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COWS-fed-barely-sprouting-fodders, page : 84
It will be easier for you to have your heifers in a nearby pen before calving. If one calves early you can see her whereas if she is in a big pasture – where you run the risk of losing her calf on a cold, dark night – it is not so convenient.
If you decided to calf your heifers in a barn, get them used to it beforehand. Let them feed on hay next to the barn and leave the doors open and feed a few flakes of good hay inside the barn to lure them in. It is ideal to let them eat inside the barn a couple of times so it is not strange to them and take along a gentle cow or several heifers together as a small herd. There is safety in numbers, the group will stay calmer and be easier to move especially if they have been fed hay in there earlier. Once you get the heifer inside let the rest back out. If the calving heifer is nervous then leave another in the next stall to keep her company until she calves. Established trust between you and your heifers is much to be desired, especially if you have to help one calve or correct a hind feet-first birth (malpresentation) and approach her from behind while she is in labor. This is better than having to tie her up or restrain her in a chute. If you keep the atmosphere calm them the heifer is more likely to be attentive to her calf after birth.
If the calf is large and she is not making progress, slip into the stall or pen and put the chain on the calf while she is straining. Even with a timid heifer, if you an get chains on the calf's legs and start pulling she will usually settle back down and start straining again rather than jumping up to run around the pen or stall, this is because your pulling stimulates her to strain. If a heifer does jump up, you can keep up with her in a barn stall if you already have chains on the calf's legs. Soon she will stand still and strain, especially if there is someone on hand to come into the stall and keep her from circling. More often than not the heifer will lie down again once she resumes straining.
SUGGESTED SUPPLIES TO BE ON HAND DURING CALVING
Halter and rope, just in case you need to tie up a cow
Disposable obstetrical gloves
Lubricant disinfectant soap in a squeeze bottle
Plastic bucket for wash water
Clean obstetrical chains and handles for pulling a calf
Mechanical calf-puller kept in a handy place so that you can grab it quickly
Strong iodine (7% tincture) for dipping a calf's navel stump
Towels and hair drier for drying a calf, a heat lamp
Bottle and lamb nipple, in case you have to feed a calf
Stomach tube or esophageal feeder
If you decided to calf your heifers in a barn, get them used to it beforehand. Let them feed on hay next to the barn and leave the doors open and feed a few flakes of good hay inside the barn to lure them in. It is ideal to let them eat inside the barn a couple of times so it is not strange to them and take along a gentle cow or several heifers together as a small herd. There is safety in numbers, the group will stay calmer and be easier to move especially if they have been fed hay in there earlier. Once you get the heifer inside let the rest back out. If the calving heifer is nervous then leave another in the next stall to keep her company until she calves. Established trust between you and your heifers is much to be desired, especially if you have to help one calve or correct a hind feet-first birth (malpresentation) and approach her from behind while she is in labor. This is better than having to tie her up or restrain her in a chute. If you keep the atmosphere calm them the heifer is more likely to be attentive to her calf after birth.
If the calf is large and she is not making progress, slip into the stall or pen and put the chain on the calf while she is straining. Even with a timid heifer, if you an get chains on the calf's legs and start pulling she will usually settle back down and start straining again rather than jumping up to run around the pen or stall, this is because your pulling stimulates her to strain. If a heifer does jump up, you can keep up with her in a barn stall if you already have chains on the calf's legs. Soon she will stand still and strain, especially if there is someone on hand to come into the stall and keep her from circling. More often than not the heifer will lie down again once she resumes straining.
SUGGESTED SUPPLIES TO BE ON HAND DURING CALVING
Halter and rope, just in case you need to tie up a cow
Disposable obstetrical gloves
Lubricant disinfectant soap in a squeeze bottle
Plastic bucket for wash water
Clean obstetrical chains and handles for pulling a calf
Mechanical calf-puller kept in a handy place so that you can grab it quickly
Strong iodine (7% tincture) for dipping a calf's navel stump
Towels and hair drier for drying a calf, a heat lamp
Bottle and lamb nipple, in case you have to feed a calf
Stomach tube or esophageal feeder