My heifer calved at 10 pm and although it was a really easy calving, the calf had taken in a lot of liquid so he sounded pretty congested. As I have no aspirator (which I assume is what you would use) I could only keep wiping his nose and trying to get him to sneeze. Pity you can't swing a calf like you do a lamb.
Now it is 3 hours later and he still can't stand up. I managed to get him to suck for a few minutes by holding his head up to a teat, but I don't know if he is getting enough and he doesn't appear too interested. He is a good size (about 50 lbs.) and does have a sucking reflex. I guess I will have to use my new milking skills and try to get some colustrum into a bottle. Oh boy, another nervous Dexter to milk, in the middle of the night in an unlit shed. If you don't hear from me again, you'll know the cow won
When we want to get fluid out of a calf if there are two strong people about, we hold the calf between the two people facing each other and each holding a hind leg about the hock, and swing it to and fro. I am not talking Dexters, I mean holsteins, simmentals, limousins etc.s
We also use stuff called Dallophyline Gel which goes in the mouth and is absorbe through the tongue rather than by being swallowed. It speeds up heart and breathing. Good for lambs too. There is a similar thing in drop form called Dopram-V.
Duncan
Duncan MacIntyre
Burnside Dexters 00316
Burnside
Ascog
Isle of Bute
When we had any Holsteins calve that resulted in the calf retaining fluid, we always hung it over a gate. Be sure to get the top rail just in front the hips, in what would be the natural bend of the body, let it hang there for a few minutes, all the fluid will drain away. also it is something that one person can do quite easily.
In the days before milking parlours, we used to sling calves over the middle divider between stalls, front legs one side back legs the other to let fluid drain away for a few minutes
A good few hours later, hoping all is well, Kathy.
Sometimes it is necessary to straddle a calf and hold it up under the ribs for up to 15 minutes, to help it get some balance in its legs. Better the aching back than having to bottle feed colostrum, in my opinion. Safer if the cow has no horns though.
Margaret.
Graham & Margaret
Wagra Dexters
Bendoc Australia 3888
