Bumping

[copesq]

What is the correct procedure to "bump" a cow to see if she is with calf? What stage of gestation? Should the cow be lying or standing?

[dosthouhavemilk]

http://tinyurl.com/23gl37

Here's a series of pictures.

[JeffNY]

I see you use the palm of your hand. I use my fist, mostly because I can get a better bump that way. Those that are 3 months out from calving I tend to go a little back from where the green x is, and push in at an angle. Managed to bump one of the holsteins who is 3 months out. The ones that are 2 months are easier, some who have a lot to their frame, aren't as easy due to their size, and the calf perhaps being smaller.


Bumping from the left generally seem to yield the body, tend to feel a more solid mass there, with the right being the head, or shoulder of some sort. Best way to "practice", is wait till they are close up. You can the use your fingers to feel the calf, then work on it from there. Sometimes you can see an animals calf without even bumping, when they are getting close (week or two). If you bump them just right, you can see the calf kick, and keep in mind. Some dont like it, and they will either move away, or lift their leg.


Jeff

[Oxankle]

What is the purpose of bumping? I suspect that you cannot preg check a cow by bumping until the calf is well along, and once you know she's bred, what's the point?

Why not just palpate?
Ox

[dosthouhavemilk]

I use the palm of my hand because it is more sensitive than my fist. I also will use my knee for further leverage and pressure if need me. I don't spend too much time with jerky pushes. Just a steady push in.
Each cow is different. I start at a central point and when pushing in generally know where to go next. I've managed to bump calves as early as 5+ months along, but usually when the cow was laying down. WE have some very large barrelled cows taht are harder to bump. Far too much space in their guts. Then you have the cows who tighten their muscles when you try it. They are the type that do real well with constant pressure instead of the actual bumping. Eventually they will relax.

As to why to bump instead of paalpating? Not everyone knows how to palpate and what to look for. Bumping works well for the family cow owner who doesn't have easy access to vets for palpating. You can also have a cow palpated and she loses her pregnancy before dry off. They can be confirmed in the first two months and still lose a pregnancy and if you rely solely on that confirmation from the vet 5 months ago, you could easily dry of an open cow. Every cow on our farm is "bumped" and a calf found before we dry them off 2 months before they're due. Regardless of whether they have been confirmed or not. We don't dry of empty cows unknowlingly because of this.

It may take a couple of times before you find anything. I actually prefer that in the cows 7 months along. They generally have a petite little heifer calf.

[Jennifer L.]

Roseanna, I use my fist, too. Never even considered using my palm. I'll have to try it and see how it does. At five months if I think there is something there I make a note to try her again in another month. I think you must be really sensitive! I do know of someone else who can do it reliably at 5 months, but it's not something I'm good enough doing to be sure about.

As for why do it? It's a nice when you are thinking about drying a cow off to be sure there is a calf in there. She may have been checked pregnant four or five months before, but this way you know for sure before you stop milking her.

Jennifer

[dosthouhavemilk]

I can't reliably bump at 5 months. But I have found a couple of pregnancies that early. The fetus at that stage is incredibly small.
6 months plus is about par for myself.
I had hoped my sensitivity would be useful when I learned to palpate...Ha! I don't know what happened, but I'm not as great at AIng and preg-checking as I had hoped I would be.

[Vere My Sone]

Has anyone tried finding a fetal heartbeat?