When Calving Starting

KatyMac

If the calf was brain dead, but not dead dead then it would have continued to grow wouldn't it?

tanko

massey148 wrote: »

Got a cow threatening to calf out now in storm Eleanor!no shed the joys of out wintering in donegal

Been there, done that. Wouldnt wish it on anyone, the joys of wandering around 10 or 15 acres with a lamp looking for a black cow in thick fog.
Looking back it was madness. You can be sure your cow will wait until about 4 or 5am before she calves.
PS build yourself a few calving pens.

The man in red and black

KatyMac wrote: »

If the calf was brain dead, but not dead dead then it would have continued to grow wouldn't it?

Quite possible. Though an unusual case. There have been cases where cows were pregnant >400 days due to brain abnormalities in the calf not inducing labour in the cow. If a calf is properly dead in the cow they tend to either rot and the cow becomes desperately ill, or they dry out and mummify.

grassroot1

KatyMac wrote: »

If the calf was brain dead, but not dead dead then it would have continued to grow wouldn't it?

Schmallenberg?

massey148

Yeah cow called twins in pissing rain wind.first back ways alive.second couldn't get warmed up to stand and suck.bogged the jeep and by time I got stomach tube the first calf had all the beasti.ngs sucked by the time I got her away and dry she died.could be worse.

tanko

Does anyone try feeding cows once a day at night time so that they will calve during the day and not during the night.
Does it work?

charolais0153

tanko wrote: »

Does anyone try feeding cows once a day at night time so that they will calve during the day and not during the night.
Does it work?

Ya it does work but on a small farm the differences are negligible.

squinn2912

i think it can be hit and miss but it's how I try to do it too. Of 9 calvers so far this year only one calved at night around 2.30. 2 were early morning round 5.30 to 6 and the rest did it decent

patsy_mccabe

Just had a cow calf there. She's over 10 years old and very quiet. I was helping the calf to drink her and noticed one of her quarters is solid and a putrid smell from the milk. Even the teat is hard. Mastitis?
Now I've had cows loose quarters before and often the milk would be extra thick but never with a smell like this before.

What's the best course of action, keep stripping her out? Would she need a shot of something like penstrip?

mahoney_j

16 days into calving 18 anc 53% calved

Lady Haywire

Could it be a gangrenous quarter Patsy?
Ours that got mastitis before she calved has gone back to having milk in it now. Calf kept sucking it and it went back to normal so happy days. We gave her 50ml of betamox 2 days apart but it def wasn't near as bad as ho yours sounds.

Mooooo

patsy_mccabe wrote: »

Just had a cow calf there. She's over 10 years old and very quiet. I was helping the calf to drink her and noticed one of her quarters is solid and a putrid smell from the milk. Even the teat is hard. Mastitis?
Now I've had cows loose quarters before and often the milk would be extra thick but never with a smell like this before.

What's the best course of action, keep stripping her out? Would she need a shot of something like penstrip?

Is it the milk clear as opposed to white? Is the cow sick with it? If so it may be ecoli., and that would be vet straight away. If not and it's a load of clots in milk draw it out and tube her a tube and a course of injectable antibiotic as well. Use an udder cream to ease the swelling. There is a chance the quarter may break out if swollen. If she will be outside id get the vet and remove the teat and it would allow it to drain but inside it would be difficult to keep clean

Mooooo

Calving going slow enough here. Gone from having small calves in the first 10 days to the last 5 being a lot bigger even some of the same sires used.

charolais0153

Mooooo wrote: »

Calving going slow enough here. Gone from having small calves in the first 10 days to the last 5 being a lot bigger even some of the same sires used.

More feed on offer or were the others a shorter gestation

Mooooo

charolais0153 wrote: »

More feed on offer or were the others a shorter gestation

Possibly more feed but would that have an effect in a couple of days? All short gestation bulls, dairy here. Not too worried about the fr but will have a few fleckvieh and bb later

Never wrestle with pigs

patsy_mccabe wrote: »

Just had a cow calf there. She's over 10 years old and very quiet. I was helping the calf to drink her and noticed one of her quarters is solid and a putrid smell from the milk. Even the teat is hard. Mastitis?
Now I've had cows loose quarters before and often the milk would be extra thick but never with a smell like this before.

What's the best course of action, keep stripping her out? Would she need a shot of something like penstrip?

Burdizzo, cough cough

patsy_mccabe

Lady Haywire wrote: »

Could it be a gangrenous quarter Patsy?
.....

Don't know to be honest.

Mooooo wrote: »

Is it the milk clear as opposed to white? Is the cow sick with it? If so it may be ecoli., and that would be vet straight away. If not and it's a load of clots in milk draw it out and tube her a tube and a course of injectable antibiotic as well. Use an udder cream to ease the swelling. There is a chance the quarter may break out if swollen. If she will be outside id get the vet and remove the teat and it would allow it to drain but inside it would be difficult to keep clean

Well I milked her out in the quarter. Only about a cup full. Milk was yellow and thick and a putrid smell. It's the smell that's worrying. She doesnt seem sick and ate some meal for me.
Will head into vet tomorrow morning to get injection and tube for her.

whelan2

Mooooo wrote: »

Calving going slow enough here. Gone from having small calves in the first 10 days to the last 5 being a lot bigger even some of the same sires used.

A lull here this last few days, last of the fr calves and angus will be coming next. Great chance to clean out the calving sheds and powerwash and disenfect. Keeping young lad busy on his mid term....

freedominacup

patsy_mccabe wrote: »

Don't know to be honest.



Well I milked her out in the quarter. Only about a cup full. Milk was yellow and thick and a putrid smell. It's the smell that's worrying. She doesnt seem sick and ate some meal for me.
Will head into vet tomorrow morning to get injection and tube for her.

Get the vet tonight. She could be very sick by morning.

whelan2

freedominacup wrote: »

Get the vet tonight. She could be very sick by morning.

Had a cow came in last this mor. She calved last Friday. Checked teats. All fine. Had only 5litres of milk. Didn't eat. When cluster came off checked her again. Rotten in one quarter. Vet came. She had no temperature yet. Metacam and marbocyl and pumped her. Said I got her ultra early

squinn2912

How long do you guys let a cow calve alone before handling her? I have a lady below and she put out the bag but not much else in 90 mins. I'm presently giving her a half hour more and then I'll try to see what's going on.

Lady Haywire

A cow I'd give an hour or so after the bag, heifers a bit longer, around 2, but I'd know all ours fairly well at this stage. There's also the fact that I can handle them in the pen so don't have to argy bargy about with a crush!
Had a strange one last year where a heifer had a bag and I just knew something was wrong within the hour, calf in distress alight and pulled it out dead whatever happened.

Timmaay

squinn2912 wrote: »

How long do you guys let a cow calve alone before handling her? I have a lady below and she put out the bag but not much else in 90 mins. I'm presently giving her a half hour more and then I'll try to see what's going on.

I don't worry for a few hrs if just the bag out, and she isn't making too much an effort, it's when the cow is lying down pushing, and nothing coming, or not the right order (2legs and the head just behind), then I go in quick enough.

squinn2912

That's what I'd be thinking I was sure after 90 mins she'd be moved on. This is a 3rdcalver needed no help before.
Handling them in the pen is impressive at calving!

squinn2912

Timmaay wrote: »

squinn2912 wrote: »

How long do you guys let a cow calve alone before handling her? I have a lady below and she put out the bag but not much else in 90 mins. I'm presently giving her a half hour more and then I'll try to see what's going on.

I don't worry for a few hrs if just the bag out, and she isn't making too much an effort, it's when the cow is lying down pushing, and nothing coming, or not the right order (2legs and the head just behind), then I go in quick enough.

Aye that's what I'd reckon too. The first check was a bit early I think. But I hope she's moved on by now. Hate the wait but I don't want to be goingnin early. She's in no distress herself

Lady Haywire

How did she get on last year? I take notes in our calving book for how each cow gets on with calving so I know for the next year. We've only the one that can't be handled and she usually gets on with it herself, left her to it for 2 hours last year expecting a calf when i went down to the shed & nothing so checked her in the crush & big backwards feet. It's only something small writing a note about it and can prevent a loss!

whelan2

Cow today just had a bit of bloody slime, no forcing , when I handled here waterbag hadnt even burst. Alot of fluid came out. A question now, head and 1 front leg of one twin coming and 2 back legs of other twin, could you take the backwards one first or would the front one have to come out first? Or would it just depend on the cow?

charolais0153

whelan2 wrote: »

Cow today just had a bit of bloody slime, no forcing , when I handled here waterbag hadnt even burst. Alot of fluid came out. A question now, head and 1 front leg of one twin coming and 2 back legs of other twin, could you take the backwards one first or would the front one have to coem out first? Or would it jusrt depend on the cow?

Whichever one is closer, id go for in a ewe

whelan2

charolais0153 wrote: »

Whichever one is closer, id go for in a ewe

both at same level, only one front leg of one calf available though.Plenty of room in cow

Lady Haywire

We had the similar a few years ago and got the vet, he pushed the correct calf backwards & took the backwards one first. Then straightened up the other & took it. Cow had lots of space too.