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With calving season approaching, there are a number of best practices you should consider when assisting your cows during calving.
Dr. Erika Nagorske, a practicing veterinarian with Southwest Veterinary Services, FBN®’s official veterinary partner, discusses four best practices to implement when helping a mother cow deliver her calf.
In this post, you’ll learn:
The supplies and equipment you’ll need for the birthing process
When to help mama cow during the calving
If you should call the veterinarian
3 ways to provide postpartum care to your cow
Watch Dr. Nagorske in the video “Best Practices for Assisting Cows During Calving” or continue reading below to gain key insights.
A broad spectrum of supplies and equipment are helpful during calving. Facilities vary, but having somewhere safe to handle your cows is important. Chutes are ideal because some cows get nervous during calving and need extra restraint for safety.
Obstetrical sleeves can help protect against infection if you need to reach in a cow to assist with a calf birth.
You may also want a head snare to help redirect calves and ensure their head is coming in the right direction and not turning back on itself. OB chains (30” or 60”) and handles will help assist in pulling the calf. A calf jack is also good to have on hand just in case.
It’s important to have lots of lube when pulling a calf. A great tip is to have an equine stomach pump and hose because it allows you to pump a warm water and lube mixture from a bucket into the cow’s birth canal and around the calf. This will lubricate the birth canal and create buoyancy for the calf, which will help you get the calf out more easily.
[Many of these calving supplies can be purchased directly through the Animal Health section of FBN Direct® and shipped directly to your farm.]
While you may have some anxiety about how the cow is dealing with birthing, you should pay attention to how she behaves. If she stops actively pushing, grab a sleeve and see what’s going on. Determine if she’s too tired or if there’s a reason why the calf isn’t coming out.
If she’s been actively lying down to calve for 1–2 hours, use a sleeve to inspect the situation. If you see no progression in 1–2 hours, such as not seeing the “water bag” or placenta come through and break or you don ’t see the calf’s feet, this could mean the cow is not dilated enough or the calf is positioned the wrong way in the birth canal.
If you are assisting the cow, try to pull when she pushes. Work with her, not against her. If the cow lets up, give her a break and then continue the cycle of pulling and pushing. This is a good collaborative way to get the calf out of the cow with minimal stress to both cow and calf.
If you’ve been physically working and assisting the cow for more than 45 minutes, it’s a good time to call a veterinarian. Depending on how far away your vet is, you may want to call sooner.
One of the biggest mistakes producers make is not calling a vet when their help could make a difference. In the end, you can do more damage than good, which could result in a cow that’s exhausted or, in a worst case scenario, a calf that’s passed away.
The faster you’re able to get a professional to help, the more likely the calf will live. This is especially true if the cow has to undergo a c-section.
If the cow had a tough calving, here are three treatments to consider:
Uterine boluses, an antiseptic and proteolytic aid, will help with retained placenta or help with any uterine infections. You can find uterine boluses on FBN Direct.
Discuss available options with your veterinarian if the cow is not recovering as you’d expect. Antibiotics, among many other pharmaceuticals, are available on FBN Direct’s online animal health store.
Oral rehydration is particularly important if the cow calves during extremely hot or cold weather. Calving is a stressful event for the cow and oral rehydration could help produce more colostrum, which will enable the cow to better attend to her calf.
“Being prepared during calving season is important to the health and well being of mama cow and her calf,” says Dr. Nagorske.
Get the calving supplies you need delivered when you need them from FBN so you can be ready for a safe and successful calving season. FBN also offers other animal health supplies, including vaccines, antibiotics, implants, and other key supplies, with fast direct-to-farm delivery to keep your herd healthy throughout the year.
Prepare for calving season in advance by gathering all the supplies and equipment you need to help the mama cow and her calf as well as ensuring you have veterinary telephone numbers and livestock insurance, should you need them.
Cow chute, halter, or rope
Head snares
OB chains
OB handle
Calf jack
Equine stomach pump and hose
OB sleeves
Lube
Uterine boluses
Oral rehydration
Veterinarian office phone number
Livestock insurance
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The above is provided for information purposes only and should not be used for the diagnosis or treatment of any condition. This information does not cover all possible variables, conditions, reactions, or risks relating to any topic, medication, or product and should not be considered complete. Certain products or medications may have risks and you should always consult your local veterinarian concerning the treatment of your animals.
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