life after c-sections

[Santas and Duhram Reds]

We were visiting my wife's family in St. Louis this week and they know very little about agriculture. We were talking cattle and they were asking questions about everything from dairy cattle to veal. ANYWAYS, I mentioned about c-sections which they thought was amazing. The question was then asked if cows that have c-sections will be more likely to require c-sections with future calves. I told them that with double muscled breeds, c-sections were common, but for a normal cow I really didn't know. What say you?

 

[Sage]

If she requires a c-section to deliver a calf she would go down the road here. There isn't enough of a profit margin to take chances on anything questionable in my openion.

 

[dun]

Of the Holsteins I've seen that required c-sections none of them required it on subsequent pregnancys.

 

[UncleLA]

I have an Angus cow that had a c-section about 4 years ago as a first time heifer. She has delivered on her own every year since then. Her only problem is that she won't settle to AI. I don't recall all the "technical aspects"; however, my AI guy said something about when a c-section is performed, often times the cow looses one of her uterin (sp?) horns. I'm pretty sure that the bull has to service her more than one time for her to settle naturally as well.

 

[bigbull338]

we have had only 1 c-section in 37yrs.an that was a 1st calf hol heifer that had a 130+lb hol heifer calf.an she has calved from then on w/o assistance.so once a c-section doesnt mean they will always be c-sections.

 

[randiliana]

The last C-section we had was on a 3 year old Hereford cow, bred Hereford. The calf was 150 lbs. We did keep her, and we got another 5 calves out of her normally, the 6th calf was a C-section. She always had high BW calves, and we made a point of breeding her to our 'heifer bull'. The last calf she had by C-section wasn't huge (113 lbs) but it had blocky shoulders. So, yes, I think in general, a cow with a C-section can go on to have a productive life. However, if the reason for the C-section was because the calf was too big, then your chances of having another C-section are probably fairly high. I have heard stories of people keeping a heifer that had a C-section and then having to have another one the next year...

 

[mnmtranching]

On beef cattle anyway, I can't think of a reason to keep a c-section. Except, if you to the surgery yourself and you need the practice. :cowboy:

 

[MikeC]

I told them that with double muscled breeds, c-sections were common,

Is this something you read, or do you know it to be fact?

There is a Belgian Blue breeder in my area that claims he has never had a C-section done on his farm. Even went so far as to say he hardly ever assists in a birthing.
He claims the calves aren't "muscled up" when they're born, but develop them later.

Just wondering, cause rumors tend to spread much faster than fact.............

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

I told them that with double muscled breeds, c-sections were common,

Is this something you read, or do you know it to be fact?

There is a Belgian Blue breeder in my area that claims he has never had a C-section done on his farm. Even went so far as to say he hardly ever assists in a birthing.
He claims the calves aren't "muscled up" when they're born, but develop them later.

Just wondering, cause rumors tend to spread much faster than fact.............

I had a BB breeder tell me that it was common (normal) to have c-s on anything 3/4 BB & above.
It's not supposed to be the calf that is causing the c-s, it's the cow. She doesn't have the "space" to pass a calf. Not supposed to be a problem with first cross. I have a hard time accepting a breed that can't propagate without intervention.
Now, this was several years ago, and we all have "improved" our breeds to fit modern farming. Maybe ----

 

[ALACOWMAN]

I told them that with double muscled breeds, c-sections were common,

Is this something you read, or do you know it to be fact?

There is a Belgian Blue breeder in my area that claims he has never had a C-section done on his farm. Even went so far as to say he hardly ever assists in a birthing.
He claims the calves aren't "muscled up" when they're born, but develop them later.

Just wondering, cause rumors tend to spread much faster than fact.............

I had a BB breeder tell me that it was common (normal) to have c-s on anything 3/4 BB & above.
It's not supposed to be the calf that is causing the c-s, it's the cow. She doesn't have the "space" to pass a calf. Not supposed to be a problem with first cross. I have a hard time accepting a breed that can't propagate without intervention.
Now, this was several years ago, and we all have "improved" our breeds to fit modern farming. Maybe ----

that would seem more likely the case, when you think about the breeds development .

 

[Santas and Duhram Reds]

with double muscled breeds it is generally the cow's fault that c-sections have to be performed. A double muscled bull used on a "normal" breed cow does not necessarily increase your chances of a c-section. The cow doesn't have room for the calf to pass through the birthing canal.

 

[Keren]

Of the Holsteins I've seen that required c-sections none of them required it on subsequent pregnancys.

ditto with MGs

 

[CKC1586]

I told them that with double muscled breeds, c-sections were common,

Is this something you read, or do you know it to be fact?

There is a Belgian Blue breeder in my area that claims he has never had a C-section done on his farm. Even went so far as to say he hardly ever assists in a birthing.
He claims the calves aren't "muscled up" when they're born, but develop them later.

Just wondering, cause rumors tend to spread much faster than fact.............

I have no first hand knowledge of Belgian Blues, however, I thought that I understood that their calves are DM at birth which contributes to calving problems. I have heard that there are folks that use BBs as terminal crosses with successful calving.
The Piedmontese do not manifest the muscling until the calf is about a month to six weeks old. Calving has improved in North America dramatically with education to breeders on bull selection ( and CULLING). There are four breeders that have had Pieds for about ten years in my area, I have knowledge of one C section (of which to this day discussions conclude he jumped the gun) and she did not breed back and grew wheels. We still deal with the "rumors" of the problems experienced in the early days when the breed was introduced in North America.