Induced cow

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randiliana

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When to induce a cow into calving?? We have done it a few times, up till now it has always been prolapsers that we have induced. With good results.

This time was a cow that had been having trouble getting around. She had a lot of trouble getting up after she laid down. In her case we were fairly certain that it was a set of twins causing the problem (could also have been a huge calf). She was putting so much to them that she didn't have enough energy to support herself. I have seen the same thing in sheep.

We also had a due date on her. She was due on April 6 so we weren't too concerned that the calf/calves would be born too early. So we gave her a shot Saturday evening. She went into labour this morning. We wanted her in the barn, but she was unable to get up at the time so we left her rather than stress her even more by trying to force her up. Finally though, we figured we better check her out, and there were 3 feet there, so now we knew it was twins. She also finally was able to struggle to her feet at the same time so we did get her into the barn. The first calf had his head back. Wasn't a great problem, and we quickly had him on the ground. Not a bad sized calf for a twin. #2 was coming correctly, but didn't really want to come out into the big world, he kept jerking his feet out of our grasp but finally we were able to get the chains on him, and he slid right on out too, this one is even bigger than #1. She was cooking quite a pair of calves ;-) . 2 healthy bull calves on the ground. She was in the process of cleaning them up when we last looked in on her, and they were both trying to get up. They are out of our Shorthorn bull. This is live set #2 here.

Wouldn't suggest inducing very often, but in this case I think it was the correct decision. She will only get to raise 1 of them. The other will join the ranks of our bottle calves (3 others)

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What did you use to induce labor? I've only seen it done twice, once turned out fine (twin heifers), other time didn't turn out good (lost the calf) -- but twice isn't enough for me to take a stand one way or the other.

Congrats on the live, healthy calves, BTW.
 
Have an overdue cow that our vet said to wait until twenty days past the 283 day mark...and not to induce unless the cow has her milk.
Nice twins...we never have had a set. DMc
 
milkmaid":2vir7r4b said:
What did you use to induce labor? I've only seen it done twice, once turned out fine (twin heifers), other time didn't turn out good (lost the calf) -- but twice isn't enough for me to take a stand one way or the other.

Congrats on the live, healthy calves, BTW.

12 cc's Dexamethasone. I think this is the fourth time we have induced a cow. The other 3 were prolapsers. On those we waited until she had bagged up some and was springing fairly well before we induced as we didn't have a due date on any of them. All calves were alive, and fine. The biggest thing with inducing is that the cow doesn't clean. Doesn't much matter (breeding back wise) if she is a cull anyways. I wouldn't induce a healthy cow though I don't think.
 
Susie David":al7f2xpl said:
Have an overdue cow that our vet said to wait until twenty days past the 283 day mark...and not to induce unless the cow has her milk.
Nice twins...we never have had a set. DMc

We have never induced an overdue cow. But, our cows run with a bull, and even with a due date (on the first cycle) they could have missed and been bred for the second cycle. And we have never had a cow go that late on the second cycle. I think the longest we have ever knowingly had a cow go overdue was about 10 days. But then we don't have due dates on every cow. There have been some at 18 days past due, but I always figure those ones missed the first cycle and caught to the second.

How much overdue is your cow? And are you sure of the breeding date?
 
Good call - probably (most likely) saved the calves & cow by a management decision.
Inducing labor is a great TOOL - but the calf must be ready to come out.
The reason the vet is saying wait 20 days is because he thinks there's a chance she was rebred. Cow must be bagged up & loosened ligaments - READY!!
 
Jeanne - Simme Valley":35x33wkk said:
Good call - probably (most likely) saved the calves & cow by a management decision.
Inducing labor is a great TOOL - but the calf must be ready to come out.
The reason the vet is saying wait 20 days is because he thinks there's a chance she was rebred. Cow must be bagged up & loosened ligaments - READY!!

Exactly, if she hasn't at least started to show, then there is no point to inducing labour. You will either end up with a LOT of work (trying to save the calf) or simply a dead calf. Unless you AI'd her and she was never with a bull again you cannot be sure she is actually due on that date. Some cows will show for 2 full cycles. We have one right now, she was observed bred to calf Mar 8 AND she was showing before that date. However, she never progressed enough to calve on the date and has not calved yet. She could have possibly missed the first AND second cycle, and not calve until the end of April. She is overdue to the second cycle now, but I do believe she will calve in the next few days as she is developing more and more.

I don't think it is very often that cows go overdue to the point that they need to be induced.
 
This is an intresting topic .
I induce about 4 or 6 healthy cows/heifers every year.
But , so far only AI animals so I know their dates.
My thinking is it's easier on the cow or hiefer if they're overdue to induce rather than possibly pull the calf or have a C-section.
I've never had one retain either.
I would be intested to hear other peoples experiences with inducing .
 

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