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Bad presentantion

Silver

Well-known member
Ran a heifer into the barn last night (1:00 am) because she had started calving an hour earlier and had nothing to show for her efforts. I reached in and found the head right where it's supposed to be, minus both front legs. I really hate that particular configuration. Compounding the proble was the fact the heifer was small and the calf was big. Once I got the feet pointed in the right direction (at this point my arms and hands are killing me) I took a pull on it but like a dummy I went and lost the head. So back in to find the head again which now was laid back along its shoulder, nose pointed to the cows belly.... niceley out of my reach. Finally got it straightened around (did I mention my arms and hands were now nearly lifeless? ), installed the snare like I should have done in the first place and pulled the little devil out.... to the hips. Of course by this time the calf wasn't quite as slippery as it should have been, and even though I gave it a couple of breaks (slacking off the pullers to let it have a chance at air) by the time it hit the floor it was quite dead.
However, from this experience I have renewed my appreciation for the head snare and made note to self to employ immediately in future similar situations.
 

Denny

Well-known member
Looks like a home for one of those twins.I lost 2 calves and one heifer over the weekend that very way.Was'nt a good weekend here if it could go wrong it did.Had another monday morning in the same shape first calf was up running around while I pulled a dead twin.Could have used that extra calf though.
 

cutterone

Well-known member
Must be something in the water this year. I've had to assist more cows deliver this year than ever and with only one large birth weight. Talking to others accros the country same thing. Seems like they are not physically flacid enough to calve.
 

randiliana

Well-known member
We have used the snare twice this year, amazing considering that we usually don't use it once per year. One dead, and one alive. Neither one was a hard pull.

The dead calf was dead before we got to it (upside down) and that is why we needed the snare.

The other was a big calf (114 lbs) with a big head. She'd have had it herself except for that head. Thanks to the neighbours black Simmi bull.

Other than that we have had 2 backwards a couple of conveniences and 1 heifer. Oh, and we are done with the heifers this year, yippeeeeee!! Only helped 1 out of 13!!!
 

Silver

Well-known member
I'll bew glad to see the end of the heifers too, I think we still have well over 40 to go. You just never know what kind of curveballs a heifer will throw at you.
 

Emma

Well-known member
Oh man, I shouldn't have read this thread. I'm calving heifers for the first time this year and am already really anxious. I've never pulled a calf before. I'm not only cow-ignorant, I'm also not very big, but fortunately our cattle aren't a big breed anyway. I guess that and a stepstool will help?

What's a head snare and should I run out and buy one off the Internet?
 

randiliana

Well-known member
Emma said:
Oh man, I shouldn't have read this thread. I'm calving heifers for the first time this year and am already really anxious. I've never pulled a calf before. I'm not only cow-ignorant, I'm also not very big, but fortunately our cattle aren't a big breed anyway. I guess that and a stepstool will help?

What's a head snare and should I run out and buy one off the Internet?

What breed are you working with? I don't actually mind calving heifers, but then, we have never run into a real wreck with them yet. 90% of the time things go fine.

A snare is a cable, with a slide (kinda like a bolo tie) that you slip behind the ears, and under the jaw. It has a loop at the end for a handle to attach to it. It is used to keep the head in position, not to pull on the head. We have rarely ever used it, and, I would suggest, that if you are inexperienced, that you get a vet, or someone more experienced to help you rather than go out an get a snare. We have been calving cows out for 15 years (70 head or more a year), and I think we have used it maybe 5 times, 2 of them this year.
 

Emma

Well-known member
randiliana said:
Emma said:
Oh man, I shouldn't have read this thread. I'm calving heifers for the first time this year and am already really anxious. I've never pulled a calf before. I'm not only cow-ignorant, I'm also not very big, but fortunately our cattle aren't a big breed anyway. I guess that and a stepstool will help?

What's a head snare and should I run out and buy one off the Internet?

What breed are you working with? I don't actually mind calving heifers, but then, we have never run into a real wreck with them yet. 90% of the time things go fine.

A snare is a cable, with a slide (kinda like a bolo tie) that you slip behind the ears, and under the jaw. It has a loop at the end for a handle to attach to it. It is used to keep the head in position, not to pull on the head. We have rarely ever used it, and, I would suggest, that if you are inexperienced, that you get a vet, or someone more experienced to help you rather than go out an get a snare. We have been calving cows out for 15 years (70 head or more a year), and I think we have used it maybe 5 times, 2 of them this year.

Thanks, randiliana, I feel somewhat better. I've been training with the vet and he's taught me lots, how could he not when I knew nothing!, but my worry is he'll be on his circuit in eastern Washington just when I run into trouble. He's always telling me not to worry but that's something I just can't learn how to do. I need to spend a calving season on a real ranch.

We have wagyu cattle, and so far have only had to call the vet for one birth assist. The calf was breech and the previous farm manager tried to pull it himself and couldn't. Calf drowned before the vet could get here and get it out. Last year I was presented with Dr. Frank's Fetal Extricator, some shoulder length OB gloves and a bottle of lube. Happily, I haven't had to use any of it yet!
 

Emma

Well-known member
movin' on said:
Emma, I'm kind of getting technical here but you wouldn't have to "run out" to buy something off the internet, would you? :D :D

Exactly. Just making my point that there's nothing left around our area for cattle. My only way to get cattle supplies is via Internet or to drive to eastern Washington where they still admit beef originates from 4-legged animals who have to be cared for. Dog park (*spitting on the ground in disgust*). And get this, one woman I know, unfortunately, was verbally abusing a grocery store butcher for a label on a package of beef because the label had an image of a cow on it. She thought it was crude and barbaric and unnecessary, tho she's a big fan of beef. Sorry. I just wish we weren't farming here, or I guess I wish the local attitude was more realistic and honest.
 

leanin' H

Well-known member
It is sure funny how some years calving is smooth and easy and then there are years like this one. I have neighbors who have lost cows. Goofy presentations like one leg back, head back and good old breech! Last year was a cakewalk compared to this one. Guess it's either the good Lord keepin us humble or murphy's law taking effect depending on your point of view! :roll: It helps to know that my little place isn't the only one that has problems :wink:
 

Silver

Well-known member
leanin' H said:
It is sure funny how some years calving is smooth and easy and then there are years like this one. I have neighbors who have lost cows. Goofy presentations like one leg back, head back and good old breech! Last year was a cakewalk compared to this one. Guess it's either the good Lord keepin us humble or murphy's law taking effect depending on your point of view! :roll: It helps to know that my little place isn't the only one that has problems :wink:

I agree with that 100%. Last night after finding that set of twins I posted the picture of, I took a little nap and went back out..... only to find another set of twins. hmph.
However, as fate would have it, we did happen to have a fresh opening in the motherhood department so after a little skinning on a previous patient (the operation was a succes but the patient perished), we had a mom with a chance for redemption. The second cow with a set of twins looks to be capable of supplying groceries for two at least until another opening comes up. Fortunately, she seems quite willing to take on the task.
So now we've had 3 sets of twins in the last 4 or 5 days to bring the total to 4, several with a leg back, one with both legs back, two with the head back and one backwards. Not to mention that until a few days ago heifer calves outnumbered bulls about 70 to 50. At one point it was 26 to 6 :?
Well, touch wood, but no prolapses (for a few years).
 

randiliana

Well-known member
Emma said:
Thanks, randiliana, I feel somewhat better. I've been training with the vet and he's taught me lots, how could he not when I knew nothing!, but my worry is he'll be on his circuit in eastern Washington just when I run into trouble. He's always telling me not to worry but that's something I just can't learn how to do. I need to spend a calving season on a real ranch.

We have wagyu cattle, and so far have only had to call the vet for one birth assist. The calf was breech and the previous farm manager tried to pull it himself and couldn't. Calf drowned before the vet could get here and get it out. Last year I was presented with Dr. Frank's Fetal Extricator, some shoulder length OB gloves and a bottle of lube. Happily, I haven't had to use any of it yet!

Well, sounds like you have a great vet!! Things will be fine I am sure, and if they aren't, you will surprise yourself and more than likely be able to handle the problem yourself. The biggest thing is to have the confidence to know when it IS NOT something that YOU can handle!!

Breech calves are difficult, and depending on the presentation, very hard to save, fortuneately they are not all that common. Just remember to pull a calf you need either both front legs and a head, or both hind legs and a tail coming. The rest is just figuring out how to get all 3 coming correctly if they are not.

Here is a link with a lot of information

http://www.alotangus.org/calf.html
 

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