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Breeding / Calving Issues
How do YOU pull a calf?
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<blockquote data-quote="randiliana" data-source="post: 507495" data-attributes="member: 2308"><p>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.</p><p></p><p>This is for a calf coming forwards</p><p>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).</p><p></p><p>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.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="randiliana, post: 507495, member: 2308"] 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. [/QUOTE]
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How do YOU pull a calf?
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