Calving Issue

Shnondore Pedigrees · 07-02-2011 09:53PM #1

Hi maybe someone can shed some light on this or maybe have had this experience.

All calves this year when born have serious mucus / slime swallowed and caught up in lungs.

Originally once water-bag broke we where waiting 2 hours until we pulled calf out. This resulted in the loss of 2 calves.

We now pull the calf out within the hour of bag bursting and being able to feel head.

This still has resulted in alot of mucus...

Any comments?

whelan1 · 07-02-2011 09:55PM

as the calf is coming out, about halfways out , stop for a minute or 2 and let the mucous flow out of it , alternatively put it over a gate- 2 backlegs over the top bar and let the fluid run out

Figerty · 08-02-2011 12:02AM

Once the bag breaks, it's nearly time to act. I had one last week that I had to wait for the bag to break. Eventually I had to break the bag (it was about 1/4 inch thick) and then pull the calf. That calf was not going to come out on it's own.

I haven't a clue about why there is so much mucus, but clearing the airways is always first priority after the calf is safely out.
Hand in the mouth and nose to clear it, blow in it's ear or swing the calf by the back legs and then let the cow lick. Usually does the job.

reilig · 08-02-2011 10:21AM

By your username I'm guessing that these are pedigree calves and I think you were talking about Chaorlais in a previous post. So I'm guessing that these are fairly big calves??? Maybe out of big cows??

I always find big calves to be delicate. They are usually full of mucus if they are left for a good while after the water bag has burst but if you take them too soon the cow won't have opened wide enough. As whelan said clear the mouth as soon as its out. hang teh calf off a gate if he's caught when he hits the ground. If he's dopey just after the birth, put water in his ears to get him to shake thehead which can often help to clear the airways.

There's nothing you can do only be careful with them - be there for every calving and be ready to act if there's a problem.

Shnondore Pedigrees · 08-02-2011 12:22PM

reilig wrote: »

By your username I'm guessing that these are pedigree calves and I think you were talking about Chaorlais in a previous post. So I'm guessing that these are fairly big calves??? Maybe out of big cows??

I always find big calves to be delicate. They are usually full of mucus if they are left for a good while after the water bag has burst but if you take them too soon the cow won't have opened wide enough. As whelan said clear the mouth as soon as its out. hang teh calf off a gate if he's caught when he hits the ground. If he's dopey just after the birth, put water in his ears to get him to shake thehead which can often help to clear the airways.

There's nothing you can do only be careful with them - be there for every calving and be ready to act if there's a problem.

Aye once they are out we Clear airways..hang on gate etc..and always have a small bottle of water to put a bit down the ear. Once they give a shake of the head your laughing.

The calves are proving to be medium - big size. All is going well this year 18 born with 2 causalities so far. about 3 to go.

Its the fact that the calves seemed to have swallowed alot of mucus.

We previously had crossbreeds a while back and never had this kind of issue.

Put it like this if we where keeping such a close eye and on the job straight away once a cow starts calving we would have far more causalities.

reilig · 08-02-2011 01:24PM

Shnondore Pedigrees wrote: »

Aye once they are out we Clear airways..hang on gate etc..and always have a small bottle of water to put a bit down the ear. Once they give a shake of the head your laughing.

The calves are proving to be medium - big size. All is going well this year 18 born with 2 causalities so far. about 3 to go.

Its the fact that the calves seemed to have swallowed alot of mucus.

We previously had crossbreeds a while back and never had this kind of issue.

Put it like this if we where keeping such a close eye and on the job straight away once a cow starts calving we would have far more causalities.

You're going to have casualties with pedigrees. There will most often be something wrong with the best calf - its Murphy's Law.

whelan1 · 08-02-2011 01:27PM

a clean bit of straw up the nostril also helps

pakalasa · 08-02-2011 01:32PM

The same really applies to commercial cattle, go too far down one breed and you wil run into similar problems.I reckon 3/4 is enough to have of any one breed, cross then to another to add whatever, milk, muscle etc.
Hydrid vigour - the dairy guys are copping on to this now aswell. Crosbred cows leave more profit!

Bizzum · 08-02-2011 06:03PM

I couldn't believe the amount of fluid that came out of a calf recently as we took him out.
I suppose it's better out than in!

Calving Issue

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