Calf pulling and C-Sections

[Anonymous]

Has anybody here paid to have a cow C-Sectioned in the last few years? If so, approx. what was the vet bill for that and related services?

As to pulling calves: do any of you experienced folks have a general rule of thumb that can be expressed in words as to how hard you pull before concluding that "it ain't going to come through"? Or possibly knowing that you won't even attempt to pull in the first place? I imagine that to a large extent it's probably a subjective and "gut feel" sort of thing and possibly its just a case "you know it when you see it", that only experience brings. But if anybody cares to discuss your procedures and experiences with super hard pulls I'd like to hear them. I sure wish somebody made a come-a-long with a feature similar to a torque wrench. Thanks, Arnold Ziffle

 

[dun]

Our vets rule of thumb is to only pull when the cow strains or if the calf is coming out. The feel for how hard to pull is an exerience thing. If the cow bares down and he has a strain on the calf, two times with the cow bareigng down without the calf moving and it's C-section time.

dun

Has anybody here paid to have a cow C-Sectioned in the last few years? If so, approx. what was the vet bill for that and related services?

As to pulling calves: do any of you experienced folks have a general rule of thumb that can be expressed in words as to how hard you pull before concluding that "it ain't going to come through"? Or possibly knowing that you won't even attempt to pull in the first place? I imagine that to a large extent it's probably a subjective and "gut feel" sort of thing and possibly its just a case "you know it when you see it", that only experience brings. But if anybody cares to discuss your procedures and experiences with super hard pulls I'd like to hear them. I sure wish somebody made a come-a-long with a feature similar to a torque wrench. Thanks, Arnold Ziffle

 

[Cattle Rack Rancher]

I had a c-section done last year on one of my heifers. It was about $300.00 if I remember correctly. Somehow the heifer just didn't grow the way the rest of them did. Got the calf out, she rejected it, tied her up twice a day for about ten days and finally gave up and started bottle feeding the calf. I wouldn't recommend it, having good cows that calve by themselves is way easier :lol: .I will say the meat off her is very tender though.

 

[Anonymous]

Just received my vet bill yesterday (oh joy!). I had a C-section performed on a heifer that I picked up (wish I could give the guy who sold her a swift kick, cause when his cattle were selling they were supposed to have been bred to a Red Angus bull...what a liar! That calf was Simmental sired, and by the size of the bone, would have been a good bull for a mature cow, not a darn heifer). Anyway, long and short of it is that the calf was too big for the head to pass through the birth canal with the legs. Had to haul the heifer to town to the clinic, as the vet was unable to get to my place for an hour and a half. Still ended up losing the calf. Bummer.
Cost of C-section in bill : $330.00 Canadian.
Plus my fuel to haul an hour ten minute round trip.
Plus and this has the vet stumped:
$70.00 to put the uterus back in because she prolapsed the morning after the surgery (had to drive her to a different vet, the original was gone on a call)
Anybody else ever experienced anything like this, as both vets have been in practice for 30 some years and they have never seen a cow prolapse after having a C-section.
Take care.

 

[CattleAnnie]

Hi, the last post was mine...timed out.
Take care.