Calving Chains

[greybeard]

I've always used the loop and 1/2 hitch and always lead the chains out on top of the legs, not underneath, tho some people do go under.
I was taught to do it that way in the late 60s and still do it like that.

Most people have had way more practice at it than I have, but I haven't had any trouble getting chains on up inside the momma.

 

[TexasBred]

I use the loop and a half hitch when I ahd to pull a calf but haven't had to pull one in years. Never used chains though. Plaited me three strings of round bale plastic bailing twine with a loop on each end about 6 foot long. Worked great.

 

[jerry27150]

have always used ropes & not had a problem

 

[gcreekrch]

I've never used the half hitch. Will admit I've had a few knuckled over for a couple days. If they feel like they are going to be a really hard pull I gather up the vet bag and do a C Section. Those are getting fewer.

 

[JW IN VA]

Growing up,we used baler twine off the square bales.A friend bought a set of chains for me to use here and on his.I now use straps but,with calving ease bulls haven't pulled one for several years.Don't want to,either.
Last one I had problems with required the vet and he had to take the calf in pieces on a cold,cloudy day in December.

 

[Putangitangi]

I chose chains for the ease of cleaning them. I'm so slack at tidying up after something goes wrong, that being able to just soak the gunk off ss chains is exactly what I need.

 

[slick4591]

I chose chains for the ease of cleaning them. I'm so slack at tidying up after something goes wrong, that being able to just soak the gunk off ss chains is exactly what I need.

That's where the dishwasher and the wife's absence come in. It works well on nylon straps.

 

[TCRanch]

I'm using nylon straps but I find them hard to cinch around the leg sometimes because they want to slip off. I've never had the luxury of a calf hanging out and easy to work with. They have always been where I have to reach in and slip the nylon over the hoof and it gets slick really quick. I use my chute to run the cow in and a come-a-long hooked to the bottom of a panel as my pulling device. That creates an automatic downward angle and I can put my foot on the cable to increase the angle if need be. It seems to work well for me.

I used nylon straps yesterday for the first time and yes, they definitely get slippery. Got one leg cinched easily but the calf was sideways, other leg back & took what seemed like forever to finally get the 2nd leg. Had her in the chute & didn't use the puller; I was practically laying down, using first the chute & then a barn brace/pole for leverage. Little Dyscotia & took mama a while to mother up (dang heifers!) but both should be fine.

 

[bball]

I'm using nylon straps but I find them hard to cinch around the leg sometimes because they want to slip off. I've never had the luxury of a calf hanging out and easy to work with. They have always been where I have to reach in and slip the nylon over the hoof and it gets slick really quick. I use my chute to run the cow in and a come-a-long hooked to the bottom of a panel as my pulling device. That creates an automatic downward angle and I can put my foot on the cable to increase the angle if need be. It seems to work well for me.

This is exactly what I do also, except i still use chains, with one loop above the fetlock joint. I really appreciate the slow, easy control you get with the come along.

 

[Lucky_P]

Loop above fetlock and half-hitch between fetlock and hooves, coming over the top, is what they taught us in vet school, and what I've always done. Never broke a leg. Yet.

Vaginal dilation is a technique that's come up since I got out of school 30+ years ago. Everybody ought to incorporate it into their calf delivery protocol... yeah, it takes an extra 5 minutes or so, and I'll admit that if you're the person doing the 'dilating', it's tiring... but outcomes are way better for both the cow/heifer and the calf.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yhHBbXkudQ

 

[Silver]

I had to pull a calf out of a heifer last night. As is common with heifers her vagina was not dilated, even difficult to get a hand in. I have never found it to take more than a minute or two to get them opened up to what I consider something appropriate for extracting the calf, but maybe I'm not doing enough. The calf came out easily enough in the end though.

 

[Putangitangi]

Thanks for that one Lucky_P. I think I've done a bit of that by accident, when spending ages figuring out the chains, eventually working two arms in like I watched the vet do. Most of the dilation is as a result of the hormonal changes, presumably?

The video that came up next for me was a guy showing how to put the chains on but he appeared to pay no attention to where the loop came across the joints. He was also doing it in the open air with two hands, rather than deep in the cow with one and a lot of pressure all round.

 

[TCRanch]

Thanks for that one Lucky_P. I think I've done a bit of that by accident, when spending ages figuring out the chains, eventually working two arms in like I watched the vet do. Most of the dilation is as a result of the hormonal changes, presumably?

The video that came up next for me was a guy showing how to put the chains on but he appeared to pay no attention to where the loop came across the joints. He was also doing it in the open air with two hands, rather than deep in the cow with one and a lot of pressure all round.

Yes! Yesterday. Well, actually most of the time. The legs are rarely just sticking out there, all convenient.

 

[bball]

Loop above fetlock and half-hitch between fetlock and hooves, coming over the top, is what they taught us in vet school, and what I've always done. Never broke a leg. Yet.

Vaginal dilation is a technique that's come up since I got out of school 30+ years ago. Everybody ought to incorporate it into their calf delivery protocol... yeah, it takes an extra 5 minutes or so, and I'll admit that if you're the person doing the 'dilating', it's tiring... but outcomes are way better for both the cow/heifer and the calf.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yhHBbXkudQ

As in Mark Hilton, DVM? If so, what a great guy! So much knowledge and quite a teacher.

 

[Nesikep]

I always used a loop above and a half hitch between the hoof and fetlock as well, though I usually went on the underside.. I've had some mighty hard pulls and never a problem, but I'll try and remember to switch to the topside. I have several chains, and find that it's easier to have two sets to work with rather than working with both ends of one set.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

We were taught the loop above & the half-hitch also. Always have used this method. I usually put an article in my newsletter showing the same picture.
Lucky-P thanks for that video.

 

[cowgirl8]

My vets have always used one loop above the fetlock joint, with the chain feeding through the loop on top of the joint, so that's the way I've done it too. I have enough trouble getting one loop around, without trying to work out the complications of two!
We've either been lucky or careful enough. I always check the position of the chains before the real pulling starts and often adjust them to make sure the loop is flat on top of the joint. This season we had a couple of hard pulls and nobody seems to have been affected more than the presumed early bruising after birth.

That's our experience too, most times when we intervene just the feet are out. So getting it above the knee would require us to stop half way and reposition the chains...
Had a hard pull, one of the hardest I've witnessed in a long time. Chains just above the fetlock. I think one of the most important things is to make sure the feet aren't even when you pull with a winch. If they are even and the head isn't out, you're pulling for both shoulders to go through at once...May be the reason for the picture of the ripped legs...

 

[Silver]

My vets have always used one loop above the fetlock joint, with the chain feeding through the loop on top of the joint, so that's the way I've done it too. I have enough trouble getting one loop around, without trying to work out the complications of two!
We've either been lucky or careful enough. I always check the position of the chains before the real pulling starts and often adjust them to make sure the loop is flat on top of the joint. This season we had a couple of hard pulls and nobody seems to have been affected more than the presumed early bruising after birth.

That's our experience too, most times when we intervene just the feet are out. So getting it above the knee would require us to stop half way and reposition the chains...
Had a hard pull, one of the hardest I've witnessed in a long time. Chains just above the fetlock. I think one of the most important things is to make sure the feet aren't even when you pull with a winch. If they are even and the head isn't out, you're pulling for both shoulders to go through at once...May be the reason for the picture of the ripped legs...

I want the feet even when I pull so the load is distributed evenly on the calf. They used to make (and maybe still do) a puller that would oscillate and pull each leg a little at a time. We had one many years ago and it went to the garbage.
The biggest thing in a tough pull is to not get in a hurry, work with the cow, slack off once in a while and let the calf breath, etc. Getting in a hurry is where calves and cows get hurt or worse.

Edit to add: Also, very important to twist the calf as it comes out so when it gets to the cows pelvis the calf's pelvis is rotated 90 degrees to the cows.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

My vets have always used one loop above the fetlock joint, with the chain feeding through the loop on top of the joint, so that's the way I've done it too. I have enough trouble getting one loop around, without trying to work out the complications of two!
We've either been lucky or careful enough. I always check the position of the chains before the real pulling starts and often adjust them to make sure the loop is flat on top of the joint. This season we had a couple of hard pulls and nobody seems to have been affected more than the presumed early bruising after birth.

That's our experience too, most times when we intervene just the feet are out. So getting it above the knee would require us to stop half way and reposition the chains...
Had a hard pull, one of the hardest I've witnessed in a long time. Chains just above the fetlock. I think one of the most important things is to make sure the feet aren't even when you pull with a winch. If they are even and the head isn't out, you're pulling for both shoulders to go through at once...May be the reason for the picture of the ripped legs...

You DO NOT put the chain loop above the KNEE. Please re-read this post & look at the picture.

 

[cowgirl8]

You DO NOT put the chain loop above the KNEE. Please re-read this post & look at the picture.

LOL..my bad.. Looked on my phone. I wouldn't put it that way either.. I was wondering how you'd get it above the knee??lol