> I read in your post to Vicky hthat
> youve never had to pull a calf in
> 5 years. So I'm wondering, when
> you pulled the calf did you clean
> out his mouth and nostrils? its a
> good idea to always do that when
> you pull a calf as well as remove
> the sac from its head. Since the
> calf was breech it likely had some
> stuff in its nose and mouth b/c
> like i said breech calves are
> prone to drowning/suffocating
> (whatever) b/c the placenta will
> break during birth and the calf
> will have to try to breath inside
> the cow when its oxygen supply is
> cut off. and if it inhales that
> fluid, or milk later, it will be
> susceptible to pneumonia
> (raspyness suggests that). Same
> thing goes about suffocation
> during a normal presentation, the
> placenta may break and if the calf
> is stuck at the hips it could
> suffocate b/c its lungs would not
> be able to expand enough (very
> possible this happened to the
> other calf). I also thought
> perhaps the pulled calf may have
> died of hypothermia but i think
> you said it was in a barn so i
> decided probably not. Selenium
> deficiency also crossed my mind
> but since it sounded like the
> first heifer had a difficult
> birth(b/c you said she didnt get
> up immediately and clean) due to a
> large calf and/or lack of dilation
> (not uncommon for a heifer)and the
> other had a breech calf which is
> out of your and her control i
> think the two instances are most
> likely unrelated. But it certainly
> wouldnt hurt to get some minerals
> with selenium if yours don't have
> it just in case. Like V said, not
> too much though!
> As far as getting the milk goes
> the sooner the better. if they
> arent dummies they will usually
> nurse soon after they first get
> up. i try to watch them so i'll
> know for sure, otherwise it can be
> hard to tell if a cow with a large
> udder has been nursed. I think V's
> recommendation is like preferably
> within 12 hours, 24 is good and
> definitely within 36 or
> something..you need to ask her
> about that. I cant afford to watch
> them all the time so if i;m not
> there to watch them when they
> first try to nurse i give them the
> benefit of the doubt and hope i
> can catch them nursing or tell
> they ahve been the next day. My
> absolute max would be 48 hours
> however last year i rescued a
> heifer that was going on 72 hours
> without having nursed and she in
> great health today but this is NOT
> recommended. the longer you wait
> the less immunoglobins they get
> and more susceptible they are to
> sickness. hope this helped.
I cleaned off the calfs head,mouth and nose the best i could, he really was never a lively little thing at all, comparing now to our newest addition yesterday, who seems to be fine and dandy. But I think you're right about fluid getting in his lungs and such during his birth, all kinda makes since. It was in the high 40's/low 50's that evening so i'm totally ruling out hypothermia. The minerals your talking about, is that something you add to the feed. We're just a little family operation, freezer beef mostly and sell some bulls here and there. We do the best we can on our budget, so we don't go whole hog on things that aren't a must. Not that I think there not necessary, just cut where yah can and still be okay kinda deal. It was my first pull, more less by myself & my son. So I'm assuming I did it right my husband was a work. But hey thank very much for your responses, it's nice to be able to come in here and get some help when yah need it.
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