When Do I Intervene in Delivery of a Calf?

Photo from agricultureproud.com

If you subscribe to the KY Cattlemen’s Association’s Cow County News, then you probably read Dr. Michelle Arnold’s article on intervening during calving in the February issue.  I wish this article had been taped on my refrigerator during our first calving season at home.  We knew time was getting close, but thought we still had another week or two before any of our heifers were going to calf.  I came home from work on a Friday afternoon and noticed one of our heifers off by herself in the field and immediately knew what was about to happen.

Like a kid at Christmas, I rushed out to the field to check on her and noticed two hooves sticking out.  After that there are no words to describe just how excited I was.  I watched that heifer for almost 30 minutes without any progress.  Suddenly it seemed like everything I had ever been taught about calving quickly disappeared and a little bit of panic set it.  I quickly called one of our beef specialist asking how long we should wait until we intervene and assist.

Calving management, including supervision and intervention, is critical to minimize or prevent calf losses.  According to Dr. Michelle Arnold, UK Large Ruminant Extension Veterinarian, the most critical factor is the timing of intervention during Stage 2 (active labor) of calving.  Dr. Arnold says that it has generally been recommended to intervene in the birth process when the feet of the fetus have been visible for two hours (“two feet-two hours rule”), but some have challenged this rule because of the uncertainty or confusion of when the clock starts ticking.

The onset of Stage 2 labor has multiple definitions including: 1)appearance of the amniotic sac at the vulva, 2)rupture of the amniotic sac or 3)appearance of feet.  Whichever definition of Stage 2 Labor you choose, numerous studies have proven that the total time allowed for Stage 2 should be 2 hours or less provided the fetus is in a normal position (two hooves facing down and a nose on top of the legs) for a mature cow and one hour for a heifer.

Dr. Arnold recommends frequent monitoring of the calving process in order to identify calving problems early.  Since the time from appearance/rupture of the sac to appearance of the feet is variable and sometimes may not even occur, it is essential to check cows frequently to identify those experiencing extended or difficult labor.

Many calf losses are attributed to a delay in receiving assistance or the amount of difficulty and time required to remove the calf.  Knowing when intervention is required and when to call for professional veterinary assistance can greatly increase the calf’s chance of survival.  Losses can prevented by good supervision and quick intervention when needed.  So general rule of thumb, remember the “two feet-two hour rule” for mature cows and one hour for heifers when trying to decide when to intervene in the delivery of a calf.

After one hour of Stage 2 labor, we had to intervene and thankfully ended up with a healthy bull calf on the ground that was nursing within no time!  For more information on intervention during calving and other calving problems, contact the McLean County Cooperative Extension Office at (270)273-3690.  Educational programs of the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service serve all people regardless of race, color, age, sex, religion, disability or national origin.



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