Tough Delivery

Cow  #2 is on the small side. Even early on she has always been smaller than the other calves the same age. She was always healthy, just not a vigorous eater and therefor not a vigorous grower. She was bred last year and was due to calve in early March. As she progressed into labor, we moved her into the barn so we could monitor her progress.

I hung around the barn area to keep an eye on her hoping that nature would take its course. When I could see only a nose beginning to emerge without any feet (usually the first to appear) I knew she was in trouble. I had sent word to Mike across the field that he was needed and I moved into the pen with the cow. By the time Mike was there, I was elbow deep trying to find the front legs. I could only find one.

A birthing chain was attached to the leg I found and we began the slow easing pull to assist with the delivery. Once the head and one hoof was forward the delicate search for the other leg between contractions began. The other leg had been tucked toward the back end of the calf and I was able to straighten it forward and we helped deliver the calf into the world. It was apparent immediately that the calf did not survive the long delivery.

We gave the cow time to clean her baby, expel her afterbirth, and realize that her offspring had perished before moving her out of the barn and into a small pasture for recovery time. Once we had cleaned the barn and removed the baby, we brought the cow back in to load her into the stock trailer so #2 could spend quality time with the show cows and get pampered for a few months.

The reunion of the show barn cows with #2 included a lot of bellowing, snorting and dancing around. #2 is very happy with getting two feedings a day plus grain to get her back to her optimal weight.

Just in the short time she has now been with the show cows, her hair is becoming glossy and she is gaining weight. She is always the first one in when I go out to feed the cows in the show barn and eats more than her share.

After the tough delivery, #2 is enjoying her recuperation time.

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