CHS
students in Intro to Agriculture have just completed a unit on calving of beef
cows. The unit introduced students in
how to recognize visual signs and stages that a cow will go through during the
calving process. Students learned how to
recognize when a calving cow is in need of assistance in the delivery as well
as how to correct abnormal presentations of the calf. All members of the class were given the
opportunity to correct various abnormal calf presentations in the birth canal
through the use of a stuffed animal Hereford calf named “Baby.” Each group had to demonstrate how to put
calf-pulling chains on the calf and extract the calf in a manner consistent
with recommended methods. Management
techniques following the delivery such as: the importance of the calf
establishes breathing, the importance of colostrum to the calf, how to feed the
calf through a feeding tube, tagging and banding were also discussed.
