This post will be dedicated to Jewel, my Jersey heifer, calving and on a very warm evening on clean pasture.
DH came in about 4 pm and told me she had started so I went out to check. She was in the pasture just west of the house and very close in. Everything looked correct; front feet out and pointed down. I waited just a few minutes and then calledDH to bring the equipment. I decided to help her get the baby out and safe before it got any darker. Heifers are notoriously prone to 'giving up' when they get too tired and then you are in trouble. Once that head is in the birth canal, it needs to come out quickly.
We used the puller and OB chains (gift from my BIL and they work so much better than the straps) and the baby came easily. It was a very nice sized calf and was a heifer. I drug the baby around to Jewel's nose so she could begin cleaning it and they could bond. Once that happened, Jewel got up and the baby started trying to get up, I left them alone. Help at this point is futile.
I took a few pictures. I hope no one is squeamish but here they are:
and the baby trying to get up; they go end over end the first few attempts,
I was going to show her very nice udder, but from the back end she was very messy so will spare you all that one!
I can now relax. I will begin to milk her in a couple of days and see how that goes.......
DH came in about 4 pm and told me she had started so I went out to check. She was in the pasture just west of the house and very close in. Everything looked correct; front feet out and pointed down. I waited just a few minutes and then calledDH to bring the equipment. I decided to help her get the baby out and safe before it got any darker. Heifers are notoriously prone to 'giving up' when they get too tired and then you are in trouble. Once that head is in the birth canal, it needs to come out quickly.
We used the puller and OB chains (gift from my BIL and they work so much better than the straps) and the baby came easily. It was a very nice sized calf and was a heifer. I drug the baby around to Jewel's nose so she could begin cleaning it and they could bond. Once that happened, Jewel got up and the baby started trying to get up, I left them alone. Help at this point is futile.
I took a few pictures. I hope no one is squeamish but here they are:
and the baby trying to get up; they go end over end the first few attempts,
I was going to show her very nice udder, but from the back end she was very messy so will spare you all that one!
I can now relax. I will begin to milk her in a couple of days and see how that goes.......
