On most ranches, dystocia is usually caused by an oversized or improperly positioned fetus, a relatively small pelvis in cows, and an inability of the uterus and cervix to contract and expand normally.
Many farms record the calves produced and are assessed on a scale of 1-5, with 1 point indicating natural childbirth and no need for human assistance at all, which is the ideal situation.
Midwifery situation
A score of 2 refers to situations that require simple assistance, such as hand pulling or moderate use of a midwife. A score of 3 refers to the occurrence of misalignment, miscarriage or stillbirth. There are also occasional 4-5 points on the ranch, which is very headache. To avoid these negative outcomes, we will discuss the key influencing factors that are beneficial for both cows and calves.
observe
Judging the delivery of a cow according to its performance requires a certain degree of observation. Some can be taught, but many need to learn from experience and require a certain talent.
Some ranches will raise cows 2-3 weeks before giving birth in the delivery room, while others will only transfer to the delivery room when the cows show signs of calving.
Cows are notoriously social animals and generally do not like to be kept in separate captivity. Therefore, we need to carefully look at the signs of calving in cows: pelvic/caudal ligament dilation, restlessness, breast filling and vaginal discharge, etc.
Many farms install cameras in the delivery room so that they can observe the cows at home or in the office. The device can provide a bird's-eye view to help detect problems early.
Cows look for independent space when they give birth, even in small herd rearing environments. Studies have shown that providing a quiet and well-visible area of delivery contributes to the successful delivery of cows, especially young cattle. Therefore, the calving area needs to attach great importance to space, rest and hygienic cleaning.
Four key points to success
1. Training of delivery room managers: Many of you may have decades of experience, so please be patient and explain what the normal birth process looks like.
Many times, the first stage of calving is not easily observed. In the second stage of calving, the cow's placenta is exposed and the cervix is fully open. The second stage of adult cows is shorter, and the young cows take slightly longer.
Is the birthing process of a cow normal? If normal, it needs to be observed quietly, with the goal of minimizing human intervention. However, if midwifery is required, observation also facilitates timely decision-making. A few years ago, we held a training course on dairy cow childbirth, two hours of theoretical study and laboratory operation, using production boxes to simulate the real situation, so that participants can fully grasp the knowledge.
2. Facilities: Turning doors or neck clips make it easy to hold the cattle in place and one employee can also perform the operation. Cows need to be quiet and not disturbed during childbirth. The floor of the delivery room needs to have a certain degree of anti-slip, sufficient lighting, the thickness of the straw bedding is appropriate, and clean warm water needs to be provided. In addition, prepare the facilities needed for midwifery, such as midwifery, iodine disinfectant, lubricants and ropes.
3. Midwifery procedures: The midwife is hygienic, the tail is tied, the vulva is scrubbed, the gloves are clean, the lubricant is used, and the operation is slower. Pay attention to the situation: is the uterus twisting or dilating? Is the fetal position normal? If the calving process of the cow is interrupted, it needs to be assisted. For example, if the fetal position is not correct, with the head facing backwards, the legs facing backwards, or multiple tires, try to make the cow stand and correct the fetal position to make the birth smooth with the help of the Earth's gravity. Depending on the specifics of the ranch, set the intervals that require human intervention. Once the natural calving of the cow exceeds this time, it requires human assistance.
4. Calving months: Is the calving age and physique appropriate for young cattle? Is it too small or too fat? Does the frozen semen used refer to the calving difficulty index? Do young cattle use sexually controlled sperm?
Cows diagnosed with twins by ultrasound need to be specifically reminded not to wait until a day or two to find a calf. In addition, do a good job in the feeding management of the lactation stage to ensure that the cows enter the dry milk period with suitable physical condition.
Two different results
For the past 37 years, I have been actively involved in solving the problem of difficult births in dairy cows. In the meantime of writing this article, I remembered my past work experience again. I am very happy to be able to help dairy farmers solve this problem, especially if the problem is successfully resolved. Just last week, I handled two cases of dystocia to share with you.
Late Wednesday night, Jim called to say that a young cow had had a difficult birth, the fetus was large, the birth canal was torn badly, and only the head was exposed. As soon as I arrived at the ranch, I met Jim and two delivery workers. They took me to the delivery room, where the cow had been giving birth for some time, remembering the importance of timely anthropogenic assistance that I mentioned earlier. Unfortunately, the calves are dead after they are born.
The next night, I got a call from Jacob saying that a cow was having trouble producing calves. When I got to the ranch, Jacob told me that Chuck had been diagnosed by the vet and that it was twins twisted together.
Jacob is an excellent rancher with plenty of straw padding in the delivery room and cows that have been tethered and standing, in good spirits. The case went well, and both calves survived.
It was already two o'clock in the morning when I drove home, and although the work on the ranch was very busy, it was still something to be thankful for because every day was a gift.