Today we saved a calf who had lost it's instincts due to a hard labor.
First we noticed the calf had blood shot eyes from a difficulty delivery, then we noticed it was not behaving normally when it tried to nurse. It approached the bag touched it with it's nose for 1 moment and then left it. It never bent its neck down as is normal. And we noticed the mothers udder had not been nursed.
Wo we employed a technique called the madigan squeeze which we have used on foals before. To.employ this technique you wrap a soft rope around the thorax of the calf and tighten it until it applies some pressure. Then you hold the oressure for 15 minutes to 30 minutes. We did 15. After we took the rope off the calf regained natural behaviors and nursed. The rope simulates the time spent in the birth canal which spurs the natural instincts the calf needs for life outside the uterus.
First we noticed the calf had blood shot eyes from a difficulty delivery, then we noticed it was not behaving normally when it tried to nurse. It approached the bag touched it with it's nose for 1 moment and then left it. It never bent its neck down as is normal. And we noticed the mothers udder had not been nursed.
Wo we employed a technique called the madigan squeeze which we have used on foals before. To.employ this technique you wrap a soft rope around the thorax of the calf and tighten it until it applies some pressure. Then you hold the oressure for 15 minutes to 30 minutes. We did 15. After we took the rope off the calf regained natural behaviors and nursed. The rope simulates the time spent in the birth canal which spurs the natural instincts the calf needs for life outside the uterus.
