Sharing and problems

[carragheendexters]

These cattle are always thinking up some new way to stress you and give you worries.

Scarlet was due to calve and I was pretty sure that she would calve overnight. No worries, she was an older cow that had never had any problems calving, and this was going to be her 8th calf.

First thing in the morning I go out to check on her. Now Carmen had calved 2 days earlier without any problems, again another older experienced cow. What I find is that Scarlet hadn't calved but was trying to steal Carmen's calf away from her. Her hormones had kicked in big time, she looked as if she should be in labour, but NOTHING was happening. ZILCH! no contractions at all.

There is a little calf hidden in there between the 2 cows. Scarlet is trying to steal the calf away from Carmen, Carmen is trying to get the calf away from Scarlet, I (home alone as always) am in the middle of it all trying to get either Carmen and the calf, or Scarlet through the gate into the next paddock. What a 3 ringed circus it was.

Eventually I did manage to get Carmen and the calf through the gate away from Scarlet.

For the next half hour Scarlet was stressing out, racing up and down the fence line, bellowing her head off wanting HER calf back. She was beside herself, but still no contractions

I was thinking to myself that it looked as if I was going to have to get the vet out to pull this calf.

After a while she just stopped yelling, and walked to the top of the hill with her head hanging very dejectedly. Still nothing. After half an hour of this I thought that I would go and check on her, maybe get her into the yards and have a feel of what was going on in there. By the time I got to the top of the hill she had laid down and was having contractions. Within 10 minutes the calf was born, way too long after it should have been. It was the messiest calf I have ever seen, meconium everywhere. We had a little heifer and fortunately she was still alive.

I quickly pulled her to a clean patch of grass  (now that wasn't very pleasant) and let her mum go for it cleaning her up. YUK!!  I can't believe this crazy cow, she has never been that maternal before when calving. She just shut down labour completely, she had decided that she already had a calf. We are going to have to watch her and get her isolated before she calves from now on.

Here she is in the process of cleaning up HER REAL calf.

[legendrockranch]

I have to admit to holding my breath all during your story, then breathing easier hearing that all worked out well for everyone. We had a similar situation years back
Nice udder on Scarlet.

Barb

[zephyrhillsusan]

Ditto to everything Barb said! I was scared to get to the end! I had no idea a cow could just put a stopper in it if she thought she already had a calf! Good job getting them separated; I think you saved this heifer's life. Is it just the angle on the photo or do her hooves look like she's wearing high heels? They look soooo long.

Also ditto on the udder!

[wildberryfarm]

Wow, what a day! So glad Scarlet got herself together...and I bet she needed those raging mommy hormones to clean up that mess, yuck-o. Love that udder.

[carragheendexters]

I tell you I was more than holding my breath, I was totally out of breath LOL. Running up and down the hill checking on her, pushing and shoving cows trying to get them through the gate, and nothing heavier than a cow that doesn't want to move, and then pushing and shoving trying to stop one from going through the gate. I'm no spring chicken and ended up totally exhausted.
Barb, I just don't know what gets into these crazy cows that they do this with no previous warning, she had never done it before.

Thanks everyone on your comments on her udder. It is holding up well for her 8th lactation.

Susan, I think the angle has accentuated her hooves. She had just hit the ground at this point and still had all that soft tissue on her hooves, that soon broke off after she was up walking around on the hard ground. She is quite deep heeled as well which makes that part look longer.

It really was more than yucko Diana, the calf was gross. I deliberated what I was going to do to move her as I didn't really want to pick her up, I ended up grabbing her by her hooves and dragging her to a clean spot. I felt so sorry for Scarlet having to clean her up, but she didn't complain LOL