This calving season SUCKS

[Putangitangi]

I feel for you and am sorry to read your story.
That's a situation I fear, to the extent that I watch nearly all my cows/heifers calve. I've sometimes waited for a while to see what will happen to a calf that lands on and lies on its own head and occasionally a vigorous licking will help it turn the rest of its body so the head is free but often it looks like that isn't going to happen and I've been glad I was there to fix it.

Most cows, from my observation, aren't deliberately doing anything life-enhancing to their calves when they're born, so they don't take the membranes off the noses of those that will suffocate, unless the calf is lucky and the cow starts in the right place and it rips free; they don't turn them over if their necks are bent, unless they're overwhelmed by hormones and getting a bit rough with the calf.

[pdfangus]

I sat in a truck one time watching a cow calve.
She was a big and veteran cow but not an old cow....
she kept getting up and lying back down but was making progress.
she stood up and the calf was half out and the calf popped right out.
she turned around to lick it and her uterus popped out....
I picked up the radio and called the boss to call the vet...
while I was talking to him the cow fell over dead....had popped the uterine artery.

if you stay at it long enough you will see that ma nature is a harsh old gal sometimes.

in the words of Josey Wales....."Buzzards gotta eat, same as the worms."

[Nesikep]

I feel for you and am sorry to read your story.
That's a situation I fear, to the extent that I watch nearly all my cows/heifers calve. I've sometimes waited for a while to see what will happen to a calf that lands on and lies on its own head and occasionally a vigorous licking will help it turn the rest of its body so the head is free but often it looks like that isn't going to happen and I've been glad I was there to fix it.

Most cows, from my observation, aren't deliberately doing anything life-enhancing to their calves when they're born, so they don't take the membranes off the noses of those that will suffocate, unless the calf is lucky and the cow starts in the right place and it rips free; they don't turn them over if their necks are bent, unless they're overwhelmed by hormones and getting a bit rough with the calf.

Yes, they always start by licking the butt!
Haven't seen you in a while, good to see you back!

[Putangitangi]

Oh I've been around reading, just had nothing much to say.

Calving at present, 32 of 39 done, all well so far other than a couple of really tough pulls and one backwards. Fifth 2-y-o heifer calved easily yesterday to ...whateverhisnameis 878, just slid it out, but two of the earlier heifers needed help (not that bull). One to go.

[AdamsCreek]

Had my first one hung up last night. Looked like it had been dead for a while. By the time I got it out mom went down and gave up and didn't make it. Hurt my feelings pretty good. As small as my little operation is I get attached to these girls.

[True Grit Farms]

That really stinks, my wife and daughter named our first heifer and it died same way. We almost quit after that ordeal, we still lose some but the hurt isn't nearly as bad. Sorry for your bad luck.

[Putangitangi]

I hate losing a single one! There are "farmers" around me who simply accept a level of loss that would equate to at least two of my calves every year.

[coachg]

I feel your pain, things sure can go south in a hurry when it comes to calving. We had 15 in a row, lost a set of twins, and then a 12 day old calf to an umbilical abbcess . Grandpa Griffith use to say you can't lose em if you don't have them and if you have them you are going to lose em. Still stinks !

[ALACOWMAN]

I feel your pain, things sure can go south in a hurry when it comes to calving. We had 15 in a row, lost a set of twins, and then a 12 day old calf to an umbilical abbcess . Grandpa Griffith use to say you can't lose em if you don't have them and if you have them you are going to lose em. Still stinks !

the old Hereford man? Bought a couple bulls from him years ago....

[kucala5]

For all the reasons above it sucks to lose even one.

Our set up and the fact we are a small operation (30 breeders) makes it easy for me to put any heifer or a cow with any difficulty the previous year, in the lot right by the house when they get close to calving. We check them every 4 hours. No problems last year, but the prior year I'm sure this saved us 3 calves. I, like Putangitangi, also birddog all the cows. Only 3 more months till the new babies start dropping...sure do love it!

[cowgirl8]

This is why I spend calving season out in the fields..I usually save one or two from sack suffocation, and risk my life doing it.. This season i'll carry a stick with a hook to do it from my 4wheeler on the run.....Last spring I watched a cow calve from a distance and saw her just lay there...after a few minutes thinking, Yay I don't have to keep hanging around and drove past her on my way out, I saw the calf behind her still fully incased in the sack trying to breath. As quick as I could, I jumped off and tried with my nails to rip a hole in the nose area...That dang thing was so tough I couldn't. Meanwhile, the cow named Stinkeye, got up and put her stinkeye in my eye...One day my family is going to find me crumpled up on the ground and wonder what the heck happened to me...

[Bright Raven]

This is why I spend calving season out in the fields..I usually save one or two from sack suffocation, and risk my life doing it.. This season i'll carry a stick with a hook to do it from my 4wheeler on the run.....Last spring I watched a cow calve from a distance and saw her just lay there...after a few minutes thinking, Yay I don't have to keep hanging around and drove past her on my way out, I saw the calf behind her still fully incased in the sack trying to breath. As quick as I could, I jumped off and tried with my nails to rip a hole in the nose area...That dang thing was so tough I couldn't. Meanwhile, the cow named Stinkeye, got up and put her stinkeye in my eye...One day my family is going to find me crumpled up on the ground and wonder what the heck happened to me...

Here I am telling you to be careful - when I get right there after the calf is out and weigh, spray the navel with iodine, and administer First Defense and Inforce 3. All with the cow there licking and mooing in my face. My cows are very familiar with me but it is a risk!!!

[cowgirl8]

This is why I spend calving season out in the fields..I usually save one or two from sack suffocation, and risk my life doing it.. This season i'll carry a stick with a hook to do it from my 4wheeler on the run.....Last spring I watched a cow calve from a distance and saw her just lay there...after a few minutes thinking, Yay I don't have to keep hanging around and drove past her on my way out, I saw the calf behind her still fully incased in the sack trying to breath. As quick as I could, I jumped off and tried with my nails to rip a hole in the nose area...That dang thing was so tough I couldn't. Meanwhile, the cow named Stinkeye, got up and put her stinkeye in my eye...One day my family is going to find me crumpled up on the ground and wonder what the heck happened to me...

Here I am telling you to be careful - when I get right there after the calf is out and weigh, spray the navel with iodine, and administer First Defense and Inforce 3. All with the cow there licking and mooing in my face. My cows are very familiar with me but it is a risk!!!

Did you see the video of the woman who was tending to a dairy calf....I saw the video and then it was removed from youtube because she was killed. It was brutal and went on forever... I'm sure that cow had been handled all her life, you'd think you'd be sort of safe...

[pdfangus]

you are never safe from any new mother.......of any species....

[dun]

you are never safe from any new mother.......of any species....

That's why a frequently used profanity starts with "mother"