Calving Management and Dystocia: Visual and Physical Signs
Our “Spring Calving” season begins in February and goes into March/April. I wanted to lay out a few management practices for how we evaluate our livestock before, during, and after the birthing process. Dystocia, or a difficult birth, can result in the loss of the cow and/or calf, as well as cause additional trauma, so doing our part to minimize this is absolutely critical. Heifers (a female that has never had a calf before) are most at-risk for calving trouble, but mature cows can also have issues. Also keep in mind that we run a commercial cow/calf Angus operation, so some of this information might not apply to everyone out there. I learn something new with each calving season, and no two births are alike! This is meant to be a basic overview, not professional advice. If you’re unsure about the safety of your livestock, immediately contact your local veterinarian for professional help!
Initial Visual Clues
We can tell a lot about our cattle just by reading their body language right as we pull into the pasture. We call this reading cattle and is important to do each time we enter a group of our animals. The first few moments of checking them can tell you a lot about what’s going on and if there’s any suspicious calving activity happening. Below are some visual signs I’m looking for right off the bat.
Cow standing off by herself while the rest of the herd comes towards me
Cow “waddling” in an uncomfortable manor while holding tail out
Cow looking at me and continually looking down or back at the ground.
Can mean she has already had the calf unassisted (best case scenario). If that’s the case, I’ll go check on momma and her baby to make sure they’re doing alright.
Physical Signs
Through consistent checking, we start to take note of body changes the cattle go through as they get closer to calving. Paying attention to these signs is a big help in keeping track of when something could happen.
Swollen vulva
We call it “springing up”, “springing”, or “sagging”
Udder filling up and begins to get a “tight” appearance
Cervical Plug Loss
Thick, mucous-looking matter hanging from the vulva
Can happen a few weeks before birth. Not necessarily a sign something is about to happen. But good to take note of.
Birthing Process
If we suspect there is a cow going into labor, it is important that we give her time to calve unassisted. Just because we see a cow off laying down doesn’t mean we try to help. If we can get a look at the birthing process from an adequate distance a way without disturbing them, this can provide us some helpful information.
Example of hooves of a breech calf. Notice seeing the bottom of the hoof, not the top. Indicates back feet coming first.
Once labor begins, we give them at least an hour to have the calf unassisted. (Take this with a grain of salt. In the instance you feel they need help, contact your local veterinarian for professional help). Close to the end of the hour, if no progress is being made, we will intervene.
Examine the feet if they are showing. Determine if they are front or back feet. A normal birth takes place with front feet first, followed by the nose.
Front feet sticking out: you should see the top of the hoof
Bottom feet sticking out: you should see the bottom of the hoof
If we conclude the calf is being born with back feet coming out first (breech), or in another undesirable position such as one leg back or head down, we move in to assist with the birth.
When pulling a calf, determine if she is having twins. Be 100% sure the legs you are pulling belong to the same calf.
Minimizing Calving Problems
I want to touch base on a few things we take into consideration to minimize calving problems. However, Mother Nature can be cruel, so there’s no way to 100% ensure an easy and safe birth.
Fun Fact: A bull should be able to find the first female in heat within 20 minutes of being turned in with the herd.
Proper nutrition
This includes a proper mineral program. Research a livestock nutritionist in your area to assist in creating a feed/mineral program for your cattle.
Undernourished females can become exhausted during the birthing process, and females that are too fat can have excess fat in the birthing canal.
Bull Selection
Bull primarily determines the birthweight of the calf
EPD: Expected Progeny Difference
In laymen’s terms, it’s an estimate of the genetic potential of a bull compared to others in the same breed.
Important information to look at whether using Artificial Insemination or a bull service to breed your cattle.
Several factors make up a bulls EPD Score.
ACC (Accuracy of EPD in question). CED: Calving Ease Direct (Prediction of percentage of unassisted births. Important in first-calf heifers). BW: Birthweight. (Prediction of the weight of his offspring at birth). WW: Weaning Weight. (Prediction of the weight at weaning of his offspring). YW: Yearling Weight (Prediction of the weight of his offspring at 12 months)
Record Keeping
Keep accurate and detailed records of which cows need assistance. Depending on the issue in the situation, it could be a good idea to cull that cow and remove her from your breeding program. Females with these genetics are not fit for replacement heifers.
Keep in mind this is not a guarantee of no calving problems. When making the decision on what bull to use, speak to a reputable seller in your area to determine what is right for your herd.
Calving Supplies
We keep these supplies on hand and ready to go during calving season.
First calf heifer had this baby unassisted in February 2020.
Iodine for navel
Milk replacer
Colostrum
