.</p><p></p><p>Now, as of to why I do this? A few reasons. Number one. 2 year old heifers are not exceptionally bright. They are not real sure about whats going on. I've seen far too many heifers both on my place and others that have killed a calf simply because they won't bear down and calve. They start to push then get up and wander around. Now, older cows that have a had a couple will go nest somewhere and get it done. When you have a cow that extensively labors for one reason or another they will start to cut off oxygen to the calf. Not good. I personally have never killed a calf because I pulled it too soon. I have killed calves because I didn't pull them as soon as I should have. Foggy eyes in dead calves is a good sign of waiting too long. </p><p> Number two reason. When we preg-test our 2 year olds after having their first calves we have remarkably high conception rates. My vet (I know, everbody's vet is the smartest one on the planet) who worked in a large research station pulling heifers (several hundred) noted that: Heifers that have had assistance in delivery are more likely to conceive and carry a calf that same year after being assisted.</p><p> Those two reasons are hands-down the only two that I really need. I certainly don't do it just for kicks and giggles. However, if you are going to be the type to yank out calves, my suggestion is to not try this. I've pulled calves that took two minutes, and others two hours. But I know the difference between emergency pulling and assisting. I know how tight you can pull on a 65 pound calf and how tight you can pull on a 100 pound calf without breaking legs or tearing muscle.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="diamond_a, post: 101455, member: 1985"] Yes, please explain that! I can't imagine pulling a calf just to be doing it is any good for the cow or calf. TheBullLady First thing you have to understand about "assisting" a labor is that you are there to do just that. Second thing you have to be sure of is that you know how, and are properly set up to pull calves. Now when I say assist a cow (heifers in this case) I am not talking about running her into your shed (or whatever your facilites might be) and just go to yanking stuff. What I do is bring her in. Let her nest in the shed for about an hour or so. After this point one of two things is gonna happen. She'll either have some feet sticking out, or she will be in a corner laying down pushing. Actually three things. The third being absolutely nothing. If shes ready to go then I catch her in the maternity pen and get to pulling. If shes not, I don't give her more than about another hour to calm down and start pushing. If shes still not ready after this point thats when I catch her, reach inside, and find either a leg back, a breech, a head back, a dead one... You name it. Its either C-Section time or turning body parts around. Now, as of to why I do this? A few reasons. Number one. 2 year old heifers are not exceptionally bright. They are not real sure about whats going on. I've seen far too many heifers both on my place and others that have killed a calf simply because they won't bear down and calve. They start to push then get up and wander around. Now, older cows that have a had a couple will go nest somewhere and get it done. When you have a cow that extensively labors for one reason or another they will start to cut off oxygen to the calf. Not good. I personally have never killed a calf because I pulled it too soon. I have killed calves because I didn't pull them as soon as I should have. Foggy eyes in dead calves is a good sign of waiting too long. Number two reason. When we preg-test our 2 year olds after having their first calves we have remarkably high conception rates. My vet (I know, everbody's vet is the smartest one on the planet) who worked in a large research station pulling heifers (several hundred) noted that: Heifers that have had assistance in delivery are more likely to conceive and carry a calf that same year after being assisted. Those two reasons are hands-down the only two that I really need. I certainly don't do it just for kicks and giggles. However, if you are going to be the type to yank out calves, my suggestion is to not try this. I've pulled calves that took two minutes, and others two hours. But I know the difference between emergency pulling and assisting. I know how tight you can pull on a 65 pound calf and how tight you can pull on a 100 pound calf without breaking legs or tearing muscle. [/QUOTE]
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