Tonite our favorite young heifer was laying down with lots of flies on her face. My brother went home to get the fly sprayer, and when he came back, she was grazing a little (she's on pasture). He noticed her tail was up, she was hunchbacked and she limped when she walked, but it wasn't on one particular foot. It was getting dark and the pasture has rough terrain, so we'll have to wait to check her in the morning. He thought her vaginal area looked a little swollen. Any ideas? She had a black leg shot when she was younger.
5 1/2 mo. old heifer has tail up, hunchbacked and lame
- Thread starter hcrancher
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kenny thomas
Well-known member
Is there a bull in the pasture? Sounds like she could have just gotten bred.
There was one in the same pasture until 10 days ago, then we moved it to a different location. I thought perhaps she could have been bred several weeks ago and maybe now she's aborting? Could she act that way if she was aborting? She's only 5 1/2 mos. old, but she's Gelbvieh/Angus (Balancer), and the Gelbvieh are very fertile. Or could another cow have damaged her by jumping on her if she came into heat today?
HerefordSire
Well-known member
Maybe a bull jumped the fence?
Just thought of something - we have a little bull in there that was born the end of March - almost 5 mos - could he have done the deed?
There aren't any other bulls around, so I doubt if a bull jumped the fence.
There aren't any other bulls around, so I doubt if a bull jumped the fence.
FYI - Took her to the vet this morning. He thinks heifer came into heat, and one of the larger cows mounted her and bruised her. He gave her some steriods for the pain, and an antibiotic because she had a fever. He thinks she'll be ok. He commented three times on what a nice looking heifer she was, so that made me happy 
kenny thomas
Well-known member
Glad she's ok. Remember in 21 days it could happen again.
rnsandie
Active member
Come on...... they can be in heat at 5 months old? :???:
Workinonit Farm
Well-known member
rnsandie":17vnk1lz said:
:nod: :nod: Yup. And I had the resulting calf to prove it. The heifer was not quite 15 months old when she calved, on her own, a live healthy heifer calf.
Yes, they most certainly can come into heat at 5 1/2 months old.
Katherine
hillsdown
Well-known member
dun":39cclcgq said:
DITTO, and I see it all the time. BTW it is usually only the younger bulls and calves that seem to mount them when they are that young.
All heifers should be given a shot of prostaglandin and dex when you finally separate from the bulls ,whether you retain them for replacements or sell them as feeders ,it is just the responsible thing to do.
I have seen at least 4 of my young calves get bred at 5 months or younger this year by my bull calves. Fertile is definitely what the little buggers are. When I bring them in and do herd health they will get their shots.
My heifer is still not recovered - tonight she's about 1/8th mile from the rest of the herd, she's still breathing hard, and she's laying down a lot. When she urinated tonight, it seemed forced and was a dark color and not a lot. Maybe she doesn't feel well enough to go and drink as much as she should. And it's the strangest thing how her tail is still up. However, it appears she is still sucking (her Momma comes and checks on her), she grazes sometimes, and her limp appears to be some better. Any suggestions on what to do next, or should we just give her some time?
I tried to load a photo of her, but it didn't work.
BTW, Gelbvieh's are known to be very fertile, and we've had other heifers coming in heat at that age. She's 75% Gelbvieh, 25% Angus.
I tried to load a photo of her, but it didn't work.
BTW, Gelbvieh's are known to be very fertile, and we've had other heifers coming in heat at that age. She's 75% Gelbvieh, 25% Angus.
