What would you have done?

[gcreekrch]

8 mature bulls escaped last May for a few hours and we are seeing the consequences now. :roll:

First cow started calving at 5 PM yesterday. We put her in the barn and left her alone until 8. Nothing, other than she was mad about being locked up. We did have another cow with her for company.

At 10 there was still nothing happening so put her in the headgate and checked her rectally at first. Didn't feel right. Went in vaginally, neither waterbag was broke but I was concerned about no progress so broke them both and found a calf that was completely upside down and forward.

Couldn't reach the hind legs and don't like turning a calf because the umbilical can be broken so Debbie and I took it out the side. Mom and baby bull are fine this morning.

Would others have left the cow longer, tried harder to have righted the calf or done what we did and performed a C-Section?

Neighbors brought a C-Section up with a dead calf in her earlier yesterday, that one wasn't nice but the cow is still alive today.

Gonna be a long day........

 

[I Luv Herfrds]

had a similar one. Took the hubby, the vet and the vets buddy to turn that calf. Swore never again. C-section should have been done.

 

[Hayguy]

you have a live calf and a live cow, there is no downside :!:

with your expertise it probably took less time to do the side door trip than it would have to turn it, and less risk, with the price of both calves and cull cows i repeat there is/was no downside.

 

[miocene]

you do what ya gotta do at the time glad it all worked out.bringing it in to the wl.vet is definately not a option for you. Turning it is highly risky.at least you can do your own csections.so there is no vet bill to consider.

 

[Jinglebob]

Not sure. Had one once and called the buy to do the c section and when he got here he wanted to pull it so we did. Saved them both. If I knew how to put them back together( I can always get them out, but the cow has never survived for long after!) I would do as you did. then you got a good reason to cull this cow. Never miss an opportunity to cull a cow. It's the ones we never notice or give us any problems we should be breeding for. IMO ;-)

 

[Shortgrass]

I'm gonna say I would have done just like you, but in reality I probably would have left her too long & lost both, so GOOD JOB.

 

[3words]

I had one like that 2 weeks ago,took me a long time but i finally got the calf rolled over and was able to pull it backwards then.My arms were sore for a couple days after that ordeal.If you got a healthy cow and calf,i would say thats all that matters .

 

[Soapweed]

You did just fine by doing a C-section and saving both the cow and the calf. You are to be commended for knowing how to do so many different things, which is vitally important in living as far from civilization as you do. We are more "ability-challenged" on this outfit, and have to depend on veterinarians or some neighbors to do our C-sections. Before calling on a vet for assistance, and after checking out the cow as you did, we would have "given her more time." As the old saying goes, "time heals all wounds." Under these same conditions, with enough time, a cow often will deliver a good life calf. Of course, if the cow is laying down, straining, and trying hard with no results, our approach would be totally different. Through the years, I've gotten into more predicaments by "rushing" a calving than by waiting too long.

 

[gcreekrch]

You did just fine by doing a C-section and saving both the cow and the calf. You are to be commended for knowing how to do so many different things, which is vitally important in living as far from civilization as you do. We are more "ability-challenged" on this outfit, and have to depend on veterinarians or some neighbors to do our C-sections. Before calling on a vet for assistance, and after checking out the cow as you did, we would have "given her more time." As the old saying goes, "time heals all wounds." Under these same conditions, with enough time, a cow often will deliver a good life calf. Of course, if the cow is laying down, straining, and trying hard with no results, our approach would be totally different. Through the years, I've gotten into more predicaments by "rushing" a calving than by waiting too long.

I'll never know now whether I rushed the situation or not but after 5 hours of nothing showing on a 5 year old cow I didn't want to wait any longer. Debbie says at times I'm just curious to see what colour they are.

As has been said here, if I had to reley on a vet I may have tried a little harder to right the presentation but it is only an hour to take one out the side as compared to who knows how long to do otherwise.
Thanks to the neighbors that let me practice on their cattle to hone my skills at the start. I watched probably 100 of them before trying on my own. Once started, I was fortunate to have 3 others I could call for advice.
After the cat and Jack Russell I do draw the line at other folks pets. Even though the results were successful, the BC Veterinary Assoc. kind of frowned on me doing their job. :shock:

Well, Debbie is on her 3rd of 5 days at a trappers traing course and the second half of the cows won't feed themselves so I had better finish another cup of coffee and get going.

 

[Justin]

you have a live calf and a live cow, there is no downside :!:

with your expertise it probably took less time to do the side door trip than it would have to turn it, and less risk, with the price of both calves and cull cows i repeat there is/was no downside.

:agree:

 

[Hayguy]

You did just fine by doing a C-section and saving both the cow and the calf. You are to be commended for knowing how to do so many different things, which is vitally important in living as far from civilization as you do. We are more "ability-challenged" on this outfit, and have to depend on veterinarians or some neighbors to do our C-sections. Before calling on a vet for assistance, and after checking out the cow as you did, we would have "given her more time." As the old saying goes, "time heals all wounds." Under these same conditions, with enough time, a cow often will deliver a good life calf. Of course, if the cow is laying down, straining, and trying hard with no results, our approach would be totally different. Through the years, I've gotten into more predicaments by "rushing" a calving than by waiting too long.

I'll never know now whether I rushed the situation or not but after 5 hours of nothing showing on a 5 year old cow I didn't want to wait any longer. Debbie says at times I'm just curious to see what colour they are.

As has been said here, if I had to reley on a vet I may have tried a little harder to right the presentation but it is only an hour to take one out the side as compared to who knows how long to do otherwise.
Thanks to the neighbors that let me practice on their cattle to hone my skills at the start. I watched probably 100 of them before trying on my own. Once started, I was fortunate to have 3 others I could call for advice.
After the cat and Jack Russell I do draw the line at other folks pets. Even though the results were successful, the BC Veterinary Assoc. kind of frowned on me doing their job. :shock:

Well, Debbie is on her 3rd of 5 days at a trappers traing course and the second half of the cows won't feed themselves so I had better finish another cup of coffee and get going.

you got Debbie off the place? just think of all the nice rug's you'll have, not being all shot up with that .300 win mag :lol:

 

[jigs]

you are complaining about having a live calf??? that cold weather must really be getting to you!


ya did fine.... I would have messed around and lost both.

 

[Big Muddy rancher]

You did just fine by doing a C-section and saving both the cow and the calf. You are to be commended for knowing how to do so many different things, which is vitally important in living as far from civilization as you do. We are more "ability-challenged" on this outfit, and have to depend on veterinarians or some neighbors to do our C-sections. Before calling on a vet for assistance, and after checking out the cow as you did, we would have "given her more time." As the old saying goes, "time heals all wounds." Under these same conditions, with enough time, a cow often will deliver a good life calf. Of course, if the cow is laying down, straining, and trying hard with no results, our approach would be totally different. Through the years, I've gotten into more predicaments by "rushing" a calving than by waiting too long.

I'll never know now whether I rushed the situation or not but after 5 hours of nothing showing on a 5 year old cow I didn't want to wait any longer. Debbie says at times I'm just curious to see what colour they are.

As has been said here, if I had to reley on a vet I may have tried a little harder to right the presentation but it is only an hour to take one out the side as compared to who knows how long to do otherwise.
Thanks to the neighbors that let me practice on their cattle to hone my skills at the start. I watched probably 100 of them before trying on my own. Once started, I was fortunate to have 3 others I could call for advice.
After the cat and Jack Russell I do draw the line at other folks pets. Even though the results were successful, the BC Veterinary Assoc. kind of frowned on me doing their job. :shock:

Well, Debbie is on her 3rd of 5 days at a trappers traing course and the second half of the cows won't feed themselves so I had better finish another cup of coffee and get going.

you got Debbie off the place? just think of all the nice rug's you'll have, not being all shot up with that .300 win mag :lol:

I thought Debbie already was a top notch trapper. :shock:

She caught herself a old coyote about 30 years ago. :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[Hayguy]

I'll never know now whether I rushed the situation or not but after 5 hours of nothing showing on a 5 year old cow I didn't want to wait any longer. Debbie says at times I'm just curious to see what colour they are.

As has been said here, if I had to reley on a vet I may have tried a little harder to right the presentation but it is only an hour to take one out the side as compared to who knows how long to do otherwise.
Thanks to the neighbors that let me practice on their cattle to hone my skills at the start. I watched probably 100 of them before trying on my own. Once started, I was fortunate to have 3 others I could call for advice.
After the cat and Jack Russell I do draw the line at other folks pets. Even though the results were successful, the BC Veterinary Assoc. kind of frowned on me doing their job. :shock:

Well, Debbie is on her 3rd of 5 days at a trappers traing course and the second half of the cows won't feed themselves so I had better finish another cup of coffee and get going.

you got Debbie off the place? just think of all the nice rug's you'll have, not being all shot up with that .300 win mag :lol:

I thought Debbie already was a top notch trapper. :shock:

She caught herself a old coyote about 30 years ago. :lol: :lol: :lol:

more like a wolf in sheep's clothing :wink:

 

[gcreekrch]

you got Debbie off the place? just think of all the nice rug's you'll have, not being all shot up with that .300 win mag :lol:

I thought Debbie already was a top notch trapper. :shock:

She caught herself a old coyote about 30 years ago. :lol: :lol: :lol:

more like a wolf in sheep's clothing :wink:

Thanks to both of you for the good laugh you just gave us. :lol: :lol: :lol: