In breeding dairy cows, alongside selecting cows with good reproductive potential, the care, feeding, and management of cows during pregnancy, calving, and postpartum play a decisive role in the calving success rate, the health of newborn calves, the mother cow’s recovery, and the economic efficiency of the farmer. Proper application of technical procedures will help reduce risks, shorten calving intervals, and improve reproductive productivity.
1. CALVING PEN FOR COWS
The calving pen should be located in a quiet, well-ventilated area, minimizing stressors as much as possible. The floor must be dry and non-slip; the drainage system should be good, and ditches should not be too deep. The exercise yard should be level, and the barrier between the yard and the pen should not be too high to avoid the risk of slipping and falling. Do not place the pen near areas where dogs roam freely or near sources of noise.
Before moving the cow into the calving pen, the barn should be cleaned and disinfected; feed and water troughs should be cleaned; and bedding made of clean straw or hay, about 3–5 cm thick, should be prepared. The cow should be bathed and brushed, and the hindquarters and external genital area should be cleaned to reduce the risk of infection during and after calving.
2. RECOGNIZING A COW ABOUT TO CALVE
A cow about to calve usually shows characteristic signs: walking slowly, a full udder, a sunken rump, a swollen red vulva, and mucus discharge. The cow may appear restless, frequently stand up and lie down, urinate frequently, and tuck its tail.
When these signs appear, the hindquarters should be cleaned, the external genitalia disinfected, and the cow moved into the prepared calving pen. At the same time, all calving tools should be prepared and the veterinary officer informed for timely assistance if needed.
3. PREPARING TOOLS AND CHECKING FETAL POSITION
Calving tools include: warm water, salt, disinfectant solution, clean towels, knife or scissors, forceps, tying cord, suture needle and thread, speculum pliers, basin, tray, etc. All tools must be disinfected before use.
Before the cow calves, a veterinary officer should check the fetal position. If the fetal position is unfavorable, early correction should be performed according to proper professional procedures; difficult cases must have an appropriate intervention plan to ensure the safety of the mother cow.
4. ASSISTING THE COW DURING CALVING
During calving assistance, the surrounding environment must be kept quiet. Priority should be given to allowing the cow to calve naturally; assistance should only be provided when the cow’s contractions are weak, labor is prolonged, or there are signs of dystocia.
The person assisting the calving must wash their hands thoroughly, disinfect them, and wear sterile gloves before intervening.
- Normal calving: After the amniotic sac breaks, if the two front legs and the calf’s head are visible but the cow has not delivered after about 15–20 minutes, the calf may be gently pulled in rhythm with the mother cow’s contractions, following the calf’s body axis.
- Difficult calving: In cases where the calf is too large or the mother cow’s pelvis is narrow, assistance from an experienced person or a veterinary officer is required. Intervention must follow proper technique to avoid injury to the mother cow and calf.
5. NEWBORN CALF CARE
After the calf is born, use a clean towel to dry it and remove mucus from the nose and mouth to ensure breathing. Cut the umbilical cord with disinfected tools, leaving about 5 cm; before cutting, strip out any blood and fluid from the cord. The calf-rearing area must always be dry and clean to prevent navel infection.
The calf should be allowed to be licked dry by the mother, then moved to a separate pen lined with clean straw or hay. The calf should be given colostrum as soon as possible, ideally within 1 hour after birth. In cold weather, the barn should be sheltered and appropriately heated.
6. POSTPARTUM CARE FOR THE MOTHER COW
After calving, the mother cow should be given warm water mixed with about 2% salt and fed easily digestible feed. The placenta is usually expelled within 30–60 minutes, but it may take up to 2–3 hours. If the placenta has not been fully expelled after 24 hours (retained placenta), a veterinary officer should be called to intervene; do not handle it on your own.
Monitor the mother cow during the first 2–3 days after calving by checking body temperature, color, amount, and odor of postpartum discharge to promptly detect postpartum diseases such as metritis and mastitis.
7. FEEDING REGIME FOR THE MOTHER COW AFTER CALVING
After 3–4 days, if the mother cow is healthy, gradually increase the amount of concentrate feed; after about 10 days, the ration can return to normal. During the first 15–20 days after calving, a reference ration includes: 0.5–1 kg of concentrate feed/head/day, 30–40 g of table salt, 30–40 g of bone meal, combined with good-quality green young grass.
During lactation, each day the mother cow needs about 35–40 kg of fresh grass, 1–2 kg of straw, and 1.5–2 kg of mixed concentrate feed to restore body condition and return to estrus soon for breeding.
If the mother cow has insufficient milk or no milk, an appropriate milk replacer should be used for the calf. After the 7–10-day colostrum period, switch to the calf-rearing protocol for calves from 0 to 6 months of age.
Always ensure an adequate supply of clean drinking water for the mother cow, with an average requirement of about 30–80 liters/head/day, depending on weather conditions and the diet.
Thanh Hieu
Source: nguoichannuoi.vn
