Clara's Close Call

If you follow us on facebook, you may have seen that one of our cows, Clara (a first-calf heifer who was one of the first cows due to have a calf around April 1st), had a close call last week.

I had taken some round bales of hay to another pasture and afterwards drove towards the cows’ current pasture to check on them.

As I got closer I could tell that a cow had laid down in a bad position on a hill and rolled over on her side but then couldn’t get back up.

This predicament can be lethal to a cow, as they begin to bloat and they can die if unable to right themselves to release the gas inside.

At first she wasn’t moving and I was afraid I was already too late, but as I got close she started to flail about as she struggled to get back upright.

I was relieved, but there was still a struggle ahead. I could tell she had been stuck for a while, as in addition to her bloated side, she had bloodied her nose from flopping her head, and her back end was also getting swollen.

I tried to assist her (without getting flogged by a swinging cow head in the process), but I just couldn’t quite push (or pull with the makeshift rope I had quickly fashioned from the net wrap off a hay bale I’d just delivered) hard enough to get her past the point of equilibrium.

My adrenaline was running strong…I can only imagine what Clara’s was like! I didn’t feel like we had a lot of time.

I called in reinforcements, and dad and Jennifer came as quickly as they could.

When they arrived, their extra pushing from behind while I pulled was all that was needed to roll Clara enough that she could get her legs under her and stand up.

Whew! And, breathe! (Me AND the cow!)

She was a little wobbly at first, and of course all the other cows had to come investigate. The smell of blood got them all acting crazy, and so we put Clara on the other side of the fence so the others would leave her alone and she could recover in peace, checking in on her occasionally.

By the next morning I put her back with the others.

But the story wasn’t over…

I wondered whether the trauma she went through would affect her pregnancy in any way, and kept an eye on her for the next few days.

Monday I noticed that her udder had filled out a good bit more than the previous day, and there were a couple other behaviors that my radar noticed which made me suspicious of the beginnings of labor.

When I went back later in the day, I was pretty convinced she was having contractions.

I decided to get our supper and go check her afterwards.

When Doug and I got back to the pasture, there were still no signs of imminent delivery, but she was pushing when having contractions.

It’s always a concern when you know a cow’s labor has begun and you don’t see progress for a few hours.

Given the events of last week, I didn’t know what to expect. At 3 weeks early, the calf was developed enough to survive, but I didn’t know how that stress had affected the baby.

Was there some chance the contractions could subside?

Could the cow’s flailing have turned the calf to an unnatural position in utero?

Was there any oxygen deprivation that caused death in the womb?

So as the sun went down, we decided to bring her to the barn where we could more easily keep an eye on her and help if needed.

I called dad and asked him whether I should go ahead and examine her or give it more time. He thought it would probably be good to find out what was going on.

Once in the barn, we got her in the chute and I put on my OB hat (well, bibs and gloves, but you get the picture ;) ) and I was relieved to feel two feet and a mouth in an unbroken water bag.

So it seemed to be presenting correctly. Since it wasn’t all the way up in the birth canal, we decided to give her more time and see what happened.

I got cleaned up for the evening and came back out an hour and a half later to find…

No change.

Still having some contractions but chewing her cud. Which indicated she wasn’t in extreme discomfort.

Not knowing how long of a process this would be, I decided to get some sleep and check her in the morning.

As I walked in the barn, sort of holding my breath at what would greet me, I found her laying flat out on her side again!

With a little mostly dried-off but not licked-off baby laying near her.

I tried to help her sit up but she threw her head back again as she struggled to sit up, so I went and grabbed a halter to pull her head up and then she was able to get up.

It didn’t take too long for her to start mooing at this little guy, and he got up and started nosing around her udder. It’s very important for the calf to get that colostrum (first milk) a mama produces to get the passive immunity until their own immune system develops, so I wanted to be sure he nursed.

When I came back after daylight, it actually didn’t appear that she had been suckled yet, but now I could tell Clara had cleaned him off. A step in the right direction!

I needed to go feed the chickens and check the other cows so I gave them just a little more time.

The next time I checked them, I still didn’t think he had latched on and actually drunk anything yet, so I stuck my finger in his mouth and he willingly sucked.

Clara was being quite a cooperative first-time mama, and stood still enough for me to guide him to her teat and help him latch on. It took a little time, but he started to get the hang of it.

I helped him long enough to ensure he got some good drinks in his belly, knowing that just a little bit increases a calf’s vitality. It’s amazing how just a small amount of colostrum can strengthen a newborn calf!

I’ve seen a calf so cold and weak it can hardly swallow get just a few sips in its belly…and a couple hours later it’s ready to guzzle a whole bottle!

With some milk in this little guy’s tummy and an attentive mama at his side, he’ll be cutting capers around the barn in no time!

Now, if you’ve been anxious for the return of fresh milk, you might be doing a happy dance right now :D

But one little first-time mama cow is not going to be able to meet much demand, and there is not much grass growing just yet to give her the superior nutrition needed to milk well at this point.

Honestly I was hoping for at least two more weeks before jumping back into the frying pan…I’m really not ready to start milking again yet, haha!

We may just let this little guy be the cow milker until a few more cows appear to be getting close to calving. I don’t imagine we’ll make it all the way to April 1st before more babies come, so you shouldn't have to wait much longer!

Especially because the new moon is on the 29th. Of course, the next full moon is on March 14th, but we’ll see!

Either way, let's hope this gets the inevitable drama out of the way early for this year's calving season. A girl can dream, right? ;)