24 February 2025
The calving jack hack you need to know
Did you know the calving jack’s uses extend further than just a calving aid?
Often used to assist in complicated calvings, a calving jack can also be a useful tool in caring for the newborn calf, especially those which may have inhaled fluid during the calving process.
John Donlon, Research Officer in Beef Herd Health and a Vet at Teagasc Grange, shared a number of tips to resuscitating a calf as part of a recent video on preparing for calving on suckler farms. Knowing how and when to provide aid to get these calves breathing is crucial and John Donlon demonstrates ways to assist in the below video:
Suspending the calf for no longer than one minute, he explained, can be used as a strategy to relieve the calf’s lungs of fluid, something which may prove quite useful when trying to overcome the challenge of respiratory acidosis, which occurs due to a build-up of carbon dioxide in the calf’s system. To achieve this and to take the pressure of the farmer’s back, John Donlon recommended the use of either a gate or a calving jack.
When using the calving jack to suspend the calf, he advised placing the head of the jack firmly on the ground, with the handle resting against a wall. With the calving ropes attached to the calf’s rear legs, the calf can be slowly ratcheted upwards. After suspending them for no more than one minute, the pressure can be released on the calving jack to allow the calf to return to the ground, but a bed of straw or rubber mat must be present to prevent injury.
The Future Beef Programme team has also prepared a series of factsheets on calf management. Encompassing key information on colostrum management, prevent scour in newborn calves and good navel care in calves, the Future Beef Factsheets for Suckler Farmers are available to view here.