18month old hef got bult without me knowing and is about to calf, help !!!

GreatOaktree

I have a pet heffer, black white head, who is only 18 months old and got bult to a jersey freishan cross with out me knowing. I only noticed when she started to spring. I thought she was springing because another hef was sucking her but there is now no mistake she is in calf and at most due in two weeks. She is also slightly over weight. I don't have much experience so all advice would be greatly appreciated. I'm in a bit of a panic to be honest.

Nekarsulm

Get the local vets number, and save it in your phone. Ask a neighbour if they will help when the time comes, with practical help and perhaps the loan of a calving jack.
Thank your lucky stars it wasn't a Belgian Blue or Charolais bull, a Friesian/Jersey should be a handy little calf.

Buford T. Justice XIX

Get a bag of pre calver minerals for her and give some to her every day and put her on hay if you have any.

Farrell

Buford T. Justice V wrote: »

Get a bag of pre calver minerals for her and give some to her every day and put her on hay if you have any.

Rolled oats too

patsy_mccabe

In the very worst case, you will have to do a caesarean. Usually I find it is the ones that you worry about that turn out just fine.
Get the vets number on your phone and maybe keep her in a shed with another quiet animal as she gets closer to calving. You don't want to be chasing her around a field in the middle of the night trying to get her in.

White Clover

patsy_mccabe wrote: »

In the very worst case, you will have to do a caesarean. Usually I find it is the ones that you worry about that turn out just fine.
Get the vets number on your phone and maybe keep her in a shed with another quiet animal as she gets closer to calving. You don't want to be chasing her around a field in the middle of the night trying to get her in.

If she's overweight she would need plenty of exercise to be fit for calving.
Put her on hay and some rolled oats with minerals. Ensure she has a bit of a walk to get to water. This should help.

tanko

If your heifer is bagging up today then you won't have to wait two weeks for her to calve, it'll be a lot sooner than that I'd say.
Maybe you could get a neighbour with experience of calving cows to look at her and advise you.

patsy_mccabe

White Clover wrote: »

If she's overweight she would need plenty of exercise to be fit for calving.
Put her on hay and some rolled oats with minerals. Ensure she has a bit of a walk to get to water. This should help.

She's not going to loose much weight in a couple of days.

White Clover

patsy_mccabe wrote: »

She's not going to loose much weight in a couple of days.

She's only starting to spring. I've seen plenty heifers showing a bag for a couple of weeks before calving.
Maybe we should open a book on how long before she calves!

Sam Kade

White Clover wrote: »

She's only starting to spring. I've seen plenty heifers showing a bag for a couple of weeks before calving.
Maybe we should open a book on how long before she calves!

I had heifers starting to spring in October that weren't going to calve until March.

GreatOaktree

She's been springing for a few weeks. I sold the bull on the Saturday before Christmas so she's due sometime between now and 4 weeks time. I have a jack at the ready and a neighbour on stand by if I need him. But when should I call the vet ? How long is too long ? Thanks for all the replies.

kay 9

I wouldn't worry too much on her, keep an eye on her though. I bet she calves no problem. Jersey bull, should be a slip of a calf

mythos110

The worst thing you can do is go pulling too soon and get the head out and then get stuck. The best thing is to call your neighbour when the feet show. Anyone worth their salt will make a judgement call on the size of the legs and how open she is. Give her lots of time. The simple rule of thumb is that if she's properly lined up and can't get the head out herself then you may be looking at a section. Then call the vet.

You neighbour should be able to make these judgement calls with you so no need to panic.

If you are fretting about it, call the vet as soon as you see the "blister/feet". The last thing you need is to get stuck and not have a clue what you're supposed to do next!

Sam Kade

mythos110 wrote: »

The worst thing you can do is go pulling too soon and get the head out and then get stuck. The best thing is to call your neighbour when the feet show. Anyone worth their salt will make a judgement call on the size of the legs and how open she is. Give her lots of time. The simple rule of thumb is that if she's properly lined up and can't get the head out herself then you may be looking at a section. Then call the vet.

You neighbour should be able to make these judgement calls with you so no need to panic.

If you are fretting about it, call the vet as soon as you see the "blister/feet". The last thing you need is to get stuck and not have a clue what you're supposed to do next!

Reading that should calm him right down.

A heifer 18 months and I calf to Jersey bull should have no bother calving.

Sam Kade

GreatOaktree wrote: »

I have a pet heffer, black white head, who is only 18 months old and got bult to a jersey freishan cross with out me knowing. I only noticed when she started to spring. I thought she was springing because another hef was sucking her but there is now no mistake she is in calf and at most due in two weeks. She is also slightly over weight. I don't have much experience so all advice would be greatly appreciated. I'm in a bit of a panic to be honest.

I presume you are dry cattle only because of no knowledge of calving but where does this jex bull come from?

mythos110

Sam Kade wrote: »

Reading that should calm him right down.

A heifer 18 months and I calf to Jersey bull should have no bother calving.

I agree it should be no bother but as the OP seems to have no experience then no point in waiting until the moment of truth to find out what can go wrong!

Better to know the worst case and hope for the best case than the other way around!

Genghis Cant

Sam Kade wrote: »

A heifer 18 months and I calf to Jersey bull should have no bother calving.

This is what is be saying too.
Get your neighbour on board, give him a bell when you think she's sick to calve and let him make the judgement call from there.
Best of luck with her.

grassroot1

Sam Kade wrote: »

Reading that should calm him right down.

A heifer 18 months and I calf to Jersey bull should have no bother calving.

Someone with common sense, leave her alone. let her get on with her job, no use in meeting trouble half way.

Bullocks

Like the above advice, I wouldn't panic as chances are she will calve OK and you have a neighbour around to help out with experience anyhow .

For after the calving it mightn't be any harm to have a bit of beastings on hand incase she hasn't enough milk or anything like that happens

stantheman1979

Listen the 1st thing is don't panic!! When you see her start note the time and leave her to it. Check her every half hour quietly and from a distance if possible. After 2 hrs if she isn't making progress put you're hand in and feel for two legs and head coming the right way, and feel how tight she is. If you think she's ok leave her off. She'll work away herself!!

Who2

Get a good safe area to calve her down in and a few gates lying around and a couple of clean buckets in case you do need a section, get a bottle of calving lube and have a decent light in the shed in case you do need to give her a section. I wouldn't be the slightest bit worried about her if it's a friesain cross jersey bull, she should fart it out. Remember it's only a heifer and if your not used to calving cows that they can get steamy no matter how quiet they seem.