We have had a heifer in stage one labor since this AM around 7. She lays and pushes, gets up and pushes, walks around, paces, etc. But there has been no legs sticking out or anything. How long should we go before we call the vet? It is now almost 8 hours.
Heifer in labor
- Thread starter ljV
- Start date
Help Support CattleToday:
A
Anonymous
You have two options, Let nature work it's course and see what happens, Or my option of calling a vet, there is a chance that if she has been physically "pushing" and trying that long that the calf is breeched or dead. But, I have seen heifers in labor for a long time. Myself, call the vet!
certherfbeef
Well-known member
Do you have a chute? Can you get her caught?
ALACOWMAN
Well-known member
Sounds like trouble probably malpresentation since no feet are present.
randiliana
Well-known member
ljV":2lk2odne said:
I would get her into a chute and glove up and check her out. She could just be getting ready, but if she has been messing around for that long, it could be backwards, or have a leg/head back, or simply be too big. Check her out then you will know what is going on and whether or not you need the vet.
Beefmaker
Active member
It sounds like a breech to me. I would check immediately.
You definately needed to intervene sooner but I have to say we had a heifer last year we waited a couple hours then intervened the calf was not too big and was coming out right it was like the hiefer was lazy during labor and didn't push hard enough she didn't even help us push will we were pulling. Hope everything is ok
jkwilson
Well-known member
ljV":1g7yagdp said:
Learning from a mistake is nothing to be ashamed of. Not like it was a kid that died. Don't be afraid to stick your arm in and see what the situation is when they start pushing. Two feet and a nose, you can be a little patient any other combination and you've got to help. Most people can pull a reverse presentation with feet or fix a folded back leg by themselves. Nothing like no answer when you call the vet to learn it yourself. Better luck next year.
It's nice to hear some encouragement - this is our first time with a malpresentation. We have books on the subject and take good care of our cattle - we are not big ranchers and don't try to act like it, just trying to make some extra money on our farm. If you don't learn from your mistakes, how do you learn? That is why I joined this forum. Hoping to learn even more.
ALACOWMAN
Well-known member
if You can sort through the bs youll learn plenty
jkwilson
Well-known member
ljV":1jarje8s said:
I've always been told that "A wise man learns from the mistakes of others." I've also been told that an expert is someone who has made every mistake possible in his field.
jkwilson":206f9sr7 said:
I must be working towards being an expert. I've made all of the mistakes that I could in the situation at hand. But I know there will alwasy be more new mistakes to be made.
dun
A tail first presentation is always a pain. I don't know what our success rate with backward presentations is here. We certainly have had some spectacular successes over the years but I would bet that we get a live calve less than 50% of the time when the calf is coming backwards.
Kent
Well-known member
Everyone loses a calf now and then. You did what you knew to do. Now you know a little more. It's a learning process until you're old and gray and you sell out. You sought advice and called the vet and the calf died. That's the cattle business. Sorry you lost the income for this year. It hurts worse the smaller your operation is. :cboy:
