Ah… the last of the video series…
<sniff>
Will you miss them??
I enjoy doing these, because they can explain things much better in some respects. Like most areas of expertise, it is easy to forget to explain simple things that we take for granted. Hopefully these videos have filled the gaps of my writings. Please keep in mind, though, that each ranch and rancher is different… and what is typical here, may not exist or function in any other setting!
Vernon had penned this heifer a couple hours before… and had asked me to check on her.
That is where Scene 1 begins.
I try to be quiet… and keep the dogs back… just to lessen her stress.
I waited almost another hour and she still hadn’t made progress. But look at the size of those little hoofies! This is gonna be a big calf. If you’ve ever birthed a child over 8 pounds, you can relate! Daniel was 8 pounds, 10 ounces… so I tend to be very sympathetic for these ladies!
About the time I get the chains out, Vernon and Daniel arrive and decide to help her out. This is just like a doctor getting some forceps to help pull a baby. The chains have nylon straps on them which are placed above the “dew claws” as not to damage the ankle joint down lower.
We return her to her pen, so she was taking her first turn about when I started filming again.
She quickly settled down, and the guys provide traction. They pull only when she is having a contraction.
No, they don’t always calve standing up… but occasionally they do…
Yes, front hooves and little noses appear first… if the hooves are inverted, then the calf is coming backwards… and that can be bad news!
Sometimes the water bag protrudes, causing the “bubble” I talk about in Video 3 … but this lady had broke her water already.
Dogs are not welcome here… Cows will instinctively defend their calves from “wolves” and if they can’t get to the dog, they may just come at you instead… so dogs are told to go away!!
No, it didn’t hurt the calf to fall to the ground!
Watch closely and you’ll see Daniel stick some straw up the calf’s nose in order to make him “sneeze” the mucus out!
And though I wasn’t really paying attention then… if you look closely at the rock on the rimrock… it does look like an eagle is sitting there!
And so…
Enjoy…
This is what it is all about…
I LOVE this part of ranching!
Heifer 4 from Carol Greet on Vimeo.
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