Calving is a natural part of a cow’s life cycle. She usually knows her job and does it well. In fact, according to Kerry Rood, DVM, extension veterinarian at Utah State University, “A lot of times the cow just has the calf, and you discover it after the fact.”
Due to a variety of causes, though, cows have difficulties in a small percent of births. In those cases, human intervention is required to ensure the survival of both cow and calf. That’s when knowledge and preparation on proper maternity management is essential to reduce losses and unnecessary disease in cows and calves.
Rood shared his suggestions with Bovine Health Watch recently to guide producers toward smooth calving in their herds.
Keep an eye on pregnant cows
His first recommendation is to observe pregnant cows frequently. If the cow is experienced, is generally healthy, and has an acceptable body condition score (BCS), every three hours is an adequate interval.
However, first-time heifers and cows with a BCS of less than two or more than four are at higher risk for dystocia. These animals should be checked every hour, 24 hours a day. Knowing that this is a daunting requirement, Rood offered that they can be “checked from the side of the corral or with binoculars from a pickup truck” rather than bringing each cow in.
Enhance the “delivery room”
Sometimes, Rood says, producers need to be reminded about what cows do in nature when they have a calf. They remove themselves from the herd to be by themselves. While this can’t be replicated completely, there are steps producers can take to make the setting as natural and comfortable as possible.
Often, dairy farms inhibit the birthing process by crowding the cows too much, and making them apprehensive. The recommended maternity pen size is 140 square feet for an individual cow, he indicated, adding that when group-housing cows, the square footage will vary somewhat, depending on bunk and feeding space. Further, Rood recommends creating maternity pens or areas that are less trafficked and therefore quieter. When those are provided, cows that have seemed nervous will “often settle down and progress into labor.”
If they don’t progress, it’s time to consider assisting. Here are the steps in labor and Rood’s suggested interventions.
During stage one labor, examine the cow
In stage one labor, the uterus begins contracting at about 15-minute intervals, and the cervix starts to dilate. Symptoms of early labor vary widely, with the most obvious symptoms more characteristic in heifers.
“The cow begins to get restless during the first stage of labor, and you may start to see the fetal membrane emerge,” Rood explained. “This stage normally lasts 2-6 hours. If it goes longer than that, you need to examine the cow.”
In preparing for an exam, make sure you have clean gloves and observe sterile techniques. This is crucial to avoid exposing the cow’s reproductive system to infectious organisms. And, according to Rood, observing sterile practices is an area “many dairy farms overlook in the heat and excitement of the moment.” Another important measure is applying lubricant liberally. This is critical in protecting the delicate tissues of the reproductive tract.
The exam will reveal several things: (1) if the vaginal tract is intact, (2) if the cervix is dilated, (3) if there are problems such as a twisted uterus or obstructions and (4) if the calf is alive and in the proper position in the birth canal.
Rood says if the vaginal tract is not intact, or the cervix is not dilated, you should call a veterinarian.
Using sterile techniques, you can determine if the calf is alive by putting a finger in its mouth or near its eye, which should make the calf move. If it doesn’t move, Rood again encourages producers to call their veterinarian. A dead fetus is difficult to remove and often requires surgery in the form of a C-section or fetotomy, he explained.
Once you’ve determined the calf is alive, check for position. During stage one, for a calf coming forward (anterior presentation), the head and front feet should be in the birth canal, with the bottom of the hooves pointing to the ground when the cow is standing, Rood advises. If the bottom of the hooves are pointing toward the sky, those are usually the back legs, which means you have a posterior (back end first) presentation.
If the calf is coming out backward with legs not coming first or tucked up under the animal (breech), the fetus must be repositioned before labor can proceed. It’s a process many producers and employees are adept at, but if progress is not evident after 30 minutes, call the vet or a more experienced dairy employee. If the calf is upside down with its legs tucked under or extending in different directions, its position may be very difficult to correct, and a veterinarian might be needed to assist with delivery if reasonable effort does not correct the position.
What to do during stage two
Anterior presentation. Stage two labor begins when the calf’s feet and head begin to appear.
“What we want to see is the two front feet with hooves pointing down toward the ground,” Rood explained. “Shortly after that, we want to see the nose, which, depending on calf size, should appear when the feet are out 6-8 inches.”
Once the calf’s feet and head appear, if the cow strains for 1-2 hours with little progress, Rood suggests intervening. Traction is a common technique to assist in this situation, but he cautions it should be used with care.
“If you are applying gentle traction and the calf’s shoulders do not progress through the pelvic canal, you need to stop before the calf gets locked,” he warned.
Rood explained that large birth-weight calves are especially prone to getting locked in the birth canal when excessive traction is applied. And, he advised that determining whether vaginal delivery or a C-section is more appropriate often requires the expertise of a veterinarian.
Where Rood says he sometimes sees problems on dairy operations is when they breed cows with beef bulls.
“There is a fad to use really heavy muscled or double-muscled beef breeds,” he said. “When that happens, the cows can have trouble delivering those calves; they are bigger and predisposed to dystocia.”
Posterior presentation. When the calf presents in posterior position with tail first and hind legs extended first in the birth canal, the same intervention techniques apply, with several caveats, Rood said.
First, and most important, is that you only have a limited amount of time, so intervention is usually advised.
“While the cow may be able to deliver a calf in posterior position with hind legs extended, it is a race between when the umbilical cord gets pinched or severed and when the calf’s head is out into the air so that it can breathe,” he explained. “If we let the cow do it on her own and she has a little difficulty, the cord can become compromised. Then, when the calf takes a breath, he takes in fluid, not air, and could suffocate. When the calf delivers head first, on the other hand, he can breathe air if the umbilical cord is pinched.”
When intervening in this situation, Rood says hiplock can occur. If it does, he suggests gently rotating the calf’s hips 90 degrees, to one side or the other, to maximize room in the pelvic canal. Then apply gentle traction. You can even alternate from one side to the other. If progress is not seen within 30 minutes, contact your veterinarian.
Parting shots
In closing, Rood provided a few tips for dairy producers to keep in mind when it comes to calving.
First, don’t skimp on the maternity pen. He says, “Spend a little money and invest the time to make a nice maternity area for cows to deliver in. And, clean it frequently.”
Second, pay special attention to first-calf heifers and those with low body condition scores during pregnancy.
And finally, when intervening during calving, slow down and think of the cow as a family member.
“We have our own deadlines and problems, and sometimes we rush the process. We can be a little rough trying to get that animal out. A cow only has one reproductive tract and one chance to have a calf. When you rush, you can do harm that can prevent the animal from being productive, let alone the pain and discomfort associated with it.”
Sources: Sprott, LR, Recognizing and Handling Calving Problems, AgriLIFE Extension, Texas A&M University System. B-1203. 5-03.