I work at a dairy farm, and been working there since in the first week of August, milking around 90 holstein cows, two times a day, 4 to 5 days a week. I have to be at work at 5 am, and is finished by 8 am, then I go home 13 miles away. Then I come back at 4 pm, and is finished by 7 pm. There as been around 20 calves born since I started the job, but have not seen one born yet!
This evening milking however, I got my chance. A co-worker and I was moving a batch of cows to the milking room, (We milk 14 cows at a time, 6 rounds.) when the co-worker saw a cow by herself on the other side of the barn, and her water had broke, so we moved her to the birthing pen, then continued with the milking. We finished the milking, cleaned the milking room and milking stuff, and closed the gates. Co-worker went home, while I went to check on the cow, hoping that I will see the birthing before going home.
I was just watching her, and looked at her rear, and saw 2 small hoofs sticking out.
While watching her and thinking if I should tell my boss or not, when I heard the shop door shut, and saw my boss going to the house. I called out to him and said that there is a cow in labor, he came over to see. He asked me if I have seen a calf being born, I said no. He said I could stay and watch, but he had to go to a church meeting, and was in a hurry. I asked him what can I do if there is a issue, he said to watch for the nose, and I can pull the calf out with some string wrapped around it's legs if it is stuck. Then he handed me a hanging light to see the birthing better, then he left. It was cold and windy, so I sat in the corner and piled hay around me for warmth. Slowly I moved closer until I was next to the cow.
I took the pictures from my cell phone, so the pictures are not that great, plus it was dark.
After like 20 minutes of pushing and still just the hoofs were showing, and I looked closer to see if I can find the calf's nose, but I saw a what looked like a tail instead a calf's nose. My mind went ''oh no, a breech.'' I took some strings and looped around the calf's hoofs, and after several slips, I got the strings on, and waited for the next contractions. When the contractions came, she was pushing and I was pulling slowly, I kept with the contractions. She was working hard, and was gasping for breath at each contractions. Each time she pushed, I pulled, finally the calf was half way out, but it kept going back in her, so it was a bit of tug-of-war going on. After one push and a pull from both sides, the calf slipped out very fast. At first I thought that it dead, but it started thrashing, and coughing.
I think it had taken about 5 or ten minutes of pulling/pushing to get the calf out. It is a healthy bull calf.
Right after the calf was born, the cow got up and started licking him like there is no tomorrow.
BTW, this was my very first time to help deliver a calf, and I was by myself the entire process.
Now I am very tired.
This evening milking however, I got my chance. A co-worker and I was moving a batch of cows to the milking room, (We milk 14 cows at a time, 6 rounds.) when the co-worker saw a cow by herself on the other side of the barn, and her water had broke, so we moved her to the birthing pen, then continued with the milking. We finished the milking, cleaned the milking room and milking stuff, and closed the gates. Co-worker went home, while I went to check on the cow, hoping that I will see the birthing before going home.
While watching her and thinking if I should tell my boss or not, when I heard the shop door shut, and saw my boss going to the house. I called out to him and said that there is a cow in labor, he came over to see. He asked me if I have seen a calf being born, I said no. He said I could stay and watch, but he had to go to a church meeting, and was in a hurry. I asked him what can I do if there is a issue, he said to watch for the nose, and I can pull the calf out with some string wrapped around it's legs if it is stuck. Then he handed me a hanging light to see the birthing better, then he left. It was cold and windy, so I sat in the corner and piled hay around me for warmth. Slowly I moved closer until I was next to the cow.
I took the pictures from my cell phone, so the pictures are not that great, plus it was dark.
After like 20 minutes of pushing and still just the hoofs were showing, and I looked closer to see if I can find the calf's nose, but I saw a what looked like a tail instead a calf's nose. My mind went ''oh no, a breech.'' I took some strings and looped around the calf's hoofs, and after several slips, I got the strings on, and waited for the next contractions. When the contractions came, she was pushing and I was pulling slowly, I kept with the contractions. She was working hard, and was gasping for breath at each contractions. Each time she pushed, I pulled, finally the calf was half way out, but it kept going back in her, so it was a bit of tug-of-war going on. After one push and a pull from both sides, the calf slipped out very fast. At first I thought that it dead, but it started thrashing, and coughing.
I think it had taken about 5 or ten minutes of pulling/pushing to get the calf out. It is a healthy bull calf.
Right after the calf was born, the cow got up and started licking him like there is no tomorrow.
BTW, this was my very first time to help deliver a calf, and I was by myself the entire process.
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