Raising Cattle: Complications After Birth

By R.J. Holliday and Dvm
Published on September 1, 1972
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One of the worst conditions a cow or any other animal that has just given birth can exhibit is the turning inside cut or prolapse of the uterus. In severe bovine arses, the exposed mass of tissue can be 8 to 12 inches in diameter and two or more feet long.
One of the worst conditions a cow or any other animal that has just given birth can exhibit is the turning inside cut or prolapse of the uterus. In severe bovine arses, the exposed mass of tissue can be 8 to 12 inches in diameter and two or more feet long.
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Treatment consists of supporting the uterus on a large towel, cleaning the organ as well as possible, lubricating it well and gradually inverting and replacing the mass through the vulva. Care must be taken not to puncture the tissue nor damage its surface.
Treatment consists of supporting the uterus on a large towel, cleaning the organ as well as possible, lubricating it well and gradually inverting and replacing the mass through the vulva. Care must be taken not to puncture the tissue nor damage its surface.
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If a cow must be down for any length of time, a shallow trench should be dug under her hindquarters to relieve pressure on and improve circulation to the animal's rear legs,
If a cow must be down for any length of time, a shallow trench should be dug under her hindquarters to relieve pressure on and improve circulation to the animal's rear legs,
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Iodine swabbed on the navel of a new-born calf will often give the baby a head start in life.
Iodine swabbed on the navel of a new-born calf will often give the baby a head start in life.

Beginning farmers usually do pretty well with gardens, chopping wood and building outhouses. . . but the birth of that first calf or litter of pigs generally sets ’em back a couple of notches. R.J. Holliday DVM, a veterinarian in Missouri and MOTHER contributor, intends to remedy, the situation.

The birth of any animal on a homestead is a joyous occasion. It’s best if the new-born arrives unassisted, of course, but–if not–there’s a great deal of satisfaction for the dedicated herdsman in the knowledge that he has the skills to enable him to help bring a new life into the world.

In any event, it is sometimes easy to get too caught up in the wonder of a new delivery. So caught up that we tend to forget that the event marks both the end of the gestation period and the beginning of a potentially critical term in the life of the mother and new baby. For it is at this time, in the case of cattle, that the cow is very susceptible to complications arising front parturition and the metabolic conditions that result from the rapid changes taking place in her body chemistry as she meets the demands of her new role. The calf also is more prone to certain disease conditions immediately after making the drastic adjustment he has to make in order to survive outside the safe confines of his dam’s womb.

In the natural state then, the period immediately following birth is a time of testing. The death of the weak and unfit serves to strengthen the hardiness of succeeding generations, and many of the livestock problems we now encounter are the result of man’s interference with this natural selection.

It should be the primary goal of any good herdsman to try to manage his animals’ environment so as to prevent the development of high-stress conditions . . . but, when such situations do arise, the animals involved should gradually be eliminated from the herd. Your homestead will never be so ideal that it will not be necessary for you to be aware of the problems that may be encountered, their causes, their seriousnessand–most important of all–a suitable ecologically sound remedy for them. In this chapter we’ll consider the complications that can arise after a cow has given birth.

Calving Paralysis

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