cfpinz":1mfb82s4 said:I've got a couple 3/8" ropes that I rebraided onto themselves for pulling calves. Whole lot easier on their legs and my hands than those chains.
hillsdown":uo4cu1a4 said:I find that if you hand pull in -30 weather you don't need gloves as your hands have frozen to the calves legs.. ;-)
Hubby has bags and bags of those in his pick up I might just have to take a couple for next calving season . I only had to hand pull two this year and they were both the second calf of twins.
Whose cow were you helping Dun ? I know it wasn't yours ,must have been a Holstein.
Chad Boese":1au7a9ce said:You should usually never have to pull a calf. 90 percent of the time a cow can do it them selves its not always good to help pull a calf you can hurt the calf and even the cow, but if you have to pull a calf dont ever use chains ropes, or anything tied around the calf. either use ur hands or if its too slippery get your self a pair of gloves that help from slipping. It is the safest way to pull a calf
grannysoo":3gam6jt2 said:Chad Boese":3gam6jt2 said:You should usually never have to pull a calf. 90 percent of the time a cow can do it them selves its not always good to help pull a calf you can hurt the calf and even the cow, but if you have to pull a calf dont ever use chains ropes, or anything tied around the calf. either use ur hands or if its too slippery get your self a pair of gloves that help from slipping. It is the safest way to pull a calf
I hope your luck always stays this good........
Chad Boese":3oujdi2b said:You should usually never have to pull a calf. 90 percent of the time a cow can do it them selves its not always good to help pull a calf you can hurt the calf and even the cow, but if you have to pull a calf dont ever use chains ropes, or anything tied around the calf. either use ur hands or if its too slippery get your self a pair of gloves that help from slipping. It is the safest way to pull a calf
hillsdown":fs7zvwtx said:Chad Boese":fs7zvwtx said:You should usually never have to pull a calf. 90 percent of the time a cow can do it them selves its not always good to help pull a calf you can hurt the calf and even the cow, but if you have to pull a calf dont ever use chains ropes, or anything tied around the calf. either use ur hands or if its too slippery get your self a pair of gloves that help from slipping. It is the safest way to pull a calf
Wow, thanks for that info, I will have to forward that little tidbit onto my vet and many others as he/they have been doing it wrong all these years..
I'm with the rest of you. I don't care how easy calving your bull is there will always be some that have issues. I figure if you can pull the calf using your hands, or maybe even gloves, the cow (or heifer) should have been able to have it on her own unless she was too exhausted from a prolonged birth. That said there are times where straps or a puller are the only way to get the job done. Done it countless times and rarely have any problems. Sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do. As granny said, you must have a lot of luck on your side.Wisteria Farms":2qak74pz said:hillsdown":2qak74pz said:Chad Boese":2qak74pz said:You should usually never have to pull a calf. 90 percent of the time a cow can do it them selves its not always good to help pull a calf you can hurt the calf and even the cow, but if you have to pull a calf dont ever use chains ropes, or anything tied around the calf. either use ur hands or if its too slippery get your self a pair of gloves that help from slipping. It is the safest way to pull a calf
Wow, thanks for that info, I will have to forward that little tidbit onto my vet and many others as he/they have been doing it wrong all these years..
:lol2: :lol2: :lol2:
I agree...give the cow EVERY CHANCE to calve before just "jumping in"...however, in first heifers the percentage MUST be higher (JMO)...
I figure if you can pull the calf using your hands, or maybe even gloves, the cow (or heifer) should have been able to have it on her own unless she was too exhausted from a prolonged birth.
Shghmh":1r3tb7nq said:Always make sure u double whatever u put on their legs to prevent dislocations or soreness to the calves legs. Put one loop above the joint and one below and make them half hitches (not sure if thats the correct term). If u are pulling alot of calves, u may have problems with the hips of the cows not being wide enough. We had some heifers A.I'd and the guy said 2 of them were narrow in the hips and may have problems. We bred them to easy calving bulls so lets hope that helps. He also said limiting their grain in the last 3 weeks helps with the growth size of the unborn calf to not put as much weight on. You do want a nice big calf but not at the expense of the heifer/cow. If our heifers end up having trouble, they will be going to the sale barn. Can't afford to keep them around and have the calf die because it gets stuck for too long or a C-section! Just some ideas!