Helping a heifer have her baby

A heifer had been in active labor for over an hour, and not progressing. Upon inspection, her baby was sideways, and his front legs were to far back (so his head and feet were trying to come through her vagina at all once, the wrong way).

Pushed his head back, turned him, and tried to pull his front feet a little more forward (as best I could).

The time it took leading her up to the corrals, and the time she was in active labor, plus the time it took me trying to fix and then pull this calf; he very well coulda been dead.

I’m my biggest critic. Rewatching this video I see many mistakes. But, after spending so much time being wet and cold, sometimes not only does you mind not work right, neither do your muscles. So I’m trying to give myself grace, lol.

Biggest tips I can give you for helping a cow with her baby:

1) calves come out diving. Their front feet lead, and their head is between the legs. Like someone driving into a swimming pool. Anything else isn’t normal and a cow may need help.

2) pull with her contractions. You want to give her enough time to stretch, so other bad stuff doesn’t happen. But when your not pulling still apply enough tension that the calf doesn’t go back in.

3) chains or straps are supposed to go above and below the fetlock (I just did a clove hitch, not ideal).

Anyways, sorry for the language. But mom and baby are super healthy and doing good :)