bred cows

[HEREFORD ROADHOG]

is there anything to this ? we were told after a cow is bred her udder will bag down slightly a couple of weeks afterword. :???: thanks.

 

[c farmer]

My experience is that heifers will drop a little bag about 5 months bred and then bag hard about 1 month before having their calf, cows will only bag up their last month or so.

 

[dun]

Since typically a cow is nursing a calf when she's bred I don;t know how you could tell the difference

 

[Bez+]

is there anything to this ? we were told after a cow is bred her udder will bag down slightly a couple of weeks afterword. :???: thanks.

Dun is correct - at least in most cases that I can think of.

If you are trying to figure out if the cow is bred you can only do it the following ways:

1. Wait until God and Mother Nature put a calf on the ground

2. Stick you arm up her rear end to about your shoulder and feel around (a bit more to it than this, but good enough for now)

3. "Punch" her in the side - Left if memory serves - only works when calf is well along in development.

As for the "bag down" - I really had to think on that one - I think some old geezer (like me) is pulling your leg my friend. Or they know less about cows than you do but are acting like an old hand.

She will only bag up a short time before delivery. That bag may form a couple weeks ahead of calving or it may develop the day of calving and indeed sometimes it does not happen until AFTER calving - so it is not a truly reliable method of estimating calving time.

All it tells you in truth is "something is happening or is about to happen".

Bez+

 

[hillrancher]

is there anything to this ? we were told after a cow is bred her udder will bag down slightly a couple of weeks afterword. :???: thanks.

Dun is correct - at least in most cases that I can think of.

If you are trying to figure out if the cow is bred you can only do it the following ways:

1. Wait until God and Mother Nature put a calf on the ground

2. Stick you arm up her rear end to about your shoulder and feel around (a bit more to it than this, but good enough for now)

3. "Punch" her in the side - Left if memory serves - only works when calf is well along in development.

As for the "bag down" - I really had to think on that one - I think some old geezer (like me) is pulling your leg my friend. Or they know less about cows than you do but are acting like an old hand.

She will only bag up a short time before delivery. That bag may form a couple weeks ahead of calving or it may develop the day of calving and indeed sometimes it does not happen until AFTER calving - so it is not a truly reliable method of estimating calving time.

All it tells you in truth is "something is happening or is about to happen".

Bez+[/quote

Bez, is pretty much on track. From another old fart.

 

[dun]

Why would punching her in the rumen tell you if there is a calf in her?

 

[Bez+]

Why would punching her in the rumen tell you if there is a calf in her?

If you push hard enougn you can actually feel the calf way back in there. Same side as we do cut outs on - push slow and deep - if the calf is more than 6 months old you can often feel it. Old fellows around here call it "punching".

Cows do not like it.

Like I said though - calf has to be a ways along in development. I have done it a few times and yes, if you work at it you can find the little beggar.

Bez+

 

[dun]

Why would punching her in the rumen tell you if there is a calf in her?

If you push hard enougn you can actually feel the calf way back in there. Same side as we do cut outs on - push slow and deep - if the calf is more than 6 months old you can often feel it. Old fellows around here call it "punching".

Cows do not like it.

Like I said though - calf has to be a ways along in development. I have done it a few times and yes, if you work at it you can find the little beggar.

Bez+

Interesting, we've alwasy done that on the right side so the rumen didn;t pad the feeling of the calf

 

[KNERSIE]

Why would punching her in the rumen tell you if there is a calf in her?

If you push hard enougn you can actually feel the calf way back in there. Same side as we do cut outs on - push slow and deep - if the calf is more than 6 months old you can often feel it. Old fellows around here call it "punching".

Cows do not like it.

Like I said though - calf has to be a ways along in development. I have done it a few times and yes, if you work at it you can find the little beggar.

Bez+

Interesting, we've alwasy done that on the right side so the rumen didn;t pad the feeling of the calf

Low down on the right side is the spot. A full rumen would completely shield the left side and the bumping technique (which is rather unreliable at best) would not be very effective at all.

 

[TexasBred]

Seems they all do the bagging thing on their own calendar. Have one almost a week past due right now. No bag and no big vulva. Checked her Monday and the calf was lined up and about ready to make his appearance. And don't ever let udder size influence you on how much milk she's giving.

 

[rockridgecattle]

not a scientific way but we also can tell when they drink water from the well. The calf does not appreciate the cold shock and if you watch carefully, you can see the calf give a kick.

 

[Limomike]

not a scientific way but we also can tell when they drink water from the well. The calf does not appreciate the cold shock and if you watch carefully, you can see the calf give a kick.

Thats interesting... never heard that one before. I always heard that you can tell if they been bred by the way their tail is positioned. In other words, if its moved over to the side, then shes been bred. Now this doesnt mean it took or not, just that shes been bred.

 

[greenwillowhereford II]

If you arrive on the scene soon after they are bred, they will typically be walking around slightly hump-backed with their tail extended like they are fixing to urinate or otherwise expell waste.

 

[HEREFORD ROADHOG]

Since typically a cow is nursing a calf when she's bred I don;t know how you could tell the difference

thanks but this was a dry cow.