Best Guess??? ANSWERED!!!!

[NewCowboy]

See last post for answer

I would like some "best guess" information on this subject. We have a heifer that was put out with the bull on May 8, 2005. Yesterday when we were fixing the fence, we noticed she had started getting full in her milk bag, not tight, but fuller. She also had a string of clear mucus hanging from her backside. This heifer is now 23 months old. What is your best guess of when she might have her first calf with these signs showing? Any comments appreciated.

Thanks!
NewCowboy :cboy:

 

[Aero]

let's guess today, tomorrow or the next day. :)

 

[NewCowboy]

Are you being funny :D Or are you really guessing :?: We will check her every day this week, I am just worried because it is her first calf.....I guess guessing is the only thing you CAN do.....

I just wondered that with the string of mucus and all, if anyone had seen how long it takes after these things happen that the calves tend to be born. :oops:

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

A heifer or cow can start showing mucus discharge month of more prior to calving. Her udder will fill, usually gets shiny tight. Her ligaments on each side of her tail will loosen so her tail looks like it "sticks up" now. Her vulva will get fuller & loose. If she was bred immediately after being with the bull, she would be due about 2-18, so she could go anytime after now.

 

[ctlbaron]

Within the week.

 

[dj]

Aero is not guessing. It's due date was 2-14-06 if bred on
5-8-05. She is showing visual signs of her body preparing for a calf. She will start getting really hmmm sloppy in the rear.
Both in looks and walking.
If you go to the top of the page and click the CattleToday
tab then look on the link menu on the left you will find
gestation table where you can enter bred date and it will calculate your birth date. But it never happens on the very day.

 

[dj]

Jeanne I was looking for another post of yours when you posted. You explain it very well.
Newcowboy read her post in this thread
http://cattletoday.com/forum/viewtopic. ... eady+calve

 

[NewCowboy]

Even though she was put out with the bull on 5/8/05, we don't know exactly when the "event" happened. So, we will watch closely from here on out. Would anyone suggest bringing her to the front pasture where can could watch her more closely? We have 9 weaning heifers up there...any problem with putting her in there with them :?: :oops:

 

[dj]

Yes don't do it. Those weanlings will probably suck her dry :(

 

[NewCowboy]

Yes don't do it. Those weanlings will probably suck her dry :(

That is kind of what I figured. Other than having trouble calving since this is her first calf, I guess we will just have to let nature take its course and pray and keep our fingers crossed that she doesn't have any trouble. She is out on 300 acres and just hate to think of her leaving her calf unattended being a new mom.......the old cows tend to go to the farthest back pasture to have their babies and then bring them up after a few days. Don't know if she will know what to do.....I guess try to keep a close watch daily is all we can do. We thought of closing off the very back pasture but it is where the only fescue available is at this point. We feed up front and they go back and forth.

NewCowboy's Mom

 

[ALACOWMAN]

heifer's are kinda unpredictable they can bag up one day and shrink back a few times way before they calve if you didnt see the bull breed her and know if she stuck its a hard call on heifers.

 

[Beefy]

if i were you i would post a picture of her so i can tell you exactly what day she will calve and at what time.

 

[George]

What kind of heifer,and what is she bred to?

 

[SPRINGER FARMS MURRAY GRE]

First time heifers may not know what is happening,she may have it right in front of you.Sometimes they are like a bird...when the pain hits them they let it go.She may not know enough about what is happening to go hide like the cows do. ;-) :cboy:

 

[NewCowboy]

Jeanne I was looking for another post of yours when you posted. You explain it very well.
Newcowboy read her post in this thread
http://cattletoday.com/forum/viewtopic. ... eady+calve

Thanks!

 

[NewCowboy]

if i were you i would post a picture of her so i can tell you exactly what day she will calve and at what time.

My momma says that if she really thought you could do that, she would post photos daily, so don't tempt her. She said to say ha ha.

NewCowboy :cboy:

 

[NewCowboy]

What kind of heifer,and what is she bred to?

Just a "black heifer". Bred to a Brangus bull. Sorry for not knowing what "breed" we have. We have lots of different colors, types, and ages. The bull throws us good calves off all of them so far.

NewCowboy's mom :pretty:

 

[backhoeboogie]

What kind of heifer,and what is she bred to?

Just a "black heifer". Bred to a Brangus bull. Sorry for not knowing what "breed" we have. We have lots of different colors, types, and ages. The bull throws us good calves off all of them so far.

NewCowboy's mom :pretty:

You are probably safe with the brangus. I had 4 heifers calve out of my brangus bull in September and none had any help. Two of the heifers were a bit small and I was concerned.

Some of my cows discharge for two weeks before they calve. Others discharge heavy and all of the sudden and calve that night. I look at their udder changes along with their discharge. When the birth canal is swollen ("springing" some call it), the udder is getting large, and discharge is heavy, you are usually within a day. I have an angus discharging right now, but her udder hasn't bagged up yet. So I am figuring 10 days with her, since she has stringy discharges for about two weeks before she calves.

 

[NewCowboy]

You are probably safe with the brangus. I had 4 heifers calve out of my brangus bull in September and none had any help. Two of the heifers were a bit small and I was concerned.

Some of my cows discharge for two weeks before they calve. Others discharge heavy and all of the sudden and calve that night. I look at their udder changes along with their discharge. When the birth canal is swollen ("springing" some call it), the udder is getting large, and discharge is heavy, you are usually within a day. I have an angus discharging right now, but her udder hasn't bagged up yet. So I am figuring 10 days with her, since she has stringy discharges for about two weeks before she calves.

Ten days sounds about right. As of the "pasture check" this afternoon, we have two doing the "mucus discharge" thing. Heifer is bagging up, two time calfer is not. I shall be on pins and needles until my $500 packages arrive.... ;-)

 

[backhoeboogie]

[/quote]

Ten days sounds about right. As of the "pasture check" this afternoon, we have two doing the "mucus discharge" thing. Heifer is bagging up, two time calfer is not. I shall be on pins and needles until my $500 packages arrive.... ;-)[/quote]

Don't short change your self. Lately they have been doing a bit better at the sale barn. Solid white and solid black seem to bring the most nickels around here. Hope these cattle prices hang around as long as the doggone fuel prices have.