How much time should heifers and cows be allowed to be in labor before assistance?
This is another reason behind influencing the time of calving, as research has shown that once in Stage 2 of labor (Stage 2 is defined as the portion of the birthing process from the first appearance of the water bag until the calf is delivered) time is limited. Studies have shown that Stage 2 is short, approximately 60 minutes for first calf heifers, and 30 minutes for mature cows. This is important, as the window is small before assistance may be needed, and it is easy to miss a cow or heifer calving during the dark. By getting more cows and heifers to calve during daylight hours, will allow assistance to be given early and result in fewer deaths and also result in healthier more productive cows.
