How do YOU pull a calf?

[grubbie]

Just curious, different parts of the country have so many different ways of doing things. I do it like my Grandpa and Dad did. We keep the heifers in a small pasture, about 10 acres. If we see them having trouble they are easily moved to a corral from there, then into a very small pen, 20 by 20 feet or so. Throw a rope on her and snub her up to a post, two wraps around the post without overlapping the rope. If the rope overlaps and she goes down, you either have to cut the rope or she strangles. I put nylon straps, not chains, on the calf's feet and pull by hand at first. A real tough one I have a puller like the vet uses. If she goes down we just give her plenty of slack on the rope and let her lay down, pull when she pushes. Haven't had to pull one for a looooong time, knock on wood!

 

[shorty]

I only ever had to pull two , the first one was in the barn tied to a post ,she laid down and we pulled it with chains ,it took her almost 2 hrs to get up but everything was fine we fed the calf right away when we saw she couldn't get up . The other one was laying down in the pasture when I found her and I didn't have anything with me and I took my belt off and helped her , she wasn't tied .

 

[sidney411]

I've had to pull several out of 1st calf heifers that for some reason all of one breed were big calves and all of the other breed were small easy calving. Anyway, we have 2 gates in the pens which are the same width apart as a chute. Put her in between them and if she goes down just open up the gates. We use ob chains and try to pull with handles 1st and then with the rachet type puller if I can't pull by hand. The 1st year I was around the cattle I did have one old cow that had obviously lost her calf the year before and was huge fat, she had huge pons on her tailhead and the calf was a huge bull calf and was stuck and dead. She was not happy either. That was my 1st pull and we called the vet out. It was expensive but I learned a lot that night. He snubbed her to a post and she choked down, he ended up having to cut her a bit to get the calf out. It really was nasty as the calf had been dead a few days.

 

[randiliana]

We have a calving pen in the barn. It has a headgate, and 2 swinging gates so if a cow goes down we can open them up. Our cattle are all brought in to a smaller pasture near calving time, so if needed, it is easy to get one into the barn. We clean the cow up, especially if we have to look for a calf. Then determine how the calf is positioned. We seem to get a few upside down ones every year.

This is for a calf coming forwards
We use chains, one loop above the fetlock, and a half hitch below. Once the chains are on we pull first with the handles, pulling when she pushes and holding while she rests. If all goes well, we get the calf on the ground. If we can't pull it by hand, but are sure it is small enough for her to have we put the puller on. With the puller, I will always put tension on with it in the horizontal, and then push it down. Once the calf comes some, I do it over again. This way there is a smaller chance of me doing damage to the calf, as I am not cranking and putting extra tension downwards at the same time. And I can feel what is happening, and put as much or little tension as I think is necessary and safe. Once we get the calf out past the ribs, we take a moment to get him breathing. If the calf hiplocks, we twist the calf sideways, and/or roll the dam over if it is bad enough (only done that once or twice).

For backwards calves we do pretty much the same, but we don't pull downwards, and we hurry more than we would with a forwards calf.

 

[bigbull338]

we just use OB chains or bare hands pulling calves.most times if the cow is calm an will let us we pull the calf out in the pasture.if theres a prob.we put them in the corral an then the chute.an pull the calf.an if theres a prob we use the come along to pull the calf.

 

[dun]

We run them in the chute, grope around and figure out what the problems is and put the chains on the calf and a halter on the cow. Tie off the lead rope t6o the front of the chute with enough slack that the cow can exit the chute. Then we pull as needed. If I should need a calf jack, haven;t in a long time other then a 100plus pound heifer calf out of a 1000 lb heifer, I just call the vet. He's a neighbor and has pulled more cows in a season then most of us together will in a lifetime. That was the only time we've used a jack on our cows/heifers since I can remember. Bought the heifer bred to a bull different then they thought she was bred to. Long story, but after the semen has been deposited it's a little late to be checking to make sure you have the right bull.

 

[cfpinz]

Took a 3/8" rope and braided the ends back onto itself, use it most of the time. Prefer not to use chains unless it's necessary.

But most of the time I just get out of the way and let the wife do it.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

randiliana - we do pretty much like you do - but - we use a rope if chains & handle isn't enough. We tie to a post, loop thru one handle and back around post - like a come-a-long. We push down with contractions & take up the slack. We do own a mechanical puller but can't remember if we EVER used it here on our farm.
Also, we use LOTS of lube. I mix up some J-lube in a tub & have a small hand pump with a long piece of hose. Hubby guides the hose where he wants lube & I pump it. They come out soooo much easier if the are real slimey!

 

[MikeC]

I get the cow in the chute. Tie the calfs front feet to the rear chute support, and turn her out. :lol:

 

[hrbelgians]

I get the cow in the chute. Tie the calfs front feet to the rear chute support, and turn her out. :lol:

Very goooooood! :lol2: :lol2:

 

[Victoria]

Almost all of our cows I am able to help on the field if necessary. I put on the gloves and have a really good feel on size and make sure everything is lined up properly. Then I use chains. After putting on the chains I put big winter gloves under the plastic gloves so I can wrap the chains around my hands for pulling. I'm not all that strong and this helps. I will intervene sooner than a lot of people again due to my strength. I need to have the help of the cow so I can't wait until she is too tired. I don't go running around pulling every cow I see though either.
If the calf is really large or is a malpresentation I get the cow in and phone the vet. He comes day or night, charges very little and doesn't mind coming. Thankfully he doesn't come often for pulling anyway.

 

[I luv herfrds]

We normally try to get the cow in the barn. There we have a head catch in a pen.

The wood gate in front of the catch swings backwards. The metal gate works like a sqeeze. There is a wooden gate not shown to the right with a logging chain bolted to it. The chain hooks to the metal gate. Now if we are concerned that the cow will go down we will leave the head catch shut and just squeeze her in there. There is another pen behind this one with gate that swings open to give you room to work. Especially if it is a breech birth.
We just use OB chains and handles with a straight forward birth, but pull out the calf puller for the breech.

 

[Running Arrow Bill]

Couple of weeks before calf is due we put cow in one of our "Maternity Pens" (50 x 75 ft with water, loafing shed, feed/hay bunk.

Then, when calving is about to happen, we sit on the other side of the fence with digital camera ready. Wait a little while and watch the calf drop to the ground. The 500 years or so of longhorn genetics has evolved a LH cow that can do it by herself without any problems...

 

[rkm]

I know Mike was joking, but remember back in the sixties when my brother and I was just starting. We were young, green, and stupid. We never had chains or nylon rope; we used baling twine and a short stick for a handle. When we went out to pasture to check the cows we just put 4 or 5 bale strings in our pocket. 8) One time we had a cow in a box that was having a problem calving and while she was laying down we looped the baling twine around each leg of the calf and tied a broken fork handle to them. Well we forgot to put a halter on the cow and tie her down. About the time we got down to pull she decided to get up. Around and around that box stall she went, we tried stop her but she would none that until that handle caught on something; she gave a big bawl and out popped the calf. She never stopped until she found the calf on the next round. Momma and calf were fine but my brother and I had a few bumps trying to stop her.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

I havent pulled one in 36 years. When we did it though we would just pull it by the front feet like you normally would.

Boy, you must be doing something right. Not one breech, malpresentation, tangled up twins, upside down??? Oh, I know, the cow was able to have all of the above without assistance. Bet you have 100% live calves.
Lucky you. I wish I was that lucky.

 

[Sage]

Search for Dr. Mortimer he does several seminars and has some videos on calving.

 

[cfpinz]

I havent pulled one in 36 years. When we did it though we would just pull it by the front feet like you normally would.

Boy, you must be doing something right. Not one breech, malpresentation, tangled up twins, upside down??? Oh, I know, the cow was able to have all of the above without assistance. Bet you have 100% live calves.
Lucky you. I wish I was that lucky.

Maybe he only has one cow! Or none!

 

[msscamp]

I get the cow in the chute. Tie the calfs front feet to the rear chute support, and turn her out. :lol:

Yep, that sounds about right. :lol: :lol: