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How to pull a dead calf

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Soapweed

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Location
northern Nebraska Sandhills
About noon I spotted a cow that appeared to be calving, in a bunch a mile and a half from home. She didn't have a very tight udder, and I see why I didn't sort her out with the "heavies" last week. As today was the first time it warmed up to twenty degrees in several days, I assumed everything would turn out alright. Going back to check on her later this afternoon, I discovered she still had not calved, so it became necessary to get her in to check her out.

The cow had not dialated very much, and the calf was not in proper position. One of the front legs was above the head, and the other was coming correctly. As I was taking pictures and giving advice :wink: , Brock was the first one to don plastic gloves to enable him to check out the delivery. He still lacks experience in this department, so was soon stymied.

Peach Blossom came along, and this is right up her alley as she has papers to prove that she graduated as a Registered Nurse. The calf was tangled up enough that it was even hard for her to attach the chains. I even had to forego taking pictures and try my hand at the game. With a little rest, and the cow having dialated a bit more, Peach Blossom finally won. She attached the chains, and we used the mechanical puller to deliver the calf. It was sure dead, and probably had been for a few hours. At least we saved a vet bill, and the cow will be fine. Hopefully she will come to her milk so we can use her for another calf.

Here is the sequence of pictures documenting the procedure.

Subzeroscene.jpg

Subzero scene
Ohwhatatangledwebweweave.jpg

Oh, what a tangled web we weave
Earstrouble.jpg

Ears trouble. Just one more mile to go.
Keepa-chuggin.jpg

Keep a-chuggin'
Forwardeverbackwardnever.jpg

Forward ever, backward never
Aroundthecorner.jpg

Around the corner
Doingfine.jpg

Doing fine
Headingforthebarndoor.jpg

Heading for the barn door
Movingtherightdirection.jpg

Moving in the right direction
Nowifshewouldjustturncompletelyarou.jpg

Now if she would just turn completely around
Gettingclose.jpg

Getting close
Securedfortheoperation.jpg

Secured for the operation
Goingforthegusto.jpg

Going for the Gusto
KosmoKidsuitedupanddivingin.jpg

Kosmo Kid suited up and diving in
Saddletrampholdingthecowup.jpg

Saddletramp holding the tail and keeping the cow from going down
PeachBlossomtotherescue.jpg

Peach Blossom to the rescue
TheKid.jpg

The Kid
Pensintheoldbarn.jpg

Pens in the old barn
 
Soapweed: How did anybody ever manage cows before we got portable panels :wink: :lol: The only problem with them is I never seem to have quite enough at the place I happen to be working!
 
So if I grab the camera I can get the number one son and wife to do the nasty stuff-that Soapweed is much smarter than he appears lol. :wink:
 
Faster horses said:
Who got the cow in? Doesn't Peach Blossom ride the paint horse?

What a woman!!!!

Getting the cow in was my contribution. :wink: But I did borrow her good horse just in case the cow gave me fits.

All joking aside, Peach Blossom is the top hand in the whole countryside as far as I'm concerned. She can do it all, and do it cheerfully, to boot. Then when it's time to get all spiffied up and look like a lady, she can also do that very well. :)
 
Good job and great pixs. That is the way it is around here-the whole family helps out(2sons). We had a cow at the beginning of calving about the same way-finally got her in ,but too late our fault on the timing. Anyway the head was turned tight against the left side. So put a heifers calf on her as the heifer did not have much milk. Got to have a little trouble as it just is not right if all goes too smooth :eek: The last couple of yrs. have been pretty easy calving here-weather and complications,so I jinks us by saying that this would probably be a calving season of a bit more work.
 
I agree with the rest Soapweed you have a nice set up & good help,hopefully that will be the only one you loose this year...........good luck.
 
theHiredMansWife said:
How did anybody ever manage cows before we got portable panels

I read somewhere that you're supposed to rope her and tie the cow off to a tree.

My first thought was:


Tree? :wink:

I have a heifer with a sore foot so I treated her today.I roped her and dallied her off to a RR Tie then grab another rope and healed her and tied her off to a feed bunk.It's Hell being your own horse.
 
I better name my next horse Denny, I'll bet he will pull his own weight :wink:

Soapweed, thanks for sharing, too many people will not admit that they have trials and tribulations and that all ranching is not the good stuff. Well it's not, we go through bad things all of the time, that is why we have the ability to recognize the good in simple things, because we have faced the bad and lived to tell about it. Have you noticed the number of pictures placed in here that are the pure beauty of what we do, where we live and how we do it? If it weren't for the bad, we would not enjoy the good nearly as much. I feel some poetry coming on :!:
 
sw said:
I better name my next horse Denny, I'll bet he will pull his own weight :wink:

Soapweed, thanks for sharing, too many people will not admit that they have trials and tribulations and that all ranching is not the good stuff. Well it's not, we go through bad things all of the time, that is why we have the ability to recognize the good in simple things, because we have faced the bad and lived to tell about it. Have you noticed the number of pictures placed in here that are the pure beauty of what we do, where we live and how we do it? If it weren't for the bad, we would not enjoy the good nearly as much. I feel some poetry coming on :!:

My horses name is Ron after my friend that owned him 1st he bucked Ron off one to many times so he sold him he's a bit Broncy at times but a real powerhorse when you need it.

You better make sure your next horse is a STUD...
 

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