Calving Breeches

[bruce9001]

Does anyone just let a cow calve herself if you know or can see it is a breech???

I have always intervened and calved the cow once i am aware it is a breech presentation!

Only reason i ask is was speaking to an elderly farmer today who said he leaves majority of his to get on with it themselves and only gets involved if really needs to!
[emoji848][emoji848][emoji848][emoji848]

 

[YELROM]

Always get them out if i know there breeched

 

[Northeastfarmer]

Never ever leave them if they’re breeched...they soon die like that

 

[hendrebc]

Id pull it if i saw it. I mostly find calves already born up and suckling so maybe some have birthed a breech calf i wouldnt know.
What do you call breech? Coming out arse first and legs forward or back legs first?

 

[Northeastfarmer]

Id pull it if i saw it. I mostly find calves already born up and suckling so maybe some have birthed a breech calf i wouldnt know.
What do you call breech? Coming out arse first and legs forward or back legs first?

I call breech backwards with feet first
I call backwards with arse first and legs forward an absolute nightmare

 

[hendrebc]

I call breech backwards with feet first
I call backwards with arse first and legs forward an absolute nightmare

Never calved one with legs forward arse first incan imagine its a bloody pain to get the legs. I did have a ewe that im convinced lambed a lamb like that helself this year though. Everything around the lambs back end was swollen and it was behind her with its legs forward like it came out arse first. Was dead though

 

[M-J-G]

I always calve them when I'm aware that they're breech (tail presentation) as it's almost certain that they won't calve it like that.

Plenty of cows manage a hind feet presentation by themselves. It's just a lot more risky, and I'd always assist to help eliminate that risk.

 

[Werzle]

If in any doubt, get em out!

 

[yellowbelly]

when I'm aware that they're breech (tail presentation) as it's almost certain that they won't calve it like that.

Plenty of cows manage a hind feet presentation by themselves. It's just a lot more risky, and I'd always assist to help eliminate that risk.

^^^^ +1
IME, once they're coming back legs first you need them to be out - the big danger is them getting half way out and then getting stuck. If their naval gets trapped in the cow's pelvis they start to 'breathe' on their own and get their lungs full of amniotic fluid and drown.

 

[Forever Fendt]

is there much danger of broken ribs with a breach birth in calves as i have had a few big single lambs break ribs coming through the pelvis backwards but most have survived with a little care

 

[Happy]

Could a particular bull me more prone to throwing breech carvings than others?

Bought a bull October 2017 but around 3 out of 12 born last autumn were coming backwards. Just had the third spring calver calf this morning and just a tail I was presented with. First two were normal and calved themselves.

Bulls figures +13 for calving ease and -0.2 for gestation length so in theory should be easy calving. Cows not over fat and none of the 3 born so far have been particularly big. They are lengthy though, could that be a cause for them not turning the correct way in the womb?

 

[C.J]

Could a particular bull me more prone to throwing breech carvings than others?Bought a bull October 2017 but around 3 out of 12 born last autumn were coming backwards. Just had the third spring calver calf this morning and just a tail I was presented with. First two were normal and calved themselves.Bulls figures +13 for calving ease and -0.2 for gestation length so in theory should be easy calving. Cows not over fat and none of the 3 born so far have been particularly big. They are lengthy though, could that be a cause for them not turning the correct way in the womb?

This ^ combined with some cows having less room than others.

 

[Dextersg]

If it's not coming naturally then I will assist. Less time spent upside down the better

 

[M-J-G]

Could a particular bull me more prone to throwing breech carvings than others?

Bought a bull October 2017 but around 3 out of 12 born last autumn were coming backwards. Just had the third spring calver calf this morning and just a tail I was presented with. First two were normal and calved themselves.

Bulls figures +13 for calving ease and -0.2 for gestation length so in theory should be easy calving. Cows not over fat and none of the 3 born so far have been particularly big. They are lengthy though, could that be a cause for them not turning the correct way in the womb?

I've always had the odd one tail first, maybe 1 or 2% a year.
Not found a particular bull to be an issue, not usually a big calf either.
A big calf tail first takes a bit or sorting.

 

[Gulli]

I call breech backwards with feet first
I call backwards with arse first and legs forward an absolute nightmare

I was going to like this post while reading through and then realised I already had.

Amazing the mess they can get themselves into. Once watched a ewe lamb one tail first, came like a cork out of a bottle!

 

[livestock 1]

Any calves that come backwards often end up full of fluid in my experience. It doesn’t always cause a problem but it’s not a good thing

 

[Happy]

I've always had the odd one tail first, maybe 1 or 2% a year.
Not found a particular bull to be an issue, not usually a big calf either.
A big calf tail first takes a bit or sorting.

Been doing a bit of investigating and looks like this could well be a hereditary thing.

https://www.beefmagazine.com/mag/beef_em_alive

Got another 22 due to him in the next few weeks. If there’s another couple like that then he’ll have to go.

 

[simgirl]

If we have a calf coming with just the tail there's always a 2nd one in there.

 

[Henarar]

If we have a calf coming with just the tail there's always a 2nd one in there.

when you find three feet or something like that it gets really interesting

 

[simgirl]

Yes, we had 4 front feet yesterday! In a heifer