Might I have a hidden calf?

[Glenda in MS]

Big Mamma, our favorite PineyWood's cow has been bagged up for a few weeks, stringing mucus for as long and has had a hugely swollen vulva. Went out to check on her this evening and found her at the hay bale, udder even bigger, but vulvar swelling gone. She still looks big bellied,however, very one-sided, but I can usually see the calf moving and didn't see anything. She still has stringy mucus. Am I missing something? The shunken vulva has me perplexed.

[poischis]

is the stringy mucus(clear) the one before birth or the one from afterbirth? the later should be redish. But the long period of time as me wondering, having mucus for a week is quite a long time, I'd check on her. Usually you can tell wether or not a cow calved, by blood on udder, stretched vulva, ect.

-Poischis

[Glenda in MS]

Vulva is closed and not bloody..stringy mucous is brown.

[poischis]

she probably hasn't calved yet then, altough if her pasture is not that big I'd take a drive just to make sure.

-Poischis

[theporkstork]

Brown mucus can be a sign of a stillborn or dead fetus. Since her swelling has gone down, I would say that she has delivered something, whether it be a stillborn or partially reabsorbed fetus. Since she has a very swollen udder, does she have milk? Her teats should be enlarged if she has come to milk. How long ago did you start seeing the brown mucus? Did that coincide with her udder enlarging? Bawl like a calf when you are around her and see if she starts looking around as if she wants to find a calf. I've done that before and the cow started bawling back and "went on the hunt" for a calf. Hope I'm wrong about the possibility of her having lost a calf.

[Glenda in MS]

I hope so too, I just went out and looked again, she is in about a 20 acre pasture that has a lot of good hiding places. Took a good look at the vulva and it is definately not engorged like it was this morning. The mucus is clear at the opening of the vulva, I think the brown i am seeing hanging is feces stained. She is standing off from the other cows. The mucous did coincide with the udder enlargment.

Piney's don't bag up as big as say Jersey would, but her teats are large, distended and i can milk some clear liquid out. It is wet and cold out tonight. Porkstork, I am gonna try your bawling trick and if that doesn't work, should I glove up and check her?

[myersfarm]

theporkstork Bawl like a calf when you are around her and see if she starts looking around as if she wants to find a calf. I've done that before and the cow started bawling back and "went on the hunt" for a calf.
that works for me you can tell she had a calf if she starts looking around and brings up her head if grazing.....but some of my old smart cows will walk you in a different dirction then were the calf is...but you will know you have a calf


or you could get her up and BUMP HER FOR A CALF

[Glenda in MS]

Bump her?

[poischis]

If you can, glove up and have a fee,l if you know what you're doing, a little touchy feely won't hurt.

[Calfkeeper]

Originally Posted by Glenda in MS

Bump her?

When she is standing up and secured, you can "bump" your fist against her side and feel the calf inside of her. You have to shove pretty hard, but generally they don't mind if they are fairly tame.

[Glenda in MS]

Oh, duh! I do that, just never heard it called bumping.

[Glenda in MS]

Went down to the very back of the pasture, all the cows were back there. She has not had the calf, saw vigorous fetal movement....and a bobcat. I think the cat came to my calf bawling...

[myersfarm]

might try that bawling again with gun

bumping has to be done on the right side of cow...How I do it is put fist on flank and just push way in then real quick pull back and then push in a little bit the calf will hit your fist...you can feel the bones hit your fist

[Glenda in MS]

Got the Bobcat this morming at my chicken coop...

Still no calf this morning, still ee fetal movement, vulva still shunken, mucus is clear.

Thanks for all the help! It is an exceptionally cold morning here in South Mississippi!