Had a cow laying down in the pasture trying to give birth. She was in alot of pain, but while I was setting up lights and getting my medical box she got up and was walking fine. I got her in the barn and noticed that she has some birth hanging out, but she does not seem dilated and the calf has not moved towards her rear quarters yet. I'm hoping that maybe she's in the early stages of birth and rolled on her side and got stressed b/c she was having a hard time getting back up. I'm afraid that she has aborted the calf and is having problems pushing it out. Does anyone have any suggestions or advice? I haven't gotten her in the shute yet, b/c I'm hoping she'll give birth to it naturally.
calving problem
- Thread starter JMHayes
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JMHayes":35822x6n said:
describe what you mean by "some birth hanging out"
it could be anything from abortion to an ectopic pregnancy. i'm not sure if you have had a feel or not but it could also be a breech calf. in fact, if she is ready to calve, my guess would be a breech calf. if not, i'd guess abortion. need more info.
Texan
Well-known member
Don't wait too long, but don't jump the gun, either. How long has it been?
Susie David
Well-known member
Sounds like the water bag is being expelled...the calf should have been right behind....is she down in the barn now? Contractions? If she hasn't continued with the labor and you arn't sure....call your vet.
Normally she should be starting the second stage now...sort of spaced-out and really contracting...most will lay down but not all. Do you have hot soapy water, gloves and lubricant...you may have to adjust the presentation.
How many days has she been bred.
Good luck....
Normally she should be starting the second stage now...sort of spaced-out and really contracting...most will lay down but not all. Do you have hot soapy water, gloves and lubricant...you may have to adjust the presentation.
How many days has she been bred.
Good luck....
JMHayes
Well-known member
When I found her she had been laying there for no longer than thirty minutes. It's been about a hour and a half since I found her and got her in the barn. I just checked on her and she seems to not be in labor at all. She's not dilated and nothing was hanging out of her, but her belly seems lop-sided. On the right side she looks normal, but the left side looks like the calf is moving towards her rear. I've had cows in the past that looked like the calf might be turned, but they had a normal birth. Should I get her in the shute and see if the calf feels like it's turned wrong or should I just keep a close eye on her threw out the night?
I would get her in the chute and see what the deal is. If she continues all night you're going to have one exhausted cow and things will just go worse for her. Plus, the later it gets the harder it's probably going to be to get a vet out and the more it will cost you.
JMHayes
Well-known member
He's already turned his phone off. I've pulled calves before, but never on a cow that wasn't dilated. I'm going to go check and make sure the calf is turned right. Sure am glad I let an old friend from high school live in a vacant trailer home for exchange for work around the farm. He's about to earn his rent.
JMHayes":rljt9gg2 said:
Cows that aren't dilated are loads of fun!
I just love that type of vet, fortunately there aren't many of them up here! As far as the old friend goes, I heard that! ;-) Good luck! Based on your description, it sounds like she's aborting. However, saving the cow with a minimum of stress goes a long ways.
Susie David
Well-known member
If she were mine....great words of wisdom from afar.
If she is not in discomfort and not contracting and acting normal I would watch her closely or if you absolutely need to know, do a rectal and see what position the calf is in...palpatation could break the water, if the discharge wasn't the water bag, and start contractions. Either way you run the chance of bringing on labor ready or not.
We assume that her udder is full and ready.
Good luck to you....you need to be in the barn now...post in the morning.
DMc
If she is not in discomfort and not contracting and acting normal I would watch her closely or if you absolutely need to know, do a rectal and see what position the calf is in...palpatation could break the water, if the discharge wasn't the water bag, and start contractions. Either way you run the chance of bringing on labor ready or not.
We assume that her udder is full and ready.
Good luck to you....you need to be in the barn now...post in the morning.
DMc
JMHayes
Well-known member
The cow seems fine. I did a rectal and the calf isn't in a weird positon. I have a feeling that when she rolled on her side some gases started to build up and she thought she was going into labor. Maybe this is why she was pushing, but showed no signs of labor. I don't know if this can even happen, but I've never seen a cow act like that and not show the first sign of labor. I think that she'll be fine, but I left her in the small pen next to the barn so I can check on her at 2 and when I wake up at 4. Does it sound like I'm making a poor decision or just trying not to jump the gun?
Susie David
Well-known member
Keep us posted....got alot of folks running all the possibilities over in the mind. Good luck.
i had a cow last fall that went into labor and i put her up next morning nothing she stopped altogether. she had a string of membrane hanging out like she had calved. i looked for a calf and nothing. turned out the cows uterus was twisted and the calf didn't go in the birth canal and she stopped. i thought the calf would be dead but the vet pulled it out and it survived. the longer you wait the less chance of saving the calf.
Was your bit of brith colored or clear. If clear it could be cervical plug coming out. If colored very well could be trouble. all you can really do is what you have done already. Just watch her. Good Luck
okcow gril.
okcow gril.
JMHayes
Well-known member
Sorry for failing to correct myself. There was no "birth" hanging out. I had poor light when I first saw her. It turned out she wasn't in labor. The next day when my vet and I were doctoring on a different cow, vaginal prolapse, I asked him what had happened and he said it sounded like she had layed over on her side and got bloated. That's why it seemed like she was having labor difficulties. I felt a little stupid, but he said he can't count the times that people have called him thinking the same thing.
