When you come upon that cow or heifer in the process of calving and followed the timelines given in the Cow-Calf Corner article “When to Assist with Calving” from the Feb. 19, issue of WLJ, how do you proceed? The steps to examining and assisting heifers or cows in need during the calving process is the topic of this article.
Preparing to assist
Before starting the exam, it is critical to be as clean as possible. Even when the calf is saved, longer term, the reproductive performance of the cow may suffer if bacteria is introduced into the cow from the hands and arms of the person assisting or the equipment used.
Following is the suggested list of equipment to have on hand (if possible) when assisting in the birth process:
• A clean, well-lit barn or shelter.
• A chute, head catch or halter to restrain the cow.
• 2 clean buckets with water (disinfectant in second bucket).
• Soap (for cleaning you and the cow).
• Disinfectant.
• Obstetrical lube.
• Paper towels.
• Calving chains and handles (in the bucket with water and disinfectant).
• Calf puller.
• Plastic sleeves.
• The phone number of your veterinarian.
Steps in assisting
Scrub the area around the cow’s vulva, rectum and tail with soapy water. Rinse and dry with paper towels. Wash your hands and arms. Wear plastic sleeves and use lubricant for the examination.
Start the exam by determining if the cervix is fully dilated. Feel for the cervix, if it is not dilated, it will feel like your hand is passing through a through or along a firm, tubular or circular structure. If the female is fully dilated, you should not feel the cervical edge.
From there, can you put your hand on the calf? Is the calf presentation normal? If the presentation is normal and the water bag is still intact around the calf you can allow the cow to continue to labor for up to an hour. If the water bag has broken and the cervix is fully dilated, the calf needs to be delivered sooner.
Figures 1 and 2 give an idea of what you might feel during examination indicating the type of presentation. A normal presentation is a green light to proceed with assistance. An abnormal presentation increases the likelihood that the assistance of your veterinarian will be required.
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If the presentation is normal, try to determine the calf size relative to the birth canal. If the calf is too large and head and feet are still in the birth canal, the opportunity for a caesarean section birth exists.
If the presentation is normal and your examinations indicate the calf fetus should fit, proceed by attaching chains to each of the front legs. Attach the obstetrical handles and pull gently, alternating pulling on one leg at a time. Proceed to mechanical calf puller if necessary. Permanent damage to the calf and cow can result from improper use of a calf puller. — Mark Z. Johnson, Oklahoma State University Extension beef cattle breeding specialist
