Calfscale®  -  No more lifting calves with expensive gadgets. Measuring with Calfscale® is easier, quicker, and cheaper than using mechanical means to determine the birth weight of calves. CalfScale® also predicts calving difficulties.

Calfscale® is a sturdy vinyl tape which accurately measures birth weights of newborn calves. The birth weight on Calfscale® is an average weight recorded for each hoof circumference. Calfscale® was developed by Marshall Ruble, Beef Teaching Station Manager for Iowa State University. He determined that he could estimate the weight of calf during parturition by feeling its hoof and that the foot circumference size increased proportionately with birth weight.

Birth weight measurements can be skewed by many factors. A normal healthy calf may shrink up to 10% body weight during the first 24 hours dependent on temperature, suckling response, and time of weighing. The calf's birth weight is heaviest right after birth and nursing, but the calf can shrink 8 to 10 pounds by the time it is 18 hours old.
Using a spring loaded scale does not insure accuracy.  To insure accuracy using a spring loaded sale, the scale must be zeroed before each calving season, it must be rust free, and the spring must be checked to make sure it is not weak from use. Also, when using a spring scale the sling weight used to hold the calf must be subtracted from the recorded weight.

Predicting Difficult Births:
There is more to calving ease than birth weight. The cow or heifer's pelvic area and shape as well as the shape of the calf will influence calving ease. In fact, the cow/heifer's bone structure and pelvic measurements may be more important than the calf's weight.

When the pelvic measurements are used with the hoof circumference of the calf it is possible to predict calving difficulty. The pelvic measurement is used to predict the weight in pounds that the cow/heifer can deliver safely. The hoof measurement predicts the birth weight of the calf. In general, if the hoof circumference of a front fetal hoof is at least 3 cm greater than the average width and height of the maternal pelvis, a cesarean section is indicated.

Take the pelvic measurements (measure the minimum height from the cow's spine to the pubic spine and the maximum width between the two ileal shafts on either side of the pelvis to the nearest 1/10th centimeter) within 30 days before calving. Average them to compute Average Pelvic Measurement (APM). Then use the Calfscale®, during labor to measure the unborn calf's front hoof circumference to the nearest 1/10th centimeter (HC). Compute the Calving Score Expected (CSE) = HC - APM.

If: CSE:
is less than +.4 little or no pull is required
between +.4 and +1.9 some assistance may be required
between +2.0 and +3.0 mechanical calf puller is required
more than +3.0 expected extremely hard pull or C-section

NOTE: If the calf is backwards the calculation needs to be adjusted. The circumference of the rear foot is 1 to 1.5 centimeters smaller than the front foot.

Spanish:

CalfScale° mide exactamente el peso de terneros recién nacidos en las primeras 24 horas después del nacimiento. Colocar la cinta alrededor de la banda coronaria de la pezuña delantera, ajustar y leer de la cinta la medida de la circunferencia en centímetros y el peso del ternero, en libras. Un lado de la cinta mide los machos y el otro mide las hembras. El peso al nacer puede variar en más o menos 7.0 libras para los machos y en más o menos 6.4 libras para las hembras dependiendo de la hora en que se realiza la medida y del encogimiento o alimentación del ternero a la hora de la medida. Estados Unidos de América, Patente No. 4,688,653.

CalfScale° también predice problemas con los terneros durante el parto. Tomar las medidas de la pelvis en centímetros (ALTURA y ANCHURA, con un deci­mal) durante los 30 días antes del nacimiento del ternero. Calcular la media de las medidas para así obtener la media de medidas pélvicas Average Pelvic Mea­surement (AMP). Luego usar la CalfScale® durante el nacimiento para medir la circunferencia de la pezuña delantera del ternero aún no nacido en centímetros, decimal (HC). Calcular la medida esperada para el nacimiento Calving Score Expected (CSE), de la siguiente forma: CSE = HC - AMP.
Si el valor del CSE:
es menor que +.4         poca o ninguana ayuda es necesaria
esta entre +.5 y + 1.9    alguna ayuda podría ser requerida
esta entre +2.0 y +3.0   tirantes mecánicos son requeridos
es mayor que +3.0        un tirón extremadamente duro o una cesárea es esperada.

French:

CalfscaleTM mesure avec pécision le poids du veau dans les 24 heures qui suivent sa naissance. Dans un premier temps, le ruban est placé autour de l'os coronaire frontal du veau. La circonférence de l'os coronaire en centimètres et le poids en livres du veau sont ensuite repérés sur le ruban après l'avoir bien ajusté. L'une des faces du ruban détermine le poids des mâles et l'autre face celui des femelles. A cause de fluctuations de la masse d'eau corporelle, le poids du veau à la naissance peut varier de ±7,0 livres pour les mâles et de ±6,0 livres pour les femelles. Licence américaine no. 4,688,653

CalfscaleTM peut aussi prévoir certaines formes de dystocies. Pour cela, les mensurations pelviennes (hauteuret largeur) de la vache sont prises durant les 30 derniers jours de la gestation. On calcule ensuite la moyenne de mensuration pelvienne (MMP). Pendant que la vache est en travail, la circonférence de l'os coronaire (COC) frontal du veau est mesurée à un dixième de centimètres près avec le CalfscaleTM . On détermine ensuite le score du vêlage prévu (SVP) comme suit: SVP= COC - MMP.
Si SVP:
est inférieur à +0,4                   alors peu ou pas d'assistance
est compris entre +0,4 et + 1,9   alors nécessité d'assistance
est compris entre +2,0 et +3,0    alors l'extraction mécanique du veau s'avère nécessaire
est supérieur à +3,0                  alors l'opération césarienne est à prévoir.

Please note : For quantities of 100 or more you may order directly from Ruble Cattle Services.