weird calving happenins

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Malinda

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Joined
Feb 16, 2007
Messages
160
Posting about my bassackwards calves got me to thinking about all the weird things that have happened during calving. Thought I would share a few.

Just as I walked into the barn to check cows I saw a calf drop down into a 100 gallon watering tank. Still can't figure how the cow got the calf high enough to drop it over the rim of the tank. She obviously only had the calf part way out and must have gotten up and swung around to go to her calf just a little too early. I fished the calf out and all was good. Lucky timing on my part. I make sure there are only small watering tubs that are never full now!

Where I used to live all the lots had high tensile fence. I woud always turn off the juice during calving. One year a cow calved near the fence and of course the calf went thru the fence and nose dived right into the creek. Lucky timing again saved the calf. Moved the cows to a different lot after that.

There is one way of loosing a calf that drives me the most insane; having it born alive then suffocating in the afterbirth. I always keep a knife in my pocket and keep the showstich nearby during calving. The hook on the showstick is pretty handy for tearing the placenta. Making sure the cows get enough selenium hepls in prevention.

Had a cow decide to calve with her fanny against a hay ring. When I found her, she was DOWN on her side, fanny still against the hay ring and placenta hanging out her southbound end. Well, it took me a minute to figure out the calf was lying around on the other side of the ring with one of those looks like I think someone is supposed to come and help me. The way the cow was struggling to get up, I was sure she did not have obturator nerve paralysis, so I got her up enough to put a bale of straw behind her. Then I put a halter on her and pulled; she finally got her feet under her and up she came. One more reason I check my maternity ward every two hours.

Well, I have more, but I would love to hear some of your stories. Maybe if we share our train wrecks we can help others prevent problems.

Good day to all,

Malinda
 

chambero

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Feb 12, 2007
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3,207
Location
Texas
We'll usually lose a calf from a heifer each year that doesn't get the calf's face cleaned off (placenta off) quickly enough and we aren't there when she has it.  That is our number one worry.

We lost one like that this fall.  Had another one that I was there when the calf hit the ground and I could see momma was having trouble getting it off.  Don't know why, but it was hard for me to get it torn off, but baby was fine.

Had one backwards calf this year in the pasture.  Calf was dead and momma went down in her back.  She got a lot better, but we still sold her.

Had another heifer this year absolutely refuse to take her calf.  She had "CPS" called on her and received a trip to the sale barn.  Her calf was put on a cow that lost a calf out in the pasture.  We've had very good luck getting cows/heifer to take someone else's calf.  We usually just lock them up in a small pen.  Sometimes you have to catch their head the first couple of times to get the calf started sucking, but it doesn't take much.
 

fluffer

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Sep 6, 2007
Messages
644
Location
Springfield, Ohio
Very intersting Topic  (clapping)

For me its Prolapsed Uterus.  I have had 2 thus far (in 11 years of calving probably not bad)

My first was my prized possession show cow with her 3rd calf.  It was 2am on a very cold and snowy morning.  I had a monitor on her and saw she was calving.  Helped her calve then her uterus came flying out after the calf.  Called the vet and he didn't want to come at 2 am and we were in the middle of getting a ton of snow, but talked him into it.  Meanwhile in the calving pen my prolapsed cow was trying to lay on her new baby.  She had no interest in licking him, just wanted to lay right up against him.  The vet came and it to 2 epidurals to get to the point we could get her uterus back in.  We all covered in blood by the end of the whole ordeal.  When my vet left he said he had to go get gas.  I told him the way he looked I bet he wouldn't have to pay  ;D

The 2nd was just a few years ago we had a first calf heifer calf up against a tree.  Found her with the calf partially out, but stuck from the tree being in the way.  I called for a couple of High School boys who were working for us at the time to come help me drag the cow over so we could pull the calf out.  When the calf came out the uterus came  out.  I tried all of my magic tricks I know to get a uterus back in, but none would work because I couldn't get the cow up or laying down with her legs out behind her.  Had to call the vet because my Hubby wouldn't tell me where the ammo was for the gun.  Before the vet got there the cow went stumbling though the woods ripping her uterus on every pricker bush there was.  We finally bull dogged her and blind folded her, got a halter on her and held her until the vet got there.  He flipped the uterus back in and she also lived.  Lucky for her, she only lived to be hauled to the sale barn.

Those are my 2 best stories.  Can't wait to see what the rest of you have.... (cow)
 

ELBEE

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Feb 7, 2007
Messages
635
Location
Blue Rapids, Kansas
I can't prove it, but I firmly believe new Born's suffocating in placenta is the number one cause of calving deaths.

The other most common first calf heifer problem we have has already been mentioned, (heifers trying to push a calf out while backed up to some unmovable object). I even found a newborn upside-down, between the interior and exterior walls of the polebarn, had to pull a couple of 2X6's to get him out. That's why I'd just-as-soon assist every heifer, if I had the choice.

"The best money you can make is pullin calves."

 

Malinda

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Joined
Feb 16, 2007
Messages
160
I agree with ELBEE about first calf heifers.

I am anal about using easy calving bulls on heifers. I would have bred my DZ donor cow to a Jersey if I would have thought it necessary. Even bred to easy calving bulls, heifers still drive me nuts. I time their progress and if they stop making progress I am in the southbound lane with my arm in a flash. When in doubt, I never hesitate pulling a calf on any heifer/cow. Wouldn't be without my chains and trusted calf jack; best money you can spend even if you only own one pregnant bovine.

Just not into swollen heads, swollen tongues hanging out and cows that can't get up.......... or dead babies.

Had a cow not making progress a few years ago, so I put her in the chute. Both front feet were just out and when I palpated her the head was not right there. The little rascal had his head pointed down as if trying to come out poll first. I kept getting a grasp under his jaw and pulling his head up and then he would just put it right back down. Finally decided it was chain time. Pulled him far enough into the cervix that he couldn't put his head down. Then it is decision time. Do I give the cow time to do her thing on her own or do I pull the calf? I pull. The cow was getting tired and the chains were on. He was an extremely easy hand pull with chains only but the calf was slow to get up. I would have had the big dumb bull calf senerio if I would have waited.

Have a good one,

Malinda
 

fluffer

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Sep 6, 2007
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644
Location
Springfield, Ohio
Malinda, I get a kick out of your terms aka south bound lane.

You talking about a calf jack brought up a couple of old memories...

I had a Standardbred mare that I was boarding for a group of guys.  She was about 2 weeks overdue, which is very common with horses.  This mare however, had lost several foals up at a breeding farm in NY that had 2 vets on staff 24/7 and cameras in the stalls.  So I got the feeling I better call the vet out to take a little look see.  She came out and said that the foal was right there and if the mare didn't foal by midnight to give her some oxytocin.  Well about 2 hours after the vet left she called me back and asked if I had a baby on the gound yet, I said no, she is about the same.  Acting a little labor like but not really.  She said she had called her husband who was a horse vet at OSU and that he told her not to come home until the baby was up and sucking.  She came out and when  she went to pull the colt it had regressed in the birth canal.  So we put some chains on him and made a little progress until he got stuck.  Not only was he stuck, his tongue was haning out and very blue.  With no time to waste we pulled out the calf jack and cranked the sucker out.  He was a big ole boy, but he lived and so did she.  So glad the vet called her husband!

The other time I had a dead calfupside down and  backwards (out of the same cow mentioned in my previous post) She stood in the middle of the pasture and I cranked him out.  I broke his back and dislocated his hip in the process.

Then last march I came home from Expo early to find a cow grazing with a calfs back feet hanging out a few inches (just far enough I knew they were back feet)  Assuming the calf was dead because she didn't appear to be in labor, I got a few inlaws to help me round her up and run her to the barn.  By the time we got her to the barn the calf had gone back down from all the running.  I went fishing and we pulled him out and HE WAS ALIVE!!!!!  His name is Lucky, sort of, he is a steer!
 

SWMO

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Jul 27, 2007
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715
Location
Carthage MO
Hey guys,  I was told by an older purebred breeder not to tell how much experience we have had pulling calves (LOTS over the years) something about it being offputting to prospective buyers. 

My most aggervating experiences are with cows that won't claim their calf or love it to death until it tries to nurse and then kick the poor calf's head off.  I tend to lose my patience very quickly with those.

The best was a 1st calf heifer that dropped her calf in the dirt and walked away from it.  The heifer was halter broke before we got her to accept the calf.  Next year watched her drop her calf in the dirt and walk away.  Never even sniffed the calf.  She didn't get a third chance.  Had a cow that had lost her calf four days prior take one look at the calf and it was a match.  Easiest adoption ever.

But I will never say that I have seen it all.  Always bites me in the butt.  lol.
 

Will

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May 7, 2007
Messages
744
Location
Jay Ok
One of the craziest things I have had happen recently was last spring.  I found a cow down about two weeks before her due date.  We figured it was grass tetanus, called the vet he came and mainlined her everyday for four day with no changes.  The cow would hold her head up and eat and drink, actually got were she would turn her head away for the medicine.  Vet decides it is the calf putting pressure on a nerve, we induce labor.  She has the calf and I figure I have an orphan.  She rolls to her side and the calf nurses her like a baby pig.  10 days later she gets up and has never looked back.  Will probably sell the cow this fall but I am going to keep that heifer she is the biggest stoutest heifer born in the spring.  Several wanted her for a project but my 5 year old already claimed her.
 

Rocky Hill Simmental

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Joined
Aug 22, 2007
Messages
397
Location
Missouri
I had a heifer who would not claim her first calf for anything. She kicked it (I took a few of those kicks for the poor thing) and pushed it over when it first tried to stand up. We had to tie her everyday for 4 months (she was an easy to work with show heifer otherwise I would have bottle fed the baby and sold the mom). Good looking little calf though (6 months now) - I'm going to show her next year since she's already kind of time from being around people all the time.
 

Diamond

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Nov 14, 2007
Messages
715
Location
CT
I have had some tough times with heifer calving out, mainly with my simmis and maines but the calf that sticks the most in my mind was a 120 pound bull calf that was a vary hard pull, lived for 24 hours, and died in my arms. The little guy was fantastic, but sadly he had no strangth when he was born.

Im proud to say I haven't (nock on wood not to jinks it) had to pull or lose a calf out of my heifers since I switched my heifer bull to a murray grey bull, who seemes to work great on whatever I crossed him up with.
 
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