DO’S AND DON’T OF DELIVERING CALVES Bill Croushore, DVM White Oak Veterinary Clinic Berlin, PA.
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DO’S AND DON’T OF DELIVERING CALVES Bill Croushore, DVM White Oak Veterinary Clinic Berlin, PA DO’S AND DON’T OF DELIVERING CALVES • • • • • • Deciding when to assist Assess the situation Fixing the problem Pulling the calf Handling the calf Check and treat the cow DECIDING WHEN TO ASSIST OR WAIT • Timing – Heifers should be given 4 hours to progress – Cows should be given 2 hours to progress – Dam can be in labor for 12 hours or more before the calf dies You’ve decided to assist • Restraint of the cow • ALWAYS ASSUME SHE WILL LAY DOWN • Methods of restraint – Headlock/ chute • Advantage- limited range of motion • Disadvantage- If cow goes down, hard to get out – Rope halter tied loose to a post with a slip knot • Advantage- if cow goes down, easy to untie • Disadvantage- Cow can move back and forth – Tied with a halter, cow behind a gate • My favorite You’ve decided to assist • Evaluation of the dam – Wear disposable rectal sleeve • Reduces risk of disease transmission to you and cow – Important – wash her up • Wash with soap and rinse with water • Cleanliness is crucial • How clean should she be? You’ve decided to assist You’ve decided to assist • Lubrication – Always have on hand • What kind to use? – Nolvalube – J Lube • Needs to be mixed with water or used as dry powder • What not to use – Soaps • Will wash out cow’s natural lubrication Assessing the situation • – – – – – – – Is the cervix dilated? • Where is the calf? • What do you feel? Head and 2 feet Head, no feet? 2 feet, no head? Upside-down? 2 feet and tail? Pelvis and tail? 2, 3 or 4 feet? – Too tight to deliver now? – Head back? – Uterine torsion? – Guts? – Amorphus globosus? Abnormal Presentations Leg back 2 legs back Leg over head Poll first Abnormal Presentations Head back Calf upside down Beware twisted uterus 4 feet at once True Breech Abnormal Presentations True Breech rare 4 feet at once Beware of twins rare Assessing the situation • When to call the Vet – Failure to dilate – Head back • Unless you have experience correcting these – True breech • Pelvis and tail, no feet – – – – Uterine torsion Calf too big for vaginal delivery Feel guts or unrecognizable calf Any other situation you feel you need help Assessing the situation • Head and 2 feet in normal presentation – Normal – Make sure she is dilated enough to deliver the calf – No drug exists to make her dilate – Manual dilation with forearms Manual dilation with forearms Assessing the situation • 2 feet, no head – Bottom of feet up or down? – Front feet or back feet? – Front foot AND a back foot? – Possibilities: • Backwards, head back, uterine torsion, twins • How do you tell? • Hocks vs. knees Assessing the situation Assessing the situation • Twisted uterus (Uterine Torsion) – Most are twisted counterclockwise – Vaginal exam • Can feel twisted folds of vagina • May feel like she isn’t dilated • May or may not feel feet, usually front feet – Rectal exam • Feel broad ligament of the uterus wrapped over cervix • Best way to figure out which way the uterus is twisted Twisted Uterus FIXING COMMON PROBLEMS Now that you’ve figured out what’s wrong • Rule of thumb If you don’t make progress in 20-30 minutes, try something else – This goes for manipulations, pulling, trying to get chains on, etc. FIXING COMMON PROBLEMS • Head back – Need tongs or chain and head snare – Difficult to get a live calf • Calf usually dead or weak, doesn’t participate in delivery process • Manipulation to correct position sometimes kills the calf if it’s still alive FIXING COMMON PROBLEMS Calf with head back HEAD BACK • *DO NOT PULL UNLESS THE HEAD IS THROUHGH THE CERVIX – Complications: • • • • Torn uterus Torn cervix Paralyzed cow Dead calf • Need to hook tongs or chain to calf’s lower jaw and pull to straighten out • Once head is straight, place head snare and pull head along with feet or the head will twist back again FIXING COMMON PROBLEMS • Head, one leg or no legs – Push head back in as far as possible and feel for legs – Grasp leg and correct – Cup hoof with palm of hand to prevent torn uterus – Sometimes need epidural for cow to prevent straining – NEVER PULL WITHOUT FEET FIXING COMMON PROBLEMS • Rear feet first, upside-down – Be careful, initially front feet and head back feel the same way – Pull and rotate calf at same time • Rear feet first, normal position – Make sure she is dilated – Once pulling started, get calf out quickly so calf doesn’t suffocate- umbilical cord gets pinched during delivery – Often need pulling aids (rope) FIXING COMMON PROBLEMS • True breech – Tail first and no feet – Can be difficult to correct – Push calf away and grab foot – Must cup foot with palm of hand and rotate toward middle of calf while pulling leg back – complication- torn uterus True breech presentation FIXING COMMON PROBLEMS • Uterine torsion (Twisted Uterus) – 4 ways to fix • Manually untwist • Detorsion rod – Attach chains to calf’s feet and rotate uterus – Easy to break calf’s leg • Roll the cow – Cast the cow and roll her in the same direction as the uterus is twisted – Helpful to have a somebody kneel on a plank positioned on her flank to hold the uterus in place • C-section PULLING THE CALF • After abnormal positions have been corrected and cervix is dilated • Tools for pulling the calf – Chains – Handles – Rope (30 ft. length with lariat attached) – Head snare – Tongs – Calf Jack Rope Handles chains Head snare Tongs PULLING THE CALF • Some words of caution about the calf jack – – – – Valuable tool in the right situation Can be dangerous to the operator, cow and calf If cow goes down, calf jack becomes a weapon Almost impossible to use when the cow is down What does this have to do with delivering a calf? Absolutely nothing PULLING THE CALF • Tools for pulling the calf – *Things not to use unless you want a dead cow and calf • • • • Tractors Skid loaders Pick-up trucks Other forms of motorized machinery – Use extreme caution with come-along PULLING THE CALF • *Lubrication – Always have on hand – A little lube can drastically reduce the amount of force needed to pull a calf and make manipulations easier PULLING THE CALF • Using the rope – Run lariat through both handles and attach back to rope – Run rope directly behind cow around sturdy post or pipe – Run free end of rope back through the handles attached to calf – Pull on the free end to increase tension and push down on the whole rope to extract calf PULLING THE CALF • Using the rope – Run lariat through both handles and attach back to rope PULLING THE CALF – Run rope directly behind cow around sturdy post or pipe PULLING THE CALF – Run free end of rope back through the handles attached to calf PULLING THE CALF Pull on the free end to increase tension and push down on the whole rope to extract calf PULLING THE CALF • Advantages to using the rope – If cow goes down, rope won’t hurt you, cow or calf – If cow goes down, rope method is still effective – Able to provide enough force to extract even large calves – If cow moves forward, tension can be reduced so tearing doesn’t occur • Disadvantages – Need sturdy post to attach rope PULLING THE CALF • Chain or strap BOTH feet, use double half hitch • Use lots of lube Double half-hitch PULLING THE CALF • Work head trough vulva gradually to aid in dilation • Apply steady pressure • When calf’s chest is started through the vulva, rotate calf to prevent hip lock PULLING THE CALF Rotating calf to prevent hip lock Hip lock • If hip lock occurs, STOP PULLING and rotate calf • Hip lock occurs when the calf’s hips are horizontal to the dam’s pelvis – Calf’s hips are widest at this point – Dam’s pelvis is most narrow at this point • Calf should be twisted 45 degrees • If hip lock occurs and you continue to pull, you will literally wedge the calf into the cow’s pelvis Hip lock Maternal Pelvis X-section of calf hips Hip Lock Prevent Hip lock Handling the live calf • Once calf is delivered, sit calf up on its breastbone and position rear legs behind it like a frog Handling the live calf • Stimulate breathing by sticking rigid piece of straw in nostril – This stimulates breathing reflex – If no straw available, a finger works as well Handling the live calf • Never hang calf upside down or centrifuge – Misconception about fluid in lungs – Fluid is expelled from lungs through compression of chest during delivery – Fluid expelled while hanging comes from stomach – Upside down calf has difficulty expanding lungs – If calf has excessive fluid, use coupage Check the cow • ALWAYS perform a vaginal exam on the cow to check for twins and tears • If tearing occurred, or bruising is excessive, give aspirin or Flunixin • If snow is available, can pack rectal sleeve with snow and place in vagina to prevent swelling • Consider antibiotics for cow. 7 THINGS TO REMEMBER • NEVER use a tractor, skid loader, pickup or similar equipment to pull a calf • Use caution when using a come-along • NEVER pull if you don’t know where the calf’s head is • If the hips lock, QUIT PULLING • NEVER hang the calf upside down or centrifuge • ALWAYS check the cow for twins or triplets • ALWAYS use lots of lubrication Acknowledgements • • • • Dr. Robert LaDue, Cooperstown, NY Dr. Jenks Britt, Western Kentucky Univ. Dr.Grant Dewell, Colorado State Univ. Dr. Marteen Drost, Univ. of Florida – www.drostproject.vetmed.ufl.edu/bovine/ QUESTIONS?