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Author Topic: Another disaster calving! ::)  (Read 5036 times)

waterbuffalofarmer

  • Joined Apr 2014
  • Mid Wales
  • Owner of 61 Mediterranean water buffaloes
Another disaster calving! ::)
« on: January 25, 2017, 04:28:54 pm »
I think I will have to start from the beginning, sorry this may take some time, but please do bear with? :) Yesterday we had a heifer who was showing signs of calving, however after a short time we noticed there was nothing happening, so we had the vet out to see if all was ok. She wasn't properly dilated so the vet dilated her, whilst the animal was in the crush, and saw that it wasn't presented properly. The calf wasn't presented properly, it had it's head back, although feet were there. After a little bit of time trying to correct the head, the heifer went down in the crush, so we had to halter her and move her to the milking parlour, to finish the process of calving her there, as there is way more space (don't worry we had finished milking and cleaning, I went over it and doubly disinfected the whole area and everything, just in case). We managed with the help of the 2 lads to get the calf into a good position inside its mother, the vet then winched it out and we helped too. Afterwards she examined the mother to make sure that nothing had torn/ripped, all ok there. She then sewed up her backend, just enough so she could give birth to the placenta, but also enough to stop her from prolapsing, as we had a few which did that (all these being ones bought in, only 2 so far....). The vet then gave her a shot of AB's whilst we tended to the calf, a lovely heifer I might add. After that we put the heifer into a lovely clean building with plenty of bedding and hay and water, we took calf away as she was too stressed to be interested in her. I got calf onto the bottle and she suckled very well, although her mouth was cut alittle from when we pulled her from her mother, she is fine now though and is healing very well. Well all seemed to be just fine today and then this morning after mum and dad had to gone to Birmingham on business, and during milking, we noticed she had prolapsed through the stitches her whole womb and backside, all of it. We got her into the crush and called out the vet, Tsaphan my elder brother cut the stitches carefully to prevent further injury, she was bleeding you see. Well the vet came out and she went down again in the crush, so we had to move her to another part of the building, the vet tried for a time to put it back inside and stitch her up, but to no avail, so she called another vet to help her. They managed to get it back into her and stitch her up, all the time the 2 lads were holding her upright and Tsaphan nearly fainted with the pain of holding her up for a long period, in a sitting position she was. End of the matter is the vets were here all morning sorting her out, she haemorraged  and went into shock, they had to get her out of shock and got her blood pressure under control. Anyway the vets stitched her up and they have left her in a sitting position, they said if she does it again or starts to we have to call them out, although I think they atre coming up again soon anyway to check on her, if she does it again they will have to have her PTS. They said she has a case of ringwomb, so we won't be breeding from the little heifer calf. Although we could sell the little heifer calf as a pet to a smallholder/farmer, but whoever buys her will be warned not to breed from her, as for the mother if she heals well, we will be fattening her up for the slaughter.... Really nervous now! just hope all stays well. Sorry for the monologue, but I had to let it out somewhere.... Thanks for listening!
All the best and I really hope no one has to go through what we have just been through.
WBF
the most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, loving concern.

Rosemary

  • Joined Oct 2007
  • Barry, Angus, Scotland
    • The Accidental Smallholder
Re: Another disaster calving! ::)
« Reply #1 on: January 25, 2017, 06:29:56 pm »
 :fc: that the cow is OK. Is ringwomb hereditary?

in the hills

  • Joined Feb 2012
Re: Another disaster calving! ::)
« Reply #2 on: January 25, 2017, 06:55:11 pm »
So sorry  :hug:

Hope that they both make it. Sounds horrendous.

waterbuffalofarmer

  • Joined Apr 2014
  • Mid Wales
  • Owner of 61 Mediterranean water buffaloes
Re: Another disaster calving! ::)
« Reply #3 on: January 25, 2017, 07:47:44 pm »
Yeah it has been. I think in most cases yes, but sometimes I think it can develope or sometimes you get one out of a perfectly healthy animal. Either way I have to inform the guy I bought her from.
the most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, loving concern.

Talana

  • Joined Mar 2014
Re: Another disaster calving! ::)
« Reply #4 on: January 25, 2017, 10:02:06 pm »
I would not of thought it would be hereditary. Rare occasionally happens just one of those random things.I would think it would be fine to breed with her daughter as long as she comes up o scratch cofirmation wise. Stressful time for you, best wishes

Penninehillbilly

  • Joined Sep 2011
  • West Yorks
Re: Another disaster calving! ::)
« Reply #5 on: January 26, 2017, 02:12:10 am »
What a horrible time for you all,  :hug: hope she pulls through, and baby is OK. :fc:

Sbom

  • Joined Jul 2012
  • Staffordshire
Re: Another disaster calving! ::)
« Reply #6 on: January 26, 2017, 09:45:32 am »
How horrific, poor poor heifer, she'll take some getting right. Was she particularly small?  Never seen one damaged to the point she needed stitching on the outside...  :-(


How is she today?

waterbuffalofarmer

  • Joined Apr 2014
  • Mid Wales
  • Owner of 61 Mediterranean water buffaloes
Re: Another disaster calving! ::)
« Reply #7 on: January 26, 2017, 09:50:01 am »
No she was big enough to calve. She seems to be ok today, none of the prolapse is coming out and as far as I can see no straining either, although she is stressed. I saw her pee and poo last night, so all ok in that direction. If she makes this ok, we will be fattening her for the abbatoir :)
the most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, loving concern.

harmony

  • Joined Feb 2012
Re: Another disaster calving! ::)
« Reply #8 on: January 26, 2017, 10:06:16 am »
I would not of thought it would be hereditary. Rare occasionally happens just one of those random things.I would think it would be fine to breed with her daughter as long as she comes up o scratch cofirmation wise. Stressful time for you, best wishes


There isn't much info out on the net about ringwomb in cattle. It mostly affects sheep and goats and it does say it is a hereditary, genetic problem.

landroverroy

  • Joined Oct 2010
Re: Another disaster calving! ::)
« Reply #9 on: January 26, 2017, 12:38:28 pm »
No she was big enough to calve. She seems to be ok today, none of the prolapse is coming out and as far as I can see no straining either, although she is stressed. I saw her pee and poo last night, so all ok in that direction. If she makes this ok, we will be fattening her for the abbatoir :)

/quote]

So, do water buffalo fetch the same sort of price fat as cattle do?
What sort of market is there for them?
Do you have a specific buyer when you send them in?
Rules are made:
  for the guidance of wise men
  and the obedience of fools.

Marches Farmer

  • Joined Dec 2012
  • Herefordshire
Re: Another disaster calving! ::)
« Reply #10 on: January 26, 2017, 02:04:21 pm »
That's a dismal thing to happen.  Sounds as though you did all you possibly could.  We've always culled sheep with ringwomb but occasionally get one.  We have detailed records going back six generations of sheep and haven't found it to be a heritable trait.

waterbuffalofarmer

  • Joined Apr 2014
  • Mid Wales
  • Owner of 61 Mediterranean water buffaloes
Re: Another disaster calving! ::)
« Reply #11 on: January 26, 2017, 06:16:09 pm »
No she was big enough to calve. She seems to be ok today, none of the prolapse is coming out and as far as I can see no straining either, although she is stressed. I saw her pee and poo last night, so all ok in that direction. If she makes this ok, we will be fattening her for the abbatoir :)

/quote]

So, do water buffalo fetch the same sort of price fat as cattle do?
What sort of market is there for them?
Do you have a specific buyer when you send them in?

Tbh I don't think they do, because they are not in high demand, no one knows how healthy the meat is :(
there isn't much of one for them atm, but we are working on it... gradually...
No we don't, we did have someone who buys them as culls, so far he hasn't paid the full amount for the last lot deadweight, so will have to chase him up for that one...
Personally I don't hold out much hope of fattening her up for slaughter, I have an awful feeling she will not make it that far (Cough... V.E.T. Cough...) :,(
the most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, loving concern.

sabrina

  • Joined Nov 2008
Re: Another disaster calving! ::)
« Reply #12 on: January 30, 2017, 04:27:24 pm »
Sounds a horrible experience. Hope wee calf does well and mum too  :hug:

Sbom

  • Joined Jul 2012
  • Staffordshire
Re: Another disaster calving! ::)
« Reply #13 on: January 30, 2017, 04:29:39 pm »
How is the heifer?

waterbuffalofarmer

  • Joined Apr 2014
  • Mid Wales
  • Owner of 61 Mediterranean water buffaloes
Re: Another disaster calving! ::)
« Reply #14 on: January 30, 2017, 08:14:05 pm »
How is the heifer?
She's ok, not trying to push it out as we have been giving her black haw tincture which helps to relax the womb, since then no pushing and she is fine :) just need to fatten her up and kill.
the most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, loving concern.

 

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