Post by tassie on Apr 5, 2010 8:52:34 GMT -5
Well, Daisy just had a huge heifer calf delivered by the vet . They're both OK,which is the main thing, but I'm a bit sheepish about calling the vet in.
Daisy was obviously in very early labour at dusk, not grazing and doing some funny things like backing up for no apparent reason. I went inside for about an hour and when I checked her again she was voraciously grazing and sniffing a very wet area of grass, doing mama moos and having contractions that made her kick out. I really didn't know what had happened in that hour but thought her waters must have recently broken and she was trying to eat them.
She had regular contractions for the next hour or so but no feet were showing. She lost her first calf, last year, because it was big and posterior presentation and we pulled it but it suffocated on the way out. So I was very aware that I didn't want her to lose another.....paranoid maybe . I'll point out here that my BIL was NOT convinced he needed to pull a calf in the dark, with the information I gave him (I didn't see the waters break). Soooo I called the vet who came out reasonably quickly. She did an exam and the waters HADN'T broken but she was fully dilated and it was a very big calf. She didn't pressure us to pull it but said she might as well get it out because of the size and Daisy's very hefty condition.
My sister and I agreed, mainly because we didn't want to be stressed all night and then have to get the vet back out. So we now have a live, very large HEIFER calf and Daisy is fine and totally engrossed in motherhood. She has a slight tear but had a shot of antibiotics and a painkiller and will heal OK.
Please tell me I did the right thing , it's going to be bad enough having to face my BIL tomorrow, but I will hold my head high because they're both OK. It was my call so I will foot the bill, but my reputation for overreacting will be reinforced .
One day I'll be wise enough to know when to hold off, but I guess it's been an important experience that will help me get to that point).
This calf must be a throwback to her 1/4 shorthorn genes, coz Daisy is half Angus but built like one and the Angus daddy has low birthweight genes. That or it's the good pasture she's been on. The calf is much bigger than Blossom's bull calf.
I'm just glad they're OK (did I mention that? )
The yin and yang of calving: one perfect daytime birth followed by a difficult night birth. It all balances out in the end
Trina
PS photos tomorrow
Daisy was obviously in very early labour at dusk, not grazing and doing some funny things like backing up for no apparent reason. I went inside for about an hour and when I checked her again she was voraciously grazing and sniffing a very wet area of grass, doing mama moos and having contractions that made her kick out. I really didn't know what had happened in that hour but thought her waters must have recently broken and she was trying to eat them.
She had regular contractions for the next hour or so but no feet were showing. She lost her first calf, last year, because it was big and posterior presentation and we pulled it but it suffocated on the way out. So I was very aware that I didn't want her to lose another.....paranoid maybe . I'll point out here that my BIL was NOT convinced he needed to pull a calf in the dark, with the information I gave him (I didn't see the waters break). Soooo I called the vet who came out reasonably quickly. She did an exam and the waters HADN'T broken but she was fully dilated and it was a very big calf. She didn't pressure us to pull it but said she might as well get it out because of the size and Daisy's very hefty condition.
My sister and I agreed, mainly because we didn't want to be stressed all night and then have to get the vet back out. So we now have a live, very large HEIFER calf and Daisy is fine and totally engrossed in motherhood. She has a slight tear but had a shot of antibiotics and a painkiller and will heal OK.
Please tell me I did the right thing , it's going to be bad enough having to face my BIL tomorrow, but I will hold my head high because they're both OK. It was my call so I will foot the bill, but my reputation for overreacting will be reinforced .
One day I'll be wise enough to know when to hold off, but I guess it's been an important experience that will help me get to that point).
This calf must be a throwback to her 1/4 shorthorn genes, coz Daisy is half Angus but built like one and the Angus daddy has low birthweight genes. That or it's the good pasture she's been on. The calf is much bigger than Blossom's bull calf.
I'm just glad they're OK (did I mention that? )
The yin and yang of calving: one perfect daytime birth followed by a difficult night birth. It all balances out in the end
Trina
PS photos tomorrow