Umbilical dragging the ground

[T & B farms]

I usually have a couple of these a year, very long umbilical. Dragging the ground and getting dirty. What is the proper thing to do? Trim it, or let it be? I had one bleeding really bad A few days ago so I tied it in a knot. Right or wrong it worked.
Also my calf warming box showed up last night, have the first calf in it now. The grate in the bottom completely shredded the white protective hoof on all 4 feet. Pretty much all the way down to the actual hoof. Should I worry about that, or will she be just fine?

 

[Rydero]

It could be a route for infection to get to the navel. I'd likely shorten it by holding both sides and tearing it off (not cutting-easier to clot/close), leave it a few inches long, then dipping or spraying it with iodine. I've had cows that bite them shorter too.
Is the grate steel? I've usually seen ones with plastic grates. I wouldn't worry too much about it though unless they were getting to the point of making the calf have sore feet.

 

[76 Bar]

Excellent advice Rydero. I'd add...if the calf is close at hand I'd continue to dip/spray the navel for a few days and/or until it appeared shriveled/dried up. Not to worry about the hoof shredding, its designed to protect the dam from injury during the birth process and typically is completely worn off 24 hrs post partum.

 

[Nesikep]

last year I had a calf and his navel bled like heck, I took a piece of string and tied it off.. Usually if it's particularly long I'll cut it to about 6" long, that's about as long as you can have it so the cow doesn't grab hold of it too hard and rip it off.. iodine of course

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

If you have emasculators, you can cut it off with it.

 

[T & B farms]

Thank you all for the help. I ended up pulling some of it off. Hosed it down good with iodine. I try to spray every newborns navel real good, but some dummy keeps leaving it in the truck over night. The nice orange stain in my passenger seat should be a good reminder from now on.

 

[76 Bar]

The nice orange stain in my passenger seat should be a good reminder from now on.

Goes without saying, its helpful when dealing with animals to have a modicum of a sense of humor.