Water Bag Hanging Out

[Cibster]

I have a cow that is due on 1/25. She is AI bred and no way she could have been bull bred earlier. 2 nights ago I was checking cows and saw her water bag out and I could see the feet of the calf. So I put her in the barn and expected to see her with a calf the next morning. Came out the next morning and water bag is not there and no calf. So I let her back out....thinking maybe I was sleep walking/dreaming the night before. Next night she does the same thing. So I called the vet and told her what was going on. Vet said reach in and see if calf will move. I did and the calf will respond to pinching its hoof. Since then her water bag has been constantly hanging out and appears to almost be getting larger. The cow acts fine. Eats, drinks and all that. Vet says if calf is still responding to just leave be and see what happens. She has never heard or seen this before so it makes me nervous. I really just want to pop the water bag and get the calf out of there. Anyone ever had or seen this before???

 

[NEFarmwife]

I'm sure we would have pulled it but if the water bag is in tact, should be ok?

Does momma act like she's in labor? I'd worry about stress on the calf.

 

[Cibster]

That's the thing, my gut is telling me to get it out of the cow, but the vet says just wait. Cow doesn't act like she is in labor. I worry if we leave the calf in, when it does finally come out it will be dead. If we get it out now I think it would be ok. The only thing keeping me from getting it out is that it's not really due until the 25th.

 

[slick4591]

I've had two where the water bag was hanging and feet visible. I watched for an hour or so and pulled the calf because there was no progress. I would have done it long ago in your situation.

 

[Cibster]

Decided after reading the couple of responses that I should go with my gut and get the calf out. Said a little prayer while walking out to the barn that the calf would be ok once I got it out. Walked in the barn and smelled something a little different and when I got to her pen that was a calf laying there.....alive and healthy!!! I'm going to give her a chance to lick it off some more and then going to palpate her and check for a twin. I moved the calf onto some dry straw and it can't weigh more than 50#.

 

[NEFarmwife]

Decided after reading the couple of responses that I should go with my gut and get the calf out. Said a little prayer while walking out to the barn that the calf would be ok once I got it out. Walked in the barn and smelled something a little different and when I got to her pen that was a calf laying there.....alive and healthy!!! I'm going to give her a chance to lick it off some more and then going to palpate her and check for a twin. I moved the calf onto some dry straw and it can't weigh more than 50#.

Good thought on checking for twin. I'd say 50# is a decent size for an early calf. We had a 40# that was 28 days early. Thriving! Good luck to you.

We've always found that when we have "weird" water bags, we better check for a twin. Nothing quite like your situation but none the less, I'd definitely arm her and see.

We had a surprise twin a couple days ago. We paired everything up that calved. They stay in the pens for approx 6-8 hours. Then pair out once they look like they're doing ok. Calves sucking, etc... we pair them out to a different area and we had a spare after they were turned out. It was bizarre to think a twin came so long after the first.

 

[slick4591]

Sure glad to come back to this thread and read that! Congrats!

 

[Nesikep]

I had a cow have 110 lb (each) twins.. huge cow.. lost the second one because I didn't imagine there'd be another one in there.. good idea on checking!

 

[T & B farms]

I've been having a lot of them 16-20 days early this year. Had one out of a heifer last night that was 51 lbs. Was up and sucking in less than 30 min. So far things have went pretty well. It's one muddy sob here. I'd rather it be 0 degrees than battle this mud.