A HERDSMAN'S HANDBOOK FOR THE MODERN HOMESTEADER

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During the preliminary examination; if only feet are found it will be necessary to determine if they're front feet or hind feet. Obviously, the presence of a head or a tail will provide the proper orientation, but it's sometimes impossible to teach these identifying features, When this is the case, advance your hand along the foot and leg up to the first joint above the dewclaws. On hind legs you'll be able to feel the Achilles tendon (a long, round cord running from the point of the hock to the large muscles on the hind leg). A tendon of this sort is not present on the front legs. You can verify this difference rather easily by comparing these joints on any calf.

If you encounter two hind feet in the pelvic inlet, attach the chains or ropes and proceed with the delivery as described above. Remember to keep the legs slightly offset. In this presentation the delivery must be accomplished quickly or the calf will suffocate in the uterine fluids.

Two front feet and no head in the birth canal presents a grave problem since it's impossible to effect a delivery until the head can be brought into a normal position. When you locate the head, gently push back on the feet to provide more room in the pelvis, and gradually bring the head around into a normal position (Figure 7). A person with strong hands can usually do this by grasping the head with the thumb and index finger inserted into the eye sockets (this is safe and causes no damage to the calf). It`s also possible to pass a noose or snare around the calf's head and through its mouth to provide the necessary fixation (see Figure 3). A loop of rope around the lower jaw is generally unsatisfactory (Figure 8). After the head is brought into the proper position, delivery can proceed normally.

An even more difficult problem, is a "head-alone" presentation, especially if the head has passed all the way through the vagina. It is very difficult, in such a case, to return the head back through the pelvis so that space is available for you to reach the baby's feet. Both feet must be carefully advanced along the neck and extended into the normal position before the birth can. continue. If this cannot be done and if the calf is dead (no eye reflexes) then the head cart be removed surgically to provide room in the pelvis to advance the feet into the proper position. Here, as in all repositioning, the liberal use of a lubricant will make the job much easier.

A "head-and-one-foot" or "only-one-foot" will require somewhat the same manipulations as the above presentations to put the appendages of the fetus into the proper position for delivery (Figures 9, 10 and 11).

Clue of the most difficult presentations to work with is the "breech" (Figure 12). In this case, only the rump or the tail can be found. If the labor has not progressed too far, the situation can be remedied by gently pushing in on the rump and at the same tune carefully extending the hind legs, one at a time, into the birth canal (Figure 13). This may require tire use of both arms in the vagina and one hand should be cupped over each hoof to safeguard against the possibility of puncturing the uterus as the foot is extended. When both feet are in the proper position, delivery can proceed.

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