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While there is plenty of advice on what to do when calving the cow, there is seldom advice on what to do. Outlined are five things to avoid doing at calving time.
1. Avoid being too eager to check on calving progress
When a cow is in labour, do not get carried away and look in on the animal every 10 or 15 minutes. This only disturbs the cow and slows progress.
Most cows will calve on their own when given adequate time and left alone. This is when calving cameras come in useful. Cows can be watched without disturbing them.
But if the cow has passed the water bag and there is no sign of feet or progress two hours later, then check the calf’s presentation and make a call on whether assistance is needed.
2. Don’t calve cows in the handling race
Every suckler farm should have a proper calving gate. However, there are farmers who will try to calve cows using the headlocking gate in the main cattle handling unit.
This is not a good idea and should be avoided at all costs. It is not safe for either the person calving the cow or the animal itself.
If the cow goes down during a difficult labour, getting the animal released from the head gate can be a problem.
Handling races may also be too narrow for the cow to manoeuvre itself back onto its feet.
3. Don’t resuscitate a calf by swinging or hanging over the gate
When a calf is delivered backwards, many farmers will swing the animal by the hind legs or hang it over the gate in order to drain fluid from the lungs.
This process should also be avoided at all costs, as it can do more harm than good. Hanging a calf on a gate or by the hind legs will cause the animal’s internal organs to press down on the lungs.
As the pressure on the lungs increase, this restricts their air capacity and makes it harder for the calf to breathe.
If the calf has fluid in its lungs, rest the animal on the ground. Gently raise its hind legs to waist height by hand for around 30 seconds, then lower the legs back to the floor. Repeat if necessary.
This method puts the calf’s lungs under less pressure. An alternative is to slightly raise the calf’ back legs off the ground using the calving jack, freeing up the hands to rub the animal’s ribs.
4. Don’t keep the calf stretched on the calving jack
If using the calving jack and the calf is stuck, it is important to release the tension on the calf frequently. This allows the calf to breathe properly.
When the ratchet is under tension, the pulling effect stretches the calf out and restricts the animal’s ability to breathe. Following a hard calving, do not forget about pain relief for the calf and the cow.
5. Don’t use the same calving aids on sick and healthy calves
With calving aids such as a stomach tube or milk bottles, do not use the same items on healthy calves after treating a sick animal.
This will only transfer bacteria and other pathogens directly to the stomach of the healthy calf. Keep a separate stomach tube or feed bottle solely for using on sick calves.
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