Minimising calving difficulties: the birth process

As the calving approaches, cows will show signs that they are about to give birth. Signs include:

• Udder development/bagging up
• Swelling of the vulva
• Slackening of the pelvic ligaments (the ligaments either side of the tail), which can result in the tail dropping
• Mucus/slimy discharge from the vulva
• Lack of appetite
• Isolation from the herd
• Restlessness
• Tail swishing

These changes will be slightly different from cow to cow; age is also a factor.

A herdsperson who knows the cows well and checks them several times a day will be able to spot these changes fairly easily.

The three stages of calving

There are three main stages of calving:

1. Preparatory (2–8 hours)
2. Delivery (0.5–4 hours)
3. Membrane expulsion (0.5–8 hours)

Stage 1: Preparatory

• Cervix dilates
• Cow moves away from others and becomes restless
• Cow may stand up then lie down several times
• Foetus positions itself ready for birth
• Foetus enters birth canal and cow starts to strain

When to intervene: If this stage takes longer than six hours

Stage 2: Delivery

• Water bag appears and may burst
• Cow has contractions and strains every 2–3 minutes
• Foetus is born

When to intervene:

• If the water bag is seen for longer than an hour without a calf being born – check presentation of calf
• If the cow is straining for longer than 30 minutes with no progress
• If the cow rests for over an hour with no progress

Stage 3: Membrane expulsion

• Placenta is expelled

When to intervene: If the placenta is retained for more than 24 hours

Source: progressivecattle.com

Providing assistance can affect the success rate of the subsequent breeding season and, where possible, it is better for cows to calve on their own.

Source: NADIS - After Caldow and others (2005)

If calving outside when the weather is cold and wet, provide a place for the calves to shelter. Keep these areas clean and dry to prevent disease.

Record birth dates, the birth weight of each calf and notes on calving difficulties.

This valuable information can help track the reproductive efficiency of the cow and the bull and can be used for other management purposes, including genetic selection.

The information on these pages was compiled by Katie Thorley, AHDB Beef & Lamb and David Black, Paragon Veterinary Group and reviewed by Dr Alexander Corbishley, University of Edinburgh.