A calving cow will not wait while you hunt for everything. So set out your calving kit well before the due date, in a fixed spot by the calving pen. This collection contains what you use during and straight after the birth: calving equipment, hygiene products and complementary feeds for the fresh cow.
The calving kit: what goes in it
- Calving ropes from Vink, in nylon or Multilon (blue/red), so you can keep the left and right leg apart.
- Lubricant from Excellent, in a tub or a 500 ml standing/hanging tube.
- Shoulder-length gloves for single use, so you can check hygienically how the calf is lying.
- A calf puller from Vink, in 180 or 200 cm, also as a leg-by-leg version.
- A lifting device such as the cow lifter or Vink Koelift, for a cow that does not get up after calving (found under barn supplies).
Calf puller or just ropes?
With two ropes and a helper, you can often manage a normal birth. A calf puller gives extra, even pulling force and is especially useful if you often calve cows on your own. With a leg-by-leg model, you pull on each leg in turn, so you can follow the cow's movements. Only pull along with the contractions, and call the vet if the calf is badly presented or there is no progress after a reasonable time.
Supporting the fresh cow
After calving, the cow needs plenty of energy and fluid. Excellent calving drink and the Cow Drench variants E, L and R are complementary feeds that you dissolve in water or drench. Propylene glycol (Prop Top) is a liquid energy source. Rumivet has a combination set with energy and calcium boluses for around calving. With KRUUSE ketosis test strips for milk or urine, you check in the following days whether the cow is getting enough energy. Veterinary medicines for milk fever or uterine problems are a matter for the vet.
Looking for a calving rope or calving drink straight away? See calving aids and calving drinks. Giving drinks is done with equipment from drenching and boluses; for receiving the calf, use the supplies in calf rearing. Everything for cattle is in the cattle section.
Frequently asked questions
What length of calf puller do I need?
The Vink calf pullers come in 180 and 200 cm. Choose a length that suits the space behind the cow in your calving pen.
Is calving drink a medicine?
No, it is a complementary feed that provides energy, minerals and fluid. If a cow is ill or does not get up, call the vet.
Why two colours of calving rope?
With a blue and a red rope, you keep the calf's left and right leg apart, even when things get hectic.