we have a heifer that had one foot out at 6:00 this morning.. it is now 11 and she still has had nothing... you can see two feet.. vet came out to assist but this heifer will not go to barn and we can't get a halter on her she runs and is nuts! don't really know what to do at this point?? any suggestions? she must be scared cause she usually is very tame.. we have shown her. how long before we are in trouble of losing a baby?
question about how long to calve
- Thread starter cah
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Jeanne - Simme Valley
Well-known member
If a heifer does not progress after 1 hour, she should be checked and assisted.
If she has quieted down, you might be able to "lure" her with grain, since she is used to being handled.
Are your cattle electric fence broke? I use polywire on a reel & tie it off to the corner of the lot/gate & walk around the cattle using the polywire as a moving fence. You have to do this slow & easy if they are not used to it.
Never get a vet out before animal is totally confined. They "smell" "sense" strangers and will not cooperate. Plus, the vet may never want to come out again. Hope you have a good relationship with him/her!
Calf can survive quite a while - but this is getting pretty long. Let us know how you make out - one way or other.
If she has quieted down, you might be able to "lure" her with grain, since she is used to being handled.
Are your cattle electric fence broke? I use polywire on a reel & tie it off to the corner of the lot/gate & walk around the cattle using the polywire as a moving fence. You have to do this slow & easy if they are not used to it.
Never get a vet out before animal is totally confined. They "smell" "sense" strangers and will not cooperate. Plus, the vet may never want to come out again. Hope you have a good relationship with him/her!
Calf can survive quite a while - but this is getting pretty long. Let us know how you make out - one way or other.
hillsdown
Well-known member
5 hours and the legs sre showing, you are in big trouble. Too much stress on the calf .
finally got heifer pinned... it was NOT easy.... anyway.. vet came out and the calve did not make it... he said calve was slightly tilted and did not enter the birth canal like it should have. he estimated she was probably in laber yesterday some and the calve just did not enter properly. It was a hard pull and the mom is still down. we have had pretty good luck in the past two years and have not lost any... I don't know if we will keep her or not??? hopefully she is not down long. thanks for the advice.
Suzie Q
Well-known member
It sounds like she has calving paralysis. It is caused by the calf pressing on a nerve. We do have a product called Key, that we can inject. It is an antinflammatory that takes the swelling down in the nerve.
You can lift her 3 times a day for half an hour. By the hips with a contraption on a Front End Loader.
I have not done this myself, just what we have been told to do. TOUCHWOOD it hasn't happened to us yet.
You can lift her 3 times a day for half an hour. By the hips with a contraption on a Front End Loader.
I have not done this myself, just what we have been told to do. TOUCHWOOD it hasn't happened to us yet.
Jeanne - Simme Valley
Well-known member
I don't imagine you have a hip lift, but you should roll her over onto the opposite hip/side at least 2X day. Not easy, but the longer she stays on one side, the more numb/paralyzed she can get.
cow pollinater
Well-known member
I just learned a new trick from the night time maternity man at my first stop that may help you get her turned:
His skidsteer loader that he usually uses was broken down so he pulled a seldom used gate off it's hinges to use as a lever, a chunk of railroad tie(that has been in the maternity barn for years and no-one seems to know why? :?: ) as a fulcrum point with the gate laid flat under the cows ribs and pulling down.
He turned two cows like that by himself fairly easily.
Most dairymen here will hobble their downers until they've been up for a day or so. It keeps them from splitting open if they do get up. Also, it sounds harsh but it works... if her eyes are bright and she's alert but still not up, grab a hotshot and zap her a few times. You'd be amazed how many cows just need some encouragement.
His skidsteer loader that he usually uses was broken down so he pulled a seldom used gate off it's hinges to use as a lever, a chunk of railroad tie(that has been in the maternity barn for years and no-one seems to know why? :?: ) as a fulcrum point with the gate laid flat under the cows ribs and pulling down.
He turned two cows like that by himself fairly easily.
Most dairymen here will hobble their downers until they've been up for a day or so. It keeps them from splitting open if they do get up. Also, it sounds harsh but it works... if her eyes are bright and she's alert but still not up, grab a hotshot and zap her a few times. You'd be amazed how many cows just need some encouragement.
hillsdown
Well-known member
Something that has been neglected to say very often about pulls or more importantly HARD pulls is that the cow should be standing if at all possible. They have a better chance of not getting nerve damage during delivery .
Heifer was standing during pull..she went down when calve came out... but went out late last night and she was up! so going to ck her this morning and see how she is feeling... probably give her a shot of banimane as requested by the vet and turn her out to green pasture to rest. bummer we lost the calve but glad momma is up. thank you all for your help
CKC1586
Well-known member
YUP! Too late, calf is surely dead after that long.hillsdown":2c9cy3o8 said:
hillsdown
Well-known member
cah":ahmr0gmi said:
That is great news. I would keep her by herself for a little while longer , don't know if you have cattle where you are turning her out to. You do not want her ridden by a few overzealous cow right now so is best to be on the safe side for a few more days. Good luck .
