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ABOVE Tim Potter, senior vet with West- point Veterinary Group.
OPPOSITE LEFT The environment in which cows are calving should be as clean as possible with a deep clean bed of straw. When assistance is required, full arm length gloves should be worn.
before calving using drenches, gels and boluses.
The calving process
While most cows will calve quite easily without assistance, it is important to be able to recognise when you need to provide additional help. A general understanding of the normal birth process will help you determine when assistance is required.
Normal calving can be divided into three general stages:-
Stage one: - Preparation Stage two: - Delivery of the calf Stage three: - Expulsion of the afterbirth
Stage one will see the animal preparing to calve. Uterine contractions begin and the cervix starts to dilate. Animals will become restless and separate themselves from the rest of the group. This stage will last about two-six hours, although it might be slightly longer in heifers. Any unusual disturbance or stress during this period, such as excitement, may inhibit the contractions and delay calving. Stage two begins when the calf enters the birth canal which stimulates abdominal contractions. The water bag will appear from the vulva at the start of this stage. Delivery of the calf should then occur within one-two hours of the water bag being seen.
Stage three sees the expulsion of the afterbirth and this will generally occur six-12 hours after the delivery of the calf. However, in some cases (especially after difficult calvings) the cow may not cleanse straight away. As long as the animal is bright, alert and still eating and drinking, then the cleansing can be left untouched for up to seven days. If, after this period (or if the cow appears ill or off her food at any point) the afterbirth has not come
THE JOURNAL OCTOBER 2014 91
When considering post calving infections,it is important to remember that many of the conditions seen in the calving period are very closeley related
away, then vet advice should be sought.
Cows should be examined if they have been in stage one for longer than six hours and no further signs of calving have been observed. Any animals which show signs of abdominal contractions or a water bag for more than two hours without showing any parts of the calf should also be examined. When you start seeing the calf’s feet it is important to continue to monitor the cow at regular intervals. If no progress is made within an hour, or the nose of the calf protrudes further than its feet, assistance should be provided. Always remember the importance of hygiene and cleanliness around calving; the environment in which animals are calving should be clean and regularly disinfected. If you need to examine a calving cow or provide assistance, always make sure that you take steps to minimise the potential introduction of bacteria into the uterus; ensure all calving aids, ropes etc. are clean and that you wear clean
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