PARTURITION, OR CALVING 507 



legs folded nearly together, and close up to the 

 cow's back ; the head appearing, or doubled back, 

 even with the ribs, on one side or other ; the hind- 

 leg perhaps appearing. If the latter is the case, 

 let it be put back, as it is impossible to extract the 

 calf with a hind and fore-leg together, and the 

 difference between the knee and the hough will be 

 at once discovered. The head in this case being 

 doubled back, must of course be returned to its 

 proper position, as mentioned above. As this is 

 a case where time is required, the cow often becomes 

 very impatient and restless ; but if quiet, the opera- 

 tion may be performed easily and deliberately. But 

 if it is found that extraction cannot be accomplished 

 without the use of the hook, then the operator must 

 take hold either in the sockets of the eyes, cavity 

 of the ears, or under the jaws. Sometimes the calf 

 is unnaturally swollen, in consequence of dropsy, and 

 thus the cow is unable to give birth to it. When 

 this is the case, it will be necessary to pierce the 

 belly of the calf with a knife, to allow the water 

 to escape. 



A popular author says, " When every other plan 

 has failed for turning the calf, so as to put him into 

 a favourable position for delivery, the following has 

 often succeeded : Let the cow be thrown down in 

 a proper position, and placed on her back ; then, by 

 means of ropes and a pulley attached to a beam 

 above, let the hind parts be raised up, so as to be 

 considerably higher than the fore parts ; in this 

 position, the calf may be easily put back towards 

 the bottom of the uterus, so as to admit of being 

 turned, or his head and fore-legs brought forward 

 without difficulty." 



