Good intentions can sometimes go astray at calving time.
“Sometimes, the calves come out in spite of what the person does, not because of what they do,” said practitioner Uli Schmiamann of Pioneer Veterinary Services at Sundre, Alta.
One problem that may need vet care is hiplock.
A cow’s or calf’s hips can lock during the birthing process because the calf is too big for the pelvis. The condition is worsened if the person pulling the calf is not doing it properly.
Bovine vets such as Schmiamann recommend that before intervening with a calf puller or bringing in a vet, try repositioning the cow.
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Try getting her to lie on her side. It doesn’t matter which side.
When a calf is stuck, most cows are willing to lie down. This helps relax the ligaments in the pelvis and can ease out the wedged calf. Putting the cow on her back with her feet in the air will not help, said Schmiamann.
A calf puller can help if the calf has become hiplocked naturally. Vets recommend pulling with a calf puller down low between the cow’s legs, pulling toward the hocks. Always work with the cow, timing your pull with the animal’s contractions.
If the cause of the hiplock was improper use of a puller to begin with, there may be difficulties getting the calf out without hurting it or the mother.
Remember, the shoulders are usually a little bigger than the hips.
“If the head of the calf is in the pelvis and one person can get the shoulders to pop in by hand, you will be able to pull the calf and it will not hiplock,” he said.
“If you can’t get both shoulders to pop in, you shouldn’t be pulling it,” he said.
The worst case scenario is paralysis because of too much pressure on the nerves in the cow’s pelvic area. By the time the vet arrives, the calf has to be killed or may be dead. It has to be cut into pieces to get it out.
Following a difficult but live birth, the calf does not get up right away and some cows do not get up at all. Vets advise watching the cow because some can stay down for a month and then recover.
Sometimes hiplock is mistaken for stifle lock where the calf’s knees have come up to the brim of the pelvis. It is a tight squeeze at this point because the calf is wedged in at the stifle rather than the hips.
You might be able to work the calf free in the same way as with hiplock. Put your arm in and if it is wedged in really tight it will be difficult to identify the body parts.
Both situations are caused by calves that are too big.
The following year, the cow should be bred to a light birthweight bull.
Look at the breed. Larger-framed breeds like Charolais or Simmental can handle bigger calves while medium-framed British breeds should be dropping smaller calves.
