Calving 2017

Buford T. Justice XIX

We've had a few suggestions to have a thread dedicated to calving to keep all the comments, questions and advise in one place, if possible, so we've opened this thread to see how it goes.

Hope you all have a quiet and peaceful calving season:)

whelan2

First calf of 2017 born during the night. Its a pure bred Angus first calver. Calf up drinking. The heifer belongs to the eldest lad so a fair bit of excitement. First dairy one not due until 20th January. Doing all dries with rotavec and lice stuff today. Dried off 7 more this morning. Down to 5 rows milking now

atlantic mist

4 calves on the ground here, one backwards but all healthy

RedPeppers

First cow due here 22.01. She's scanned to twins so expecting her to go before then.

Dunedin

4 heifers calved here and 4 live calves. A break now for a month and then back to the madness.

Only have 18 cows but when you're working, it might as well be 100.

cacs

Dunedin wrote: »

4 heifers calved here and 4 live calves. A break now for a month and then back to the madness.

Only have 18 cows but when you're working, it might as well be 100.

Four calfed all good. Waiting for four more one is out like a house could be twins. One is recycled dry cow she's as fat as a pig couldn't get the weight off her. Might be a sunroof job. I have herr out.

Buford T. Justice XIX

cathal irwin wrote: »

Four calfed all good. Waiting for four more one is out like a house could be twins. One is recycled dry cow she's as fat as a pig couldn't get the weight off her. Might be a sunroof job. I have herr out.

Or as my vet calls it, a womb with a view.

mf240

Buford T. Justice V wrote: »

Or as my vet calls it, a womb with a view.

Rule of thumb for a vet in spring.

If it's in pull it out. If it's out shove it back in. If it's down give it calcium

High bike

8th of Feb here and it's plenty early enough

mahoney_j

First cow due 27/01 ,first cow just after dropping ,she wasn't due for another 4 weeks but a lot of noise coming from cow she'd went to investigate and calf lying in passage ,live fr heifer calf ,gone under lamp .cow has sprung so may milk her now .bollix anyway

jaymla627

mahoney_j wrote: »

First cow due 27/01 ,first cow just after dropping ,she wasn't due for another 4 weeks but a lot of noise coming from cow she'd went to investigate and calf lying in passage ,live fr heifer calf ,gone under lamp .cow has sprung so may milk her now .bollix anyway

First year here touchwood where i havent had a incident like above, happened here new years morning last year when i went out to cubicle shed and a master fr bull calf was up running around the place, milk through the winter here anyway and the above is one of the main reasons for doing so, starting up the parlour for a two to three weeks for one our two cows wrecks my head

whelan2

mahoney_j wrote: »

First cow due 27/01 ,first cow just after dropping ,she wasn't due for another 4 weeks but a lot of noise coming from cow she'd went to investigate and calf lying in passage ,live fr heifer calf ,gone under lamp .cow has sprung so may milk her now .bollix anyway

Will you blood test her? Or do you think it was a knock?

Timmaay

Bit of a crap photo, but bit of bodging today using an old Kilkenny bulk tank washer, should work nicely as a milk trolley once calving gets in full flow.

C0N0R

Timmaay wrote: »

Bit of a crap photo, but bit of bodging today using an old Kilkenny bulk tank washer, should work nicely as a milk trolley once calving gets in full flow.

Of a Sunday Timmaay?! Shocking!
Came home for a holiday on Wednesday and I've calved two already with another one in the calving box to keep an eye on tonight. Auld lad is delighted to be getting away with it! Two heifer calves too which is great.

cosatron

and were off. ABO heifer out of a ruud cow. Funny thing is, I hadn't much success with conception rates with ABO so last year I didn't buy much AI straws and had 1 ABO straw left and knew this lady would keep and she did with a heifer.

bogman_bass

A ruud 22 or Ruud 96?

cosatron

bogman_bass wrote: »

A ruud 22 or Ruud 96?

A stock bull we bought and he was by Ruud 22 and dam was by lbo

RobinBanks

Disaster here yesterday. Heifer that I wasn't expecting to calf had calved on slats when I went out in the morn. Calf dead and she was flat out. Must have been calving all night. Heifer got up and even though I was sickened I was happy that she looked to be ok.

Came from work then in the evening and she was flat out again and very depressed. Got her up and put her into calving pin on a good bed. This morn she was worse so I got the vet. He handled her and said her euterus is badly torn. Must have been from long hard calving. Funny thing is that the calf was very small.

He loaded her up with antibiotics but told me expect the worst. He said he wouldn't be able to stitch her up on the inside either.

Just wondering if any experienced this and what's the survival rate. So annoyed with myself for not keeping better eye on them.

blackdog1

Had a cow with a 100 kg bull calf had to c section her and 3 of us had to pull it out. She was a mess inside. Put her in an immaculate pen and bedded her evert day and milked her every day but kept her separate. Injected her for nearly a month. Survived and kept her condition excellently. If you can keep her from getting a womb infection you have a good shot.

greysides

Where's the cleaning?

whelan2

RobinBanks wrote: »

Disaster here yesterday. Heifer that I wasn't expecting to calf had calved on slats when I went out in the morn. Calf dead and she was flat out. Must have been calving all night. Heifer got up and even though I was sickened I was happy that she looked to be ok.

Came from work then in the evening and she was flat out again and very depressed. Got her up and put her into calving pin on a good bed. This morn she was worse so I got the vet. He handled her and said her euterus is badly torn. Must have been from long hard calving. Funny thing is that the calf was very small.

He loaded her up with antibiotics but told me expect the worst. He said he wouldn't be able to stitch her up on the inside either.

Just wondering if any experienced this and what's the survival rate. So annoyed with myself for not keeping better eye on them.

Factory or knackery is the advise vet gave us

RobinBanks

greysides wrote: »

Where's the cleaning?

Cleaning?

tanko

RobinBanks wrote: »

Cleaning?

Has the afterbirth/placenta come out of her?

RobinBanks

tanko wrote: »

Has the afterbirth/placenta come out of her?

It has ya. Was on the ground last night

tanko

It's no consolation i know but disasters like that happen to everyone with cows at some stage. Years ago i had a fat angus cow near calving out in the fields, that night it was bucketing down like a monsoon, decided she'd be grand until the morning.
Went out the next morning, cow was stone dead, calving bed hanging out of her and the calf standing there looking at her. I was sick.
Heifers can calve quicker than you think and show very little sign of doing it sometimes i find.

greysides

RobinBanks wrote: »

It has ya. Was on the ground last night

Good omen. Better than lying in the belly cavity hanging out of a split uterus. Best of luck with her.

greysides

tanko wrote: »

It's no consolation i know but disasters like that happen to everyone with cows at some stage.

It comforts me when I make mistakes, to know that even the most experienced cow-men, at advanced ages, still get caught out.

At the heel of the hunt we can only do our best armed with the facts in front of us at the time. Usually it works. When it doesn't you try to learn what you can from it so as to make better decisions the next time round.

Sometimes there were no mistakes, Lady Luck was against you.

RobinBanks

tanko wrote: »

It's no consolation i know but disasters like that happen to everyone with cows at some stage. Years ago i had a fat angus cow near calving out in the fields, that night it was bucketing down like a monsoon, decided she'd be grand until the morning.
Went out the next morning, cow was stone dead, calving bed hanging out of her and the calf standing there looking at her. I was sick.
Heifers can calve quicker than you think and show very little sign of doing it sometimes i find.

As long as it stays outside the door tanko but it's a right sickener at the time. Especially when it happens to one you're fond of. Had a second calver calf earlier. Blonde cow. Last year she near killed the calf, I put it down to her been a heifer just as bad this year. Have to tie her leg back in the crunch so calf could suck. She's calmed down now but nothing bad would happen a bitch like that. Always happens the good one

Timmaay

I am utterly bollocked...

freedominacup

Timmaay wrote: »

I am utterly bollocked...

It's bolloxed not bollocked. I was there a couple of days ago. Get the oulboy to check the yard tonight if you can. If there's something on you can go back if not you'll have some rest.

GrasstoMilk

freedominacup wrote: »

It's bolloxed not bollocked. I was there a couple of days ago. Get the oulboy to check the yard tonight if you can. If there's something on you can go back if not you'll have some rest.

Getting 1/2 here for the last few days. Pain in the bloody arse. Was much better when 6/7/8 came a day. You'd fill a group pen quick and wouldn't have to spend days at different calves in each pen.
Hit 50% in 7 days and it's a pure go slow since.

Your also in the frame of mind for cows and calves.

whelan2

Went to bed for an hour this afternoon. Great job. Turned off my phone.

Buford T. Justice XIX

whelan2 wrote: »

Went to bed for an hour this afternoon. Great job. Turned off my phone.

Phone still working?

It's been a few days since it tried to die now :pac:

grassroot1

whelan2 wrote: »

Went to bed for an hour this afternoon. Great job. Turned off my phone.

Powerwasher on auto?
But yes an hour of sleep anytime helps keep the nerves intact and decision making better

Timmaay

freedominacup wrote: »

It's bolloxed not bollocked. I was there a couple of days ago. Get the oulboy to check the yard tonight if you can. If there's something on you can go back if not you'll have some rest.

I wouldn't mind but it's not actually the calving ha, more just totally burning the candle at both ends, had a bloody treasurers report to do for the local club Tue, I couldn't get outa that (had an agm already rescheduled because of me ha), trying to get the new land fully ready for stock, had contractors in to do all the fencing and hedges etc, but still had to spend a day or so cleaning things up (it's been I'll definitely get animals out the next day or so for last 2wks), and some building work going on here which I really have to supervisor. Basically I know moving forward that simple as is I will need more dedicated help during calving season ha.

And I'm not actually complaining haha, it's still controlled chaos at least, I think back to my early days at home on the farm, that was out and out carnage in comparison to what I'm at now.

Actually hmm this bloody Headcold probably what's tipping me over the edge now that I think about it ha...

Keepgrowing

greysides wrote: »

It comforts me when I make mistakes, to know that even the most experienced cow-men, at advanced ages, still get caught out.

At the heel of the hunt we can only do our best armed with the facts in front of us at the time. Usually it works. When it doesn't you try to learn what you can from it so as to make better decisions the next time round.

Sometimes there were no mistakes, Lady Luck was against you.

Very well said.

RobinBanks

greysides wrote: »

Good omen. Better than lying in the belly cavity hanging out of a split uterus. Best of luck with her.

With a split uterus. Is it possible to heal by itself?is there any point contacting a different vet for second opinion ? I trust my vet 100% but maybe the other practice have dealt with this before?

whelan2

RobinBanks wrote: »

With a split uterus. Is it possible to heal by itself?is there any point contacting a different vet for second opinion ? I trust my vet 100% but maybe the other practice have dealt with this before?

We had a heifer afew years ago the front legs of the calf were bent back, a young vet came out to calve her but she ripped the uterus in the process, heifer had been dosed with zanil a few days earlier so factory wasnt an option, the senior vet in the practice came out to examine her, he said knackery straight away the rip was so big it would never heal. No point even injecting her to see how she would go.

RobinBanks

whelan2 wrote: »

We had a heifer afew years ago the front legs of the calf were bent back, a young vet came out to calve her but she ripped the uterus in the process, heifer had been dosed with zanil a few days earlier so factory wasnt an option, the senior vet in the practice came out to examine her, he said knackery straight away the rip was so big it would never heal. No point even injecting her to see how she would go.

Thanks for that. Well it's good to know I suppose. No point prolonging. The only prob I have now is she is on noroclav which has 42 day withdrawal

whelan2

RobinBanks wrote: »

Thanks for that. Well it's good to know I suppose. No point prolonging. The only prob I have now is she is on noroclav which has 42 day withdrawal

Did the vet say how big the tear was. Peritonitis would be the biggest worry. Noroclav is a good drug

RobinBanks

whelan2 wrote: »

Did the vet say how big the tear was. Peritonitis would be the biggest worry. Noroclav is a good drug

He said it's beyond repair anyway and he also mentioned peritonitis but I didn't take much in after he told me it was lights out for her!

greysides

Keep the faith. Give her her chances while it's fair and reasonable to do so.

bogman_bass

First calf came on the 7th feet the wrong way round so I went for a cuppa and made some phone calls to give her time before I started jacking.

Came back out and here was a calf on the ground. Has anybody else ever seen a cow calve a backwards calf herself?

greysides

It's normal enough for them to calve backwards themselves. If calves are coming easy it probably doesn't present too much extra risk. If calves are biggish I could see it enhancing the existing risk.

Timmaay

And the punishment for me burning the candle at both ends was sleeping through my 4am alarm, losing a heifer calf, and a well shook heifer cow...

Keepgrowing

Timmaay wrote: »

And the punishment for me burning the candle at both ends was sleeping through my 4am alarm, losing a heifer calf, and a well shook heifer cow...

Don't fret it, you needed the rest and think of the calves you now can save over the next 12 hrs. Everyone needs 5 hrs uninterrupted sleep daily this time of year.

grassroot1

Keepgrowing wrote: »

Don't fret it, you needed the rest and think of the calves you now can save over the next 12 hrs. Everyone needs 5 hrs uninterrupted sleep daily this time of year.

We tend to count the ones we lose, but forget to celebrate the ones we pulled out of the fire.

RobinBanks

Timmaay wrote: »

And the punishment for me burning the candle at both ends was sleeping through my 4am alarm, losing a heifer calf, and a well shook heifer cow...

You're not a machine. You are doing more than most I'd say but it just shows. Where there's livestock there will be dead stock. Poster above hit the nail on the head when he talked about the ones that were pulled out of the fire. I'm sure you saved mores than you lost.

jack o shea

Feels good to save one alright lads, lost one last week I thought I could have done better with saved one just now by not goin to bed had to Jack her out don't think cow would have had her alive if at all.

patsy_mccabe

Just pulled a dead calf from a heifer. Sh1te, only calf I lost this year. Calf came backwards. Heifer going on 3 years next Feb, I think, so fine and big and plenty roomy at the hips. In calf to my own bull and a heifer calf.

I knew she was near calving but I thought she was a few days off yet as she didnt bag up that much. When I spotted her this morning she was lying down with hooves visible but upside down. Now she didnt look like she was calving that long.

When I handled her, she didnt seem that tight, no bone on bone, just both a little too fleshy. Now it took me a good hour of pulling with her, plenty of lube etc before I got as far as tail tip showing. After that It was quick enough and I got calf out with 5 mins or so as soon as the hips were out. I knew about time being the essence with the umbilical cord and all that.
Question is I suppose, what could I have done better? I was putting my full weight on the jack when she pushed so I dont think I could have pulled her quicker.

Who2

patsy_mccabe wrote: »

Just pulled a dead calf from a heifer. Sh1te, only calf I lost this year. Calf came backwards. Heifer going on 3 years next Feb, I think, so fine and big and plenty roomy at the hips. In calf to my own bull and a heifer calf.

I knew she was near calving but I thought she was a few days off yet as she didnt bag up that much. When I spotted her this morning she was lying down with hooves visible but upside down. Now she didnt look like she was calving that long.

When I handled her, she didnt seem that tight, no bone on bone, just both a little too fleshy. Now it took me a good hour of pulling with her, plenty of lube etc before I got as far as tail tip showing. After that It was quick enough and I got calf out with 5 mins or so as soon as the hips were out. I knew about time being the essence with the umbilical cord and all that.
Question is I suppose, what could I have done better? I was putting my full weight on the jack when she pushed so I dont think I could have pulled her quicker.

Very little I'd do different myself. I've had a great run with my autumn calvers and had a reasonable spring but lost three at the end of the spring, one nearly identical to yours another calf that was near 100kg birthweight and a heifers calf that had a great elder but not enough milk and I reckon it was purely my fault as the calf was gone too far by the time I realized she'd no milk.