REGULARLY monitoring cows is one of the best ways to reduce “unavoidable” tricky births during calving season, according to Agriculture Victoria (AgVic).

AgVic livestock development officer Hannah Manning said monitoring can help farmers pick up which cows are having trouble calving as early as possible.

“Once a farmer has found a problem and brought the cow in to help, I work on a 20-minute intervention rule,” Dr Manning said.

“A farmer’s strength, a calving jack or a calving pulley are the only acceptable methods to pull a calf, even then you need to be a competent operator. 

“There is no point having the equipment if you haven’t had training on how to use it, and if a calf is stuck or not lined up properly then more force isn’t the answer.

“Don’t forget if you’re helping with a calving, wearing gloves is a great way to reduce your exposure to any diseases that can affect humans, and it keeps things cleaner for the cow. 

“If significant progress in pulling the calf hasn’t been made in 20 minutes, it’s time to stop and come up with an alternative plan.”

She advised farmers to get in contact with their vet early on in the piece to ensure the best results for both the cow and the calf.

“Good facilities that are safe for you and anyone else helping is vital,” she said.

“It’s amazing how effective a vet can be with drugs in improving the whole situation. 

“If calling your local vet isn’t an option is there someone else you can call or do you need to make some tough decisions?

“Tough calvings can result in calving paralysis and down cows are a poor result and require a lot of skill and time to care for properly.”