For the Instructor

Animal Science Pathway Standards: Upon completion students will be able to

D4.3 - Explain the parturition process, including the identification of potential problems and their solutions.

Get Me Udder Here!BY: BRIAN SNYDER

Parturition in Beef/Dairy Cattle

Calving Signs Cow or heifer becomes restless Loss of appetite Discharge Bag up – udder fills with milk

(colostrum)

Difficulties with Calving

Dystocia difficult birth, typically caused by a

large or awkwardly positioned fetus, by smallness of the maternal pelvis, or by failure of the uterus and cervix to contract and expand normally.

Over-sized calf Twins Help

Me!!

Correct Positioning of Calf

• Feet First• Then Nose• Within 30 – 45 minutes calf

should be on the ground

Problems with the calf

A-F • All of these positions can

present potential problems with the parturition process.

• Why might these present problems know that you know the proper position of a calf?

Click icon to add picture

Twins The worst of the situations with twins is when each calf presents itself in the birth canal.

- Twins can present an issue with cattle. (Especially heifers)

- Often after having the first, cattle become less able to have the second

TWIN 2

TWIN 1

Problems with Mom

Torsion• The twisting of the uterus,

therefore not allowing the calf to pass.

• The solution is untwisting the uterus. Which requires a phone call to your local large animal vet.

Time to get the calf out.

Step 1: get the chains properly positioned around front legs.

Step 2: Offset the shoulders and pull

Discussion Activity:

- As soon as you have the chains on, do you just yank the calf out?

- Discuss with those around you what you might think the next step would be upon placing the pull chains on the calf.