Kitted out for calving

STOCK: CALVING KIT

Kitted out for calving

We asked Manawatu farm manager Hayley Hoogendyk to give us a rundown of what’s in her calving kit.

MILK FEVER BAGS

There are 10+ in a box. We keep them as spares as we have them on all our bikes anyway, but it’s super important to have them available and not have to muck around going into the shed to get some more.

DEXTROSE BAGS

This is a bag of glucose to go in the vein only. It gives the cow a quick energy boost after a hard calving, or if she is down with milk fever on a cold wet day.

ENERGY DRENCH

A few 1L bottles of energy drench. It has all the goods in it for a cow that needs assistance calving as long as she doesn’t have milk fever and we have checked she can swallow, it just gives her an extra boost.

CALVING ROPE

We keep a spare as we each have one ready on our bikes anyway.

CALVING HANDLES

This gives more grip on the calving rope when it’s wet.

KETOMAX

Every cow that we assist with calving gets a 10ml jab of ketomax straight away to help reduce swelling and help her feel better faster. Faster recovery from calving = better start to season. Also beneficial to give the calf a weight relevant dose if the calving was tough on the calf.

ENGEMYCIN

To give any cows that had a hard calving, or that we think is likely to have retained membranes because it’s better to get it in her sooner rather than later.

HEMOPLEX

A boost of vitamins and minerals for animals during stressful times, given to any cows we assist with calving.

RED SPRAY PAINT

For marking any cow that’s had Engemycin, as she is in milk withholding, and doesn’t want her colostrum kept, as the bobbies get colostrum and we can’t have them getting any with drugs in it.

TORCH

A spare torch in case our headlamps go flat.

PINK SPRAY PAINT

We mark any cow that wasn’t treated but that we want to identify at first milking for other reasons, eg lameness.

SYRINGES AND NEEDLES

For giving injections.

SPARE PENS

Pens magically disappear all year round so it’s helpful to have spare pens for calving notebooks. Pens also get wet and stop working, so spares are good.

LUBE

You can never have enough lube, the cows appreciate it a lot.

TEAT WIPES

Helpful for random things, wiping muck off clothes etc. We have hot water, soap and towels in the shed where we calve cows, so we use that to clean up ourselves and the gear as well.

SNACKS

Muesli bars, choc bars, lollies - we get hungry and if dealing with an issue, or waiting for vet assistance it’s great to have a boost to keep you going.

CALF NECKLACES

Keep spare calf necklaces in the calving box, in case we turn up to a sudden flood of calves on the ground since last check and don’t have enough on the bike.

LONG EXAMINATION GLOVES

To protect our pretty hands and the boy’s hairy arms from the calving juices, and to reduce the chance of infection for the cow as much as possible.

SPARE CALVING NOTEBOOK

In case someone left it at home, at the cowshed, dog ate it, dropped in mud!

PHONE NUMBERS

Written in vivid on the inside of the lid of the box ie. Manager, vets emergency, neighbour etc. everyone has them saved on their phones but handy access in the calving box as well.

POWER BANK

Cell phones always go flat at the most inconvenient time and when you’ve had a flat out day, sometimes haven’t had time to stop and recharge your phone.

CALF RESUSCITATOR

Not in our box currently but it’s on the wish list!

Note: We don’t have anything for the calves in the calving box, as we have everything at calf sheds we need if we take a calf straight to calf shed anyway. Ie, iodine for naval spray, towels for drying them, calf cover for cold calves, straw to fill up in the calf cover to keep it extra warm, gold colostrum, tuber, bottle feeder etc.