How long should a cow be in labor before you call a vet?

Answer 1

It's best to not call the vet until you see the cow having trouble delivering her calf, and you're quite sure she's having trouble delivering on her own. There's a natural reason that the fetus isn't ready to be brought into the world at the due date, and it's not wise to interfere when it's not absolutely necessary to interfere, like when a cow isn't ready to calve on her due date. It's not uncommon for cows to go anywhere from two days to several weeks past the due date before they start calving.

The cow will let you know when she's ready to calve (as the fetus will let her know when it is ready to leave the womb). Showing of the water sac is a very obvious indication that the calf is ready to come out. If nothing is happening after a couple of hours or no further progress has been made, call the vet. Don't wait a day or more later, no matter if it's the weekend or in the middle of the night!

Answer 2

Cows can go a lot longer in stage I of labor (contractions, restlessness, straining, etc) than other livestock - up to a day or so is not unreasonable. However, once stage II labor starts (presentation of the amniotic sac and/or fetus in the birth canal), she should actively progress and deliver a calf within an hour or so; once the water has broken, she should deliver within about 30 minutes. If the cow goes more than 2 hours in stage II labor, you should probably call a veterinarian.

Stage III (passage of the afterbirth) can take up to a week provided there is no fever or foul odor associated with the retained placenta. The important part is to not rip the placenta, as this can set up uterine infections.

Answer 3

Usually, 3-4 hours, but 4 hours is enough.