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 nay 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.
