|
Madison Co. Virginia | The best suggestion I can give is just keep on doing it. I remember the feelings of uncertainty and doubt when I started, and yes, I have killed at least two calves by tubing. If the whole bottle goes into the calf's lungs, it will be dead before you even finish. When you finish tubing a calf and have removed the tube, the calf should be breathing completely clear. If it's hacking at all AFTER the tube is removed, some milk got into the lungs. Hacking WHILE you're tubing it is normal.
If you're unsure how far to put the tube in, it's better to go too deep than not deep enough. Also, make sure the "ball" is on the end of the stomach tube. The ball greatly reduces the chance of the tube going down the windpipe.
Personally, I like to have the calf sitting on its rump, with it's backbone nearly upright, and support it's neck between my legs. I think gravity gives me a boost in this position, but it only works if the calf is relatively calm. (this is the same position that Supa Dexta mentioned above)
Tubing is easy now. I just do it, with no worries about whether it will work or not; it just does.
Edited by kipps 3/15/2016 11:01
| |
|
Tricks/Ideas to tube newborn calves
