74 GUIDE TO DAIRYING IN SOUTH AFRICA 



when found. Draw it up into the passage, keeping 

 the hand always over the foot as it comes into the 

 passage, otherwise it may be pushed through the 

 womb. Amputation may even be necessary, i.e. to 

 cut off the head and leg presented. 



When both forelegs are presented and the head 

 is twisted round on one side, the legs should be 

 fixed with ropes and the operator must try and 

 reach the head. This is usually very annoying, as 

 one is only able to touch the tip of the ear as a 

 rule. Persevere with it, however, and try to get 

 the hands round the neck or under the jaw or over 

 the nose. Sometimes it is possible to move the 

 head this way. Sometimes it may be necessary to 

 put hooks into the opposite eye or under the jaw, and 

 so get power on the head, but try with the blunt 

 hook in the eye first. Great care must be taken on 

 introducing the hooks into the womb, and on fixing 

 into the eye or jaw of the foetus, and above all 

 the womb must not be injured. Allow only steady 

 weight on the hook, say one man, and it must be 

 released immediately there is any indication of it 

 breaking away from the foetus, otherwise the womb 

 will be ripped up by the hook, and this is fatal. 



In some cases the hind legs are presented in the 

 passage with the forelegs. Examine them and 

 make sure it is not a case of twins. If it is so 

 fasten a rope on to the one and push it back. If 

 they are the hind legs of the same animal it will be 



