5-2-11

Cows are pretty tough. Last night Adel's water broke (she came with that name, and yes, she's a cow). This morning there was no calf, and Adel was still not in labor, way too long, and my squeeze chute is not operable. So, I have a few choices, or maybe I should say I have few choices. I can tie her in a loading chute and check to see if the calf is alive, or I can butcher her, or I can call a vet and have him stand there while I check to see if the calf is alive, and, if so, he can help me pull the calf, but it’s been a long time since her water broke. It’s a dilemma. I decide to call the vet. I tie Adel’s head at the end of a loading chute, and she’s not happy. She’s a big cow; low to the ground, wide and powerful. This time I did not get any fingers crushed, thanks Adel. When the vet arrives I climb back into the chute behind the cow, and we check the calf. It’s alive; we’re both pretty sure. So, we try to pull it by hand. No luck. She has an enormous amount of space in her womb, but she’s not dilated enough. Injections are given. Now the chains and wire come out, I’ve been down this road before. The vet works on the feet, and I’ve got the head. We try a few times to get the calf out at least to the knees, no luck. It will take a tremendous amount of force to get this calf out. That’s never good. The calf is alive, so what’s the best course? Sacrifice the mother? Probably not. Sacrifice the calf? It’s alive, so I think not. The vet suggests we do a C Section. I’ve seen it done, but not on a cow, and I’m skeptical. I back the cow out of the chute, and tie her off in a pen. She’s not happy, and I’m doubtful of a good outcome. The vet shaves her left side, gives some local injections, and a little morphine. We blindfold her. Now there’s nothing for me to do for a bit, except calm the cow while the vet cuts her open. First through the hide, and then through three layers of muscle dangerously close to the rumen on the other side, and then, rumen pushed aside, into the uterus. Now I can get my hands in, and get hold of the calf. The vet holds the uterus. Did I mention that throughout this procedure the cow was standing, and basically unrestrained except for her head? Cows are tough. I moved the calf out to the grass. It’s a boy. Susan and I cleaned him up, and then I went back to clean Adel’s uterus, and then each subsequent layer as the vet stitched her up. She’s still standing, she’s not happy, and the calf, Little Caesar, is nursing. Tonight cow and calf are doing well, and I’m cautiously optimistic. It’s the best outcome I could have hoped for.

Update: Here’s Little Caesar at about 4 months. Adel continues to do well.