Summary
Abnormal calving presentations in cattle require careful examination and manipulation to ensure safe delivery.
Highlights
🧤 Proper cleanliness and lubrication are essential for safety.
🐄 Assess the cervix for dilation before delivery.
🔄 Abnormal presentations include head turn back, shoulder flexion, dorsal pubic, and nape positions.
🛠️ Use snares or chains to assist in correcting calf positions.
📏 Early detection of abnormal presentations is crucial for successful delivery.
⚠️ Seek veterinary assistance if unsure about manipulation techniques.
🐮 Experience and knowledge are vital for managing calving complications.
All videos in Calving Assistance series
Author

Heather Schlesser
County Dairy Educator – Heather Schlesser is an Agriculture Educator in Marathon County. Heather’s research and outreach have included the use of current technology to enhance farm profitability and sustainability. Her current projects include the Animal Wellbeing Conference, the Midwest Manure Summit, Beef Quality Assurance, financial programming, and teaching farmers throughout the Midwest how to breed their own cattle.
Transcript
Calving Assistance-Abnormal Calving Presentations in Cattle (transcript)
There are several ways the calf may present that are considered abnormal and will require special consideration and manipulation of the caf to deliver safely. In order to determine the presentation of the calf before the delivery and examination of the calf in utero will be required. Cleanliness, wearing gloves and protective sleeves and ample lubrication are very important for the safety of the animal.
Begin by cleaning the cows, vulva, rectum and surrounding area, as well as your gloved hands and arms of soap and water. Gently insert your gloved hand into the vagina and feel for the cervix. If it is not dilated, it will feel firm and tight surrounding your hand. In a fully dilated cervix, you should no longer feel a firm, tubular band against your hand.
Ideally, there is a straight line access to touch the caves body. If you find that your hand has to turn or twist through folds of vagina in order to touch the calf, a uterine torsion is present and you’ll need to call for veterinarian assistance immediately. Feel for the body of the calf and the orientation of the legs and head to determine the likely position and whether the calf is presenting abnormally.
Each of the following abnormal presentation corrections require snares or chains to accomplish. Make sure you understand the correct way to use snares and chains before attempting any procedure. A video has been produced to demonstrate the correct procedure to snare or chain. The calf head turned back when the head is turned back.
The calves front feet are presented normally, but the head is turned to one side, looking back towards its pelvis to correct the head, turn back position gently but firmly. Push the feet back, which moves your calves body into the uterus. To allow for the room, you’ll need to manipulate the calf. Pass your hand and arm alongside the calves neck to determine which way the neck is bending.
Follow the bend to find the head. And then the jaw. Grab the jaw. The corner of the mouth or the eye socket and gently but firmly pull the head up and around to a forward facing position. Do not pull by the ear. It is okay to grip the bony ridge of the eye sockets with your fingers. The eyes will be pushed aside, but they will recover after the calf is born.
It is important to cover the calves teeth with your hand during this procedure to avoid damaging the uterus. If you cannot rotate the head with just the force of your arm alone, you may steer the head to help you bring the head into proper position. Finally, position chains on the front legs. Make a loop by threading some of the chain into the oval opening at either end.
Slip the loop over the calves front foot above the joint, then make a half hitch by twisting the chain to create a loop and wrap the loop around the area between the dew claw and hoof. Now you’re pulling from two places, which spreads the pressure applied across the bone, making it slightly less likely to cause the bone to break.
When you pull, the toes should bend back slightly, keep the chains in place until the calf is delivered. Shoulder flexion. In this position, only the calves head is in the birth canal while the four limbs are extended backwards under the calves body. To correct the shoulder flexion position. You first need to snare the head.
Once the head is snared, push it back into the uterus. Bring the legs up into position one at a time by reaching your hand past the calves shoulder, pull the long bone closest to the shoulder to help reach the forearm or long bone closer to the hoof. Once you have a grip down by the hoof, pull the leg forward, then cup the hoof with your hand to prevent damaging the uterus and extend it into the birth canal.
Repeat these steps with the other leg. Finally, position chains on the front legs. Make a loop by threading some of the chain into the oval opening at either end. Slip the loop over the calves front foot above the joint, then make a half hitch by twisting the chain to create a loop and wrap the loop around the area between the dew claw and hoof.
Now you’re pulling from two places, which spreads the pressure applied across the bone, making it less likely to cause the bone to break. When you pull, the toe should bend back slightly. Dorsal pubic. In the dorsal pubic position, the calf is either frontward or backwards, with the calf’s belly facing upward.
To correct the dorso pubic position, the calf needs to be turned over so that the belly is down. It is very important to detect this abnormal presentation early in the birthing process, while still in utero. Once the calf is in the birth canal, you will not have enough room to manipulate the calf. When attempting to correct this presentation, it is important to use plenty of lubrication.
A strong person may be able to reach along the calf’s body and lift or push on the calves shoulder or rump to turn the belly down. Another effective technique is to grasp each leg in a hand and by crossing the legs over themselves in a steering wheel motion. The body of the calf will turn over. If these actions are unsuccessful, the correction can be achieved using a distortion bar.
It is important to learn how to correctly use a de-torsion bar from a veterinarian before attempting to use one on the calf. Once the calf is positioned correctly, apply change to the legs and keep them in place until the calf is delivered. NAPE in the nape position. The calves two feet are forward while the head is under the calf’s body.
Besides the legs all you will feel in the birth canal is the nape of the calf’s neck tucked under its body. Gently and firmly push the legs backward, which moves the calf’s body into the uterus. Then follow the curve of the neck. Feeling for the jaw. Grasp the jaw and lift the chin, bringing the head up into position between the front legs.
At this point, you may want to snare the head and front legs. Keep the snare in place until the calf is delivered. Ventral. In the ventral position, the calf’s head and neck are fully tucked against its chest or abdomen so that the shoulders are presenting along with the front feet to correct the ventral position.
Push the shoulders back into the uterus to create room. The nose. And pull the head up and around into the birth canal. Next apply chains to the front legs to assist the delivery and keep them in place until the calf is delivered. Breech. In the breech position, the calf’s tail and rump are seen. The rear legs are typically tucked underneath of the calf’s body when they should be straight and extended outward.
To correct the breech position, we need to straighten the legs so the rear hooves are visible. First, push the calf’s rump back into the uterus. Pass your hand along the leg, cup a hand over the hoof to prevent damaging the uterus and gently pull the hoof towards you. You may be able to use both of your hands during this process with one hand pulling the cupped hoof towards you and the other pushing the bent leg away from you.
Once the leg is fully flexed, pull the hoof towards you to straighten it. Repeat with the other leg. Finally, apply change to the rear legs to assist the delivery and keep them in place until the calf is delivered. carpal flexion in the carpal flexion position. The calf’s head is present and one or both legs are bent at the knee under its body to correct the carpal flexion position.
Start by snaring the head. This is an important first step to keep the head under control and avoid it. Turning to the side. Next, push the snared head away from you so that you have room to extend the bent leg. Cut the hoof to prevent damage in the uterus and gently pull the hoof toward you. Repeat these steps on the other leg if necessary.
Finally, gently pull on the snare to position the head so that the calf’s chin is resting on the front legs and the toes and nose are pointing to exit the birth canal. Apply. chains the front legs to assist the delivery. Understanding when a calf is presenting abnormally and how best to assist in a cows, delivery is based on experience as well as the indicators demonstrated in this video.
Always seek veterinary assistance. If unsure how to proceed with abnormal presentations.