Heifer in labor >8 hours - Help

[lakading]

Vet came - tail first, dead. Vet told us it was a very weird presentation and hard to detect to someone new to calving. Learned from our mistake. Yes, thought it was stage 1 when it was actually stage 2. Shame on us, but I came here for advise, not ridicule.

Your gettin advice you are dang lucky you are not putting a bullet in that heifers head as well, some breechs can't be pulled.
If there is one thing I can not stand is people letting cattle suffer for no reason.

Yes, but at least it seems they're willing to learn from their mistakes and are not the type who will continually mistreat animals.

 

[Bama]

Vet came - tail first, dead. Vet told us it was a very weird presentation and hard to detect to someone new to calving. Learned from our mistake. Yes, thought it was stage 1 when it was actually stage 2. Shame on us, but I came here for advise, not ridicule.

From my experience when one comes this way you usually wind up cutting it up to get it out. They can be turned but its a lot of effort. If the calf is already dead its easier to cut it out with a chain saw. ( no, not a homelite )

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

We have had a few breech (mostly just backwards which isn't a big problem). But full breech - if caught fairly early - can be taken care of. Hubby makes cow stand & pushes calf back in. He cups the hoof in his hand & with the other hand somehow twists the hock & pulls the hoof back. Then does the other one. Thing is you need lots of lube. We have a little Central Tractor pump, and I pump while he holds the tube inside the cow & lubes all over. Works slick for any hard calving.
Oh, knock on wood - we only have 5 left - and we haven't palpated one cow to date. Generall there is something malpresented or twins tangles or something requiring assistance.
Thing is, this board member observed his cows enough to see that she was pushing & not progressing. Now he knows this was NOT Stage 1, and HE WON'T LET A COW GO THAT LONG AGAIN. If no progress in 1 hour - they need checking.

 

[dun]

When reaching into a cow I never used to sleeve up, just bare hands. I noticed the vet the other day sleeved up before going into a cow so I asked him about it. He said that if he's only going to have to go in one time he just goes bare handed, but if he thinks he'll have to go in multiple times he sleeves. He maintanes that the hair on your hands and arms will irritate the insdie of the cow and cause swelling if you keep going in and out bare handed but the don;t swell as bad if you use sleeves. I had alwasy thought the swelling was just a natural thing. This wek-end I got to put the saleeving deal into practice. Lo and behold, even though I was in and out of the cow probably a dozen or more times, no swelling.

dun

 

[lakading]

When reaching into a cow I never used to sleeve up, just bare hands. I noticed the vet the other day sleeved up before going into a cow so I asked him about it. He said that if he's only going to have to go in one time he just goes bare handed, but if he thinks he'll have to go in multiple times he sleeves. He maintanes that the hair on your hands and arms will irritate the insdie of the cow and cause swelling if you keep going in and out bare handed but the don;t swell as bad if you use sleeves. I had alwasy thought the swelling was just a natural thing. This wek-end I got to put the saleeving deal into practice. Lo and behold, even though I was in and out of the cow probably a dozen or more times, no swelling.

dun

Great tip. Thanks for sharing.

 

[msscamp]

When reaching into a cow I never used to sleeve up, just bare hands. I noticed the vet the other day sleeved up before going into a cow so I asked him about it. He said that if he's only going to have to go in one time he just goes bare handed, but if he thinks he'll have to go in multiple times he sleeves. He maintanes that the hair on your hands and arms will irritate the insdie of the cow and cause swelling if you keep going in and out bare handed but the don;t swell as bad if you use sleeves. I had alwasy thought the swelling was just a natural thing. This wek-end I got to put the saleeving deal into practice. Lo and behold, even though I was in and out of the cow probably a dozen or more times, no swelling.

dun

Thanks for sharing that, Dun.

 

[WagaAgeyv]

Vet came - tail first, dead. Vet told us it was a very weird presentation and hard to detect to someone new to calving. Learned from our mistake. Yes, thought it was stage 1 when it was actually stage 2. Shame on us, but I came here for advise, not ridicule.

Ok this is my opinion! You guys did not have to be so ruff and ljv if you have been on here you can see they get ruff and opinionated at times. Just remember they started out once as well and they have probably forgotten that. It took guts to ask these guys a few things since you see how they answer others.

Keep coming back and maybe you as well as I and others can learn from all of our mistakes.

Good Luck on your next one!

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

But, Dun, don't you ever worry about disease?? We were always told to sleeve up for your own health safety, especially on a premie - possible abortion due to disease.
Ken NEVER green-arm's it.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Vet came - tail first, dead. Vet told us it was a very weird presentation and hard to detect to someone new to calving. Learned from our mistake. Yes, thought it was stage 1 when it was actually stage 2. Shame on us, but I came here for advise, not ridicule.

Ok this is my opinion! You guys did not have to be so ruff and ljv if you have been on here you can see they get ruff and opinionated at times. Just remember they started out once as well and they have probably forgotten that. It took guts to ask these guys a few things since you see how they answer others.

Keep coming back and maybe you as well as I and others can learn from all of our mistakes.

Good Luck on your next one!

Opinon's are just like buttholes everyone has one and they all stink.
This is a rough business and if you want to survive toughen up,
I bet old IV doesn't make that mistake again They have no one to blame but themselves have to learn to be responsible for your actions and outcomes 600 dollar lesson is a good teacher. Time to move on that calf is worm or coyote food now.

 

[dun]

But, Dun, don't you ever worry about disease?? We were always told to sleeve up for your own health safety, especially on a premie - possible abortion due to disease.
Ken NEVER green-arm's it.

Normally if your arm is green you need to reach just a bit lower. Never tried pulling a calf through there so don;t know but I'ld probably sleeve up for that. As for contracting anything from the birth canal, I rely on 2 things, well maybe 3. Soap, hot water and luck. I learned the first 2 uses as a youngin and the third I've relied on all my life.

dun

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Funny guy - you knew what I meant!
Some people are luckier than others.

 

[Bret]

Vet came - tail first, dead. Vet told us it was a very weird presentation and hard to detect to someone new to calving. Learned from our mistake. Yes, thought it was stage 1 when it was actually stage 2. Shame on us, but I came here for advise, not ridicule.

Thanks for posting. Sorry for the outcome. We all learn from our own mistakes and everyone elses in the fraternity/sorority of cattle raising who posts here. When you get your tail twisted, its usually a good thing. It just doesn't feel that way at the time.

Bret

 

[The Rogue]

thanks for the info Iju I learned somthing I worked in a packing house for 38 years but that does not make me a cattleman only a butcher.sorry about the calf I lost one also this year the Heifer was 5 mos.along.

 

[LangCattleCompany]

Vet came - tail first, dead. Vet told us it was a very weird presentation and hard to detect to someone new to calving. Learned from our mistake. Yes, thought it was stage 1 when it was actually stage 2. Shame on us, but I came here for advise, not ridicule.

Ok this is my opinion! You guys did not have to be so ruff and ljv if you have been on here you can see they get ruff and opinionated at times. Just remember they started out once as well and they have probably forgotten that. It took guts to ask these guys a few things since you see how they answer others.

Keep coming back and maybe you as well as I and others can learn from all of our mistakes.

Good Luck on your next one!

Opinon's are just like buttholes everyone has one and they all stink.
This is a rough business and if you want to survive toughen up,
I bet old IV doesn't make that mistake again They have no one to blame but themselves have to learn to be responsible for your actions and outcomes 600 dollar lesson is a good teacher. Time to move on that calf is worm or coyote food now.

yep tough business. Just too bad there's too many jerks on here to actually give advice that helps. Thankful I don't have to come here for my advice. Just my entertainment.