Pics. Warning; partial nudity, blood, etc.

[Silver]

Just started calving and it's not been real good. Fisrt one preemy, second one born dead, presented head first and both legs back, third cow had twins, and this last one was butt first with her legs ahead. It was kinda laying on its side with it's back slightly up and to the cows left side which almost made it impossible to ahold of it's legs. I tried to roll it from the back end while Dad did what he could from the side. We probably should have went in on the cows right side, but that can be an unpleasant experience.
Dad still has a surgeons touch though, so we pulled through just fine.

 

[Hanta Yo]

Lucky your dad can do the c-sections!!

Maybe your bad luck was in the beginning, now it will be smoooooth sailing for the rest of calving season!!! 8)

Good Luck!

 

[Kato]

You must have a nice warm room to work in! :wink:

Those c-section calves are pretty remarkable. They haven't had the stress of being pushed out into the world, so they just get up and take off.

I'm sure the bad luck is done now, and everything will be smooth as butter from here on.

 

[Soapweed]

Good descriptive pictures, Silver. Your dad is one tough feller to strip down that far in the cool Canadian climate. I always just pull the plastic sleeves on over my coat sleeves, and stay as comfortable as possible. Of course, if I was as lean and robust looking as your dad, it would be more tempting to show more skin. :wink:

The vet that we used back in the 'fifties and 'sixties carried all the tools of his trade in the trunk of his car. I don't think plastic sleeves had been invented yet at that time. He was red-haired. I remember one time he stripped down pretty far to do a C-section. He was operating on a Hereford heifer, and he had a lot of red hair on his chest, back and arms. Dad joked to him at the time, that it looked like one Hereford operating on another.

 

[Anonymous]

Any of you do the C-Section thru the bottom of the belly... I remember a lot of the oldtimers on the ranch's back before trucks and stocktrailers used to do all the C-sections by giving a spinal nerveblock using pure alcohol (Everclear) and cut out the calf thru the belly while the cow was on the ground...

My old buddy that attended a ranch vet training school 40 years ago (in Fort Collins Colorado I think ) was taught by them to go thru the belly too- and if he can't get one to a Vet, thats how he does them....He claims it is easier...

 

[Silver]

I've heard of it being done, but I prefer then upright in the chute. I think if a guy didn't have a pulley system overhead to yard them out with I may want to reconsider though. Also, when I'm the one doing the stitching I like to put the uterus on a table and do it there. I would think it would be a little tricky if she was on the ground.