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Pulling a Calf

T

Triangle Bar

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S. Central Colorado
Attended a very interesting calving seminar yesterday. One of the vet speakers said, when assisting a delivery, you should have the cow laying down on her right side. Not standing, since when the cow is standing gravity pulls her weight down on her pelvis and reduces the amount of flex during calving.

I hate to tell my Dad, who is now 80, we've been doing it wrong all this time, but it does make sense. A cow calving on her own doesn't deliver the calf standing up.

I'd be interested in what you folks think. What do you do when assisting a delivery; standing or laying down?
 
I usually go with what the heifer prefers. I'm not sure I can make a cow lie down. I haven't had a really hard pull in years so if they stay standing up it's alright with me.
 
ANGUS327 said:
I usually go with what the heifer prefers. I'm not sure I can make a cow lie down. I haven't had a really hard pull in years so if they stay standing up it's alright with me.
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I agree, let the heifer or cow decide. It is easier to get the chains attached and "assembled" :wink: while the critter is standing up. If the subject wants to lie down during the procedure, that is fine. We have one manufactured "calving pen" with swinging gate to encourage the cow into the headcatch. It works fairly well, except it can get a bit cramped for room when the cow lays down. Our old "home-made" preferred system in the other barn uses two twelve-foot parallel gates to get the cow into the headcatch. The beauty of this deal is that, once the cow has her head caught, you can open both gates completely. This gives you 180 degrees to work on the delivery, allowing the critter to easily lay down if she desires.

I like to use a 60 inch chain and put a loop above each ankle and a half hitch below, and then hook to the middle of what is remaining of the chain. This seems to be much easier on the calf's legs. On a backwards calf, we usually tie a knot in the middle of the chain. This takes up a little slack to make sure the puller is long enough to get the calf's nose completely out of the cow, before you run out of jacking room. Once again, always make sure that a loop in the chain is not mistakenly over the top of the calf's tongue. On a backwards calf, just because the feet are upside down doesn't necessarily mean the calf is backwards. Always stick your arm up far enough to make sure you feel the calf's hind hocks. Otherwise it could be an abnormal delivery with the calf upside down, the front feet coming through, and the head down and back. In such a case, good luck. :wink:
 
I agree, go with the flow. Up, down, the cow knows best. If you can make your facility open both ways that is a worthwhile venture. We bought a bunch of shorthorn cows several years ago, they all calved standing up. The calf shot out like a cannon ball and landed a few feet away. It was quite a site to be sure. I wish they all did that, no big effort, no skin on the nose and the calf was on a dry area. Never had one of those girls any where near a barn. (not sure that would have been possible anyway)
 
Triangle Bar said:
Attended a very interesting calving seminar yesterday. One of the vet speakers said, when assisting a delivery, you should have the cow laying down on her right side. Not standing, since when the cow is standing gravity pulls her weight down on her pelvis and reduces the amount of flex during calving.

I hate to tell my Dad, who is now 80, we've been doing it wrong all this time, but it does make sense. A cow calving on her own doesn't deliver the calf standing up.

I'd be interested in what you folks think. What do you do when assisting a delivery; standing or laying down?
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Soap got it right. Also I have seen many many of calves dropped on their heads!!!!!!
 
I get my cows in the chute, tie the calfs' feet to the rear of the chute with a rope and turn her out.

She does her own pulling! :lol:
 
I recently attended a seminar put on by the Colorado State University lead vet. he works with a producer where they calve over 5000 heifers every year. this is done in 45 days!!!

was a VERY informational program, and I am changing the way I do several things in hopes of relying on his experiance.

If I recall right ( too lazy to dig out my notes I took) the cow, must ALWAYS be on her left side. this allows for a straighter shot in the bith canal. he said it is very easy to lay the cow down, most pull a calf with the cow standing, because it is easier on us! but the cow wants to lay down.
 
Ever since I decided to go broke in the cattle business and not cross breed I haven't pulled many calves. I tried black simmental bulls for a couple of years and although the calves were nice the replacement heifers I kept had a lot problems calving and not just as hiefers. I was pulling 125 lb calves out of 1500 lb 4 year old cows! So I'll stick with the straight Angus they seem to present a lot fewer problems.
 
I allways try to get the animal into the chute if she is able, and follow about the same pulling procedures as Soapweed.
Probably the main reason for using the chute is that it's warm there :wink: It is important when using the chute to bunch the cow forward and block her with a bar that will hold her weight, and then to support her just behind the front legs (I allways have a heavy rope up front to use as a sling). This prevents the cow from going down which can really complicate things.
It is also important to time pulling with the cows straining. I hold the puller rather high while tightening the puller, wait for her to strain, then push the puller down, then repeat. It is also a good idea to slowly rotate the calf after the shoulders are through in order to minimize the chance of 'hip lock'.
If you are going to put the calf in a stall, it is important to put the little devil in the center of the stall, as the cow is less likely to step on it there.
 
If I have to pull one I put them in the alley or chute and put a halter on her, back her back out into the little catch pen behind the alley and tie her head down fairly low and pull it back there. If they go down, I still have room to pull it . Nothing I hate worse than a cow sitting down on a half born calf. Silver your deal might be better. I've never tried to tie them up where they can't fall.
 
Silver said:
If you are going to put the calf in a stall, it is important to put the little devil in the center of the stall, as the cow is less likely to step on it there.
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There is always more than one "school of thought" on just about any subject, and this is one of those times. :wink:

Our box stalls are pretty small, only 8 feet by 10 feet. When I drag a calf into one of these stalls, I always like to drag them clear into the far corner and make sure they are in good sitting position instead of just sprawled out. I like to at least think they are less likely to get stepped on in a corner rather than out in the middle where the cow pivots. With bigger box stalls, this probably wouldn't be necessary.
 
Have a system like Soapweeds where you can swing out panels from headgate. Pulled a calf this morning out of a heifer and she stayed standing. Just take some time and time when they push then its usually not that bad of a pull. After 30 years of calving I don"t PANIC as easy :lol: :lol: I seen lots of older cows stand up after the calf is 1/2 to 3/4 out .They problibly just want gravity to do more of the work,cows are smart and lazy :wink:
 
cowzilla said:
Have a system like Soapweeds where you can swing out panels from headgate. Pulled a calf this morning out of a heifer and she stayed standing. Just take some time and time when they push then its usually not that bad of a pull. After 30 years of calving I don"t PANIC as easy :lol: :lol: I seen lots of older cows stand up after the calf is 1/2 to 3/4 out .They problibly just want gravity to do more of the work,cows are smart and lazy :wink:
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You are sure right on the "don't panic" part. A person can get into way more trouble trying to rush a calving than in taking too long. I like to give them every opportunity to have the calf themselves before offering assistance, but there comes a time when you know you need to help.
 
Jigs that sounds like the same vet from CSU that was at this seminar. I'm sure he said to have the cow on her right side because the rumen is on the left. With rumen on the left, laying down now on up the side, that the air bubble from the rumen would be at the top. If the cow was on her left side the air pocket would be on the bottom and pushing upwards towards the calf.

His technique for putting the cow on her right side was to place a rope just in front of the back legs and in front of the pelvis. Tightening the rope puts pressure on the "hooks" that attach the pelvis to the spine. At the same time your helper puts pulling tension on the calf. The video he showed it seem to work slick. Although I'm not sure I'm going to try it myself.

I've always pulled calves standing up and if the cow wants to lay down that's fine too.

Soapweed's description of placing the chains is right on according to the experts and that's what I do.
 
yep, sounds like the same guy....I knew it was the rumen up, but could not remember which was which.....

would love to see the system he works with......sounds very interesting.
 
There are times like if the calf is backwards that laying the cow down really helps. When you put a rope around the cows flank and tighten a little she will drop like a rock.
 
Soapweed said:
Silver said:
If you are going to put the calf in a stall, it is important to put the little devil in the center of the stall, as the cow is less likely to step on it there.
Click to expand...

There is always more than one "school of thought" on just about any subject, and this is one of those times. :wink:

Our box stalls are pretty small, only 8 feet by 10 feet. When I drag a calf into one of these stalls, I always like to drag them clear into the far corner and make sure they are in good sitting position instead of just sprawled out. I like to at least think they are less likely to get stepped on in a corner rather than out in the middle where the cow pivots. With bigger box stalls, this probably wouldn't be necessary.
Click to expand...

In your case that's likely the better idea. Our stalls are 12 feet square, and it seems as though when the cows some in the first thing they do is pace the outside for a lap or so (if they are in a bit of a dither), then take a look and spot the calf. Lost one or two before I figured that one out :wink: . Of course, most walk in, spot the calf right away and take to mothering it.
 
:shock: If I see a cow laying down and calving I think something is wrongWhen we were in Dairy we had a few Jersey hiefers lay down but it was rare. When we pulled it was always standing up. Even when they had room to lay down they didn't.
 
I'll throw in my two cents too! I have better luck putting a rope halter on the heifer and tying here to a center post in my barn. Then I can get her down without worrying about choking her in a head catch. But i'm usually alone and it's easier for me this way. If she lays down i let her and i too like to pull the puller handle toward her feet as she pushes. My neighbors spent half of last night and until 11 today chasing a heifer across 300 acres of brush. They finally caught her and pulled a huge dead bull calf. She never really dialated and i'm sure the marathon didnt help much. I usually am way to cautious but i've found that live calves in the fall bring a lot more than dead ones at calving. I'd rather check em' 4 times to many than turn em' out and chase em'. :? But i'm wierd that way. Heres hopin' all the pullin' is done for ya'll! 8)
 
Do the same as soap, but with no head catch, just use the side panels and swing them out of the way if she goes down. When they go down and you have pressure on the chains they stay down. (most of the time) :shock: Less messing with the heifer, the better the chance of them taking the calf.
 

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