I pulled my first calf. Sad ending though.

nchobbyfarm · #1 11/05/12, 08:01 PM

I came home from work and noticed one of my neighbors cows laying out flat. I pulled over to watch a minute to see what was happening. After 3 or 4 minutes of no movement, I pulled down another neighbors driveway to get closer. The heifer stood up and I noticed the head and a leg sticking out. I immediately called the owner. He was at another farm making fence repairs where a tree fell on the fence last night. He told me he was on the way and to pull the calf but be sure to pull down, he would be there in 15 minutes.

The heifer laid back down so I started easing out toward her. The calf was clearly already dead. I grabbed the one leg that was out and pulled as hard as I was able to but nothing. I called him back and he said to put my feet against her rear and pull down again. I gave it all I had but no luck.

He arrived shortly with a pipe with a curved metal piece on the end, a small chain, a rope and a come along. We first tried to push the calf back in to get the other front leg out but were entirely unsuccessful. We were able to pull the calf and roll the cow onto her belly with her legs under her like a camel. Before we left she had laid back down on her side. I went back by an hour later and she had gotten up and walked away. I hope she will be ok.

But it was my first time even seeing a calf coming out in person and I got the education of how to pull he calf. I hope I will never need the info again but at least I know more than I did.

MO_cows · #2 11/05/12, 08:22 PM

Oh that stinks. Pulling the calf with a leg back, hope it didn't tear up the cow.

myersfarm · #3 11/05/12, 10:36 PM

I push the calf back in and pull other leg forward...and usually with both feet forward you do not even need a puller......you have to put pressure on the calf. you can not just push it back in it takes a while putting presure and holding it....more presure and hold it.....pushing it back in and hold it lube hands after you get it back in and the run hands into the side the foot is back .....i have done this several times it helps if you are strong with small hands....my wife has never been able to pull the feet forward....it is something you do once then learn how to do it...sorry they lost calf

Jennifer L. · #4 11/06/12, 07:35 AM

Why didn't you get the other leg out first? If the calf was dead, it was dead, but it's going to come out a heck of a lot easier if you push it back in and bring the other leg up.

Annsni · #5 11/06/12, 07:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jennifer L.

Why didn't you get the other leg out first? If the calf was dead, it was dead, but it's going to come out a heck of a lot easier if you push it back in and bring the other leg up.

They said "We first tried to push the calf back in to get the other front leg out but were entirely unsuccessful."

haypoint · #6 11/06/12, 08:29 AM

Large calves tend to be unable to get their feet/legs into position. The calf needs to be pushed back in and the legs brought into position. Great care to insure the hooves do not damage the womb when you are positioning them.
A couple years ago, I had a calving problem. After getting both feet into position, the cow was unable to pass the calf. With a puller, pulling down and out, I was able to get the calf half way out. Additional pulling resulted in pulling the calf into tow pieces. The remaining piece had to be cut up internally and removed in chunks. This was due to the calf's hips locking in the cows hip opening. This places extreme pressure on nerves and can leave the cow unable to walk ever again if the pressure is not quickly removed. Luckily, the cow recovered, was able to be bred and delivered a calf the following year.
I learned my lesson to always select a bull with a record of calving ease. While this was an angus cow bred by a presumed Angus bull, I knew nothing about the bull's history or parentage. I will forever speak out against crossing Angus, Hereford or Jersey with bulls of other breeds or unknown calving sizes.
Learn from the experience of others or experience the heartbreak of losing a calf, possibly losing your cow and spending a day pulling parts of a stilborn calf out of your cow.

MARYDVM · #7 11/06/12, 08:44 AM

If the head is all the way out it can be almost impossible to push the calf back in far enough to reach the leg that's back. With the calf already dead, cutting off the head will allow you to push the rest of the calf back in enough to retrieve the other foot. A vet does this with a fetotome, but you can use a sharp knife as long as the head is far enough out not to risk cutting the cow.

RedDirt Cowgirl · #8 11/06/12, 03:28 PM

It's a glad thing just to save the cow when you have to pull a calf that's already gone that far. You did good. Pulling a viable calf is something that takes experience all right, but so is being there at the right time. To your neighbor's credit, fixing downed fenceline usually takes priority over cow-sitting, especially if it's on a roadway.

postroad · #9 11/06/12, 03:42 PM

Glad I have Dexters. No yanking out calves or other problems either.

francismilker · #10 11/06/12, 03:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by postroad

Glad I have Dexters. No yanking out calves or other problems either.

It may not be an everyday occurance, but at some point all breeds have calving difficulties. It's like longhorns and jerseys. For the most part they take care of themselves but every now and then there's problems.

Bret · #11 11/06/12, 03:54 PM

I love it when things work out. Sometimes they don't. Good work anyway.

G. Seddon · #12 11/06/12, 05:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by postroad

Glad I have Dexters. No yanking out calves or other problems either.

There are no guarantees, even with Dexters. A live calf is a blessing, a gift, no matter the color, the gender, whatever.

nchobbyfarm · #13 11/06/12, 09:51 PM

Update. The heifer is up today. I went by today and saw all her bodily functions work while talking to my neighbor.

As far as pushing the calf back in, we tried several times to pressure it back in. He said if he had seen her sooner, he could have pushed it back in but as far out as he was it was impossible. He was a big calf.

He did entertain the idea of cutting the head off but he elected to pull because the heifer was laboring badly.

nosqrls · #14 11/06/12, 10:00 PM

You saved the cow then it was a good day.Not a great day but a good day. Allot of times when things go that wrong you lose them both. So good going.

RedDirt Cowgirl · #15 11/07/12, 08:45 PM

Thanks for letting us know the good news, and good cess on ye for stepping in - neighbors like yourself make the difference between hard times and bitter ones.

Welshmom · #16 11/09/12, 08:16 PM

Yikes.
Thanks for being a good neighbor.