Progressing Fine or Pulling Time: A quick review of labour and assistance suggestions

Whether calving has already started, or you’re months away, it’s a good time to revisit some behaviour and warning signs that a calving cow or heifer may need attention.

There are three stages to parturition (calving). Stage one involves cervix dilation, and must be complete before any pull assist; Stage two begins with the fetal membranes and fetus entering the birth canal, and ends with the delivery of a calf. And stage three is the shedding of the placenta.

Pre-labour and Stage 1 – Cervix Dilation

There are, of course, signs that signal a heifer or cow could be nearing delivery – the swelling udder, the awkward swagger, and loose vulva. And it may appear that no one spot or position is comfortable.

“They show a restlessness often, and depending on the environment in which they’re kept, they may seek isolation,” says animal welfare and behaviour specialist, Dr. Joe Stookey.

Dr. Joe Stookey joined ABP for our second episode of The Bovine. That segment starts around 02:12.

“If there are places to hide, they will seek them and use them. If it’s sort of a short-grass prairie or open-grass prairie, then you don’t see the isolation attempts, probably because you get as much protection, or anti-predator behaviour [by staying] in the herd.”

Often, as the animal nears the end of Stage 1, you’ll see a raised and kinked tail. 

When to intervene: It may be hard to know when stage one begins, but if she appears extremely agitated, or seemed to be progressing and that has stopped, it may be time to check.

Stage 2: Fetal membranes to Calving

It can be difficult to know when to assist in a cow’s labour and delivery, especially if checks are infrequent or interrupted.

When to intervene: It has been over 60 minutes for cows, 90 minutes for heifers.

• The cow is trying, but after 20-30 minutes you’re not seeing progress.
• The calf is yellow, there’s yellow birth fluid, or its tongue is swollen.
• The cow is bleeding severely.
• There is a sign of malpresentation.

Stage 3: Clean-up

After a calf is successfully delivered, it’s on to stage three – clean-up. This usually occurs within six hours of calving. 

When to Intervene: If fetal membranes are visible longer than 24 hours after calving, the cow may require medical treatment. While it used to be suggested to manually assist in the removal of the placenta, that is no longer recommended. Talk to your veterinarian about updated treatment protocols.

BCRC publishes video guides for calving season

While calving assists can be low-stress, some interventions might simply be above your pay grade. Acknowledge new problems and difficult situations.

That’s where speed dial and a good vet-client relationship comes in.

This article was first published in Volume 2 Issue 1 of ABP Magazine (January 2022). Watch for more digital content from the magazine on ABP Daily.