Cow-Calf Corner: Calving Kit Preparation (1/21/17)

Glenn Selk builds a calving kit ahead of the spring calving season.

(upbeat music)

- As we approach this
spring's calving season,

I think it's a good idea to
put together what I call a

calving kit.

All the equipment that we're
going to need in the situation

where we first find that
first two year old heifer that

needs some help this spring.

Part of that calving kit,
I think should be a calving

protocol, a plan, if you will,
for your family, neighbors,

hired hands that might be around
that will be helping when a

particular cow or heifer
needs some assistance.

On that protocol, I think it's
very, very important that we

have phone numbers for the
large animal veterinarian in our

area, perhaps his cell phone
number, numbers of relatives

and neighbors that might
be willing to help us

during the calving season.

As I put together my calving
kit, I'm going to start with a

plastic bucket, or perhaps
even a stainless steel pail

something that I can put all
of these important pieces of

equipment in one spot.

And I'm going to locate that
bucket in an area that everyone

in the family knows where
it is and can reach it.

In the bucket, of course, we're
going to put our obstetrical

chains and I like to use chains
rather than straps because

we can get those things
clean and disinfected.

And we want to do that in between

each time that we use them.

And of course, those
chains need the handles.

So make sure you've got those located

and have them in your calving kit.

Obstetrical sleeves, plastic
disposable sleeves are very,

very handy so that you can get
try to keep yourself as well

as the cow from getting infected.

Making sure that as you use
these things each time when

you're held In a cow or
heifer that you replenish that

supply.

So that they're you're ready
the next time is very, very

important.

Have a bottle of the tincture of iodine.

This is what's going to be
necessary to dip the navel of

that maybe calf and spread
around the the navel area so that

he has a less likely chance
of getting an infection

due to that naval opening.

A lubricant is always important
whenever you're working with

a cow or a heifer in the case
of delivering the calf, right.

So same situation with
artificial insemination or preg

Checking.

You can buy commercial
lubricants, but quite frankly one

that works just as well as
a non detergent dish soap.

You can buy these at any of
the local grocery stores.

That bottle cost me less than
$2 and will go a long way

towards getting through this
calving season as a lubricant.

It'll really work well.

And of course, you probably
want to including several old

towels bath towels that have
already been used up around the

house.

And if your spouse doesn't
like that particular idea, go

ahead and get a roll of paper
towels and stick in so that

you can clean that area around
the back end of the cow or

the heifer before you start
to do the examination,

reduce the likelihood of
introducing some pathogens

into her reproductive tract.

Some simple things that you
probably want to also keep in

mind is to have a flashlight
included in your calving kit.

A good one, one that you can
find that cow or heifer out in

a lot that's down in the throws of labor.

And can because you're probably
going to do quite a little

bit of this at night.

And of course, spare batteries
are very, very important

because you don't want to go
out there at 2am and find out

that the batteries are getting
weak and you have to go back

to the house to try to locate
some new batteries in order to

go and search for that cow or
heifer that need your help.

Last on our list is something
that one of the popular press

magazines last year, called
one of the six most important

items to include in our calving kit

for ranchers all across America.

And that was a publication
that we wrote here at

Oklahoma State University called

"Calving Time Management
for Beef Cows and Heifers",

and everyone in your
operation should review it

before the calving season begins.

I think if you'll do that, you
can help improve the chances

of saving more calves this
spring and helping that bottom

line as we take those
valuable calves to town

the following fall.

You can go to the Sun Up website
that's sunup.okstate.edu,

look under show links, and
you'll find the link to download

this very important document.

Well, I hope this gives you
some idea of what I might

include in a calving kit.

And that way that you'll
be ready for this upcoming

calving season.

(upbeat music)