One cow has been bred to the same bull for her last 3 calves. Calve 1 born on due date, calf 2 born 7 days late, calf 3 (she's in early labor now) will be 5 days early. Shows how much standard due date charts are worth
Calculating due dates
- Thread starter dun
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suzorse
Well-known member
a due date is an average they can go 2 weeks either side and it is normal
Suzanne
Suzanne
slick4591
Well-known member
When I'm incubating eggs I can manipulate the hatch by adjusting the temp of the incubator. Less than 99.5 and they hatch a day or so late. A degree warmer and many will hatch a day (sometimes two) early. Just wondering if internal/external conditions would make differences to incubation times for the cow?
OP
OP
dun
Well-known member
Now that's an intersting concept. This year has been the coldest winter we've had in almost 15 years. Maybe more blood is directed to the calf. But the other cows that are due sooner aren;t showing any signs at all. Vet came by sunday and looked over the girls (social) and commented that we were sure going to be busy in the next couple of days. One that looked ready a couple of days ago has her udder looking looser andbut her rear still looks like a truck could slip out at any time. This is alwasy the exciting/anxious/satisfying time of year. Cows making a liar out of you one way or anotherslick4591":qfnn6oj6 said:
WalnutCrest
Well-known member
It's pretty well understood that one calf born at the US/Canadian border will be larger than the same calf born at the US/Mexico border. I'd not be surprised to find out that ambient temperatures during the pregnancy (especially during the 3rd trimester) impact gestation length as well.
branguscowgirl
Well-known member
It kind of makes sense, seeing that calves born in colder months have winter coats and calves born in summer months have slick coats.......Nature knows best.
suzorse
Well-known member
sorry Dun I was not paying attention to who started the post,
as I know you knew that info, what was the sex of the calves ? as some believe
bulls need to cook longer
Suzanne
as I know you knew that info, what was the sex of the calves ? as some believe
bulls need to cook longer
Suzanne
OP
OP
dun
Well-known member
#1 Bull, #2 Heifer, and a dandy heifer she is. But the bull wasn;t too bad either and did real well at the local fairs in the market steer shows. #3 isn;t here yet, she's still driving me nuts with the early almost getting into labor phase.suzorse":voqfmgie said:
MO_cows
Well-known member
Have seen some studies done that colder weather = bigger calves.
So maybe that's why she "cooked" it a little faster this year. Good thing for her to have it a little early than hang onto it until the chart says it's time and have it be too big.
So maybe that's why she "cooked" it a little faster this year. Good thing for her to have it a little early than hang onto it until the chart says it's time and have it be too big.
suzorse
Well-known member
see that proves what I had already figured, dose not matter the sex, when they are done they come out of the oven, I have had heifers late and bulls early , same as the poll hair myth messed hair do
heifer, smooth poll a bull , I have had smooth poll hair and got heifer calves
congrats on a healthy bull calf
Suzanne
heifer, smooth poll a bull , I have had smooth poll hair and got heifer calves
congrats on a healthy bull calf
Suzanne
jerry27150
Well-known member
why would it stay the same, nothing else ever does. you should know that
Workinonit Farm
Well-known member
jerry27150":qcb87amp said:
You sure have got that right! :nod:
Katherine
Ours all seem to be going over some. Natural service or AI.
Got a pleasant surprise this week though. My two oldest cows valved March 31 and April 5 last year. Turned them out with my purebred GV bull and it looks like they both moved up around 5 weeks. One calved the 19th of Feb and the other one is gonna pop before the weekend.
The other nice surprise is the continuing low birth weights on the Vanguard bulls calves. The first one for me is out of the Beheomoth(1750+lbs) and he weighed 69 lbs. Can't wait to see what he throws with the cows who always have smaller calves. I believe he is going to make a real solid heifer bull, and still have plenty of growth.
Got a pleasant surprise this week though. My two oldest cows valved March 31 and April 5 last year. Turned them out with my purebred GV bull and it looks like they both moved up around 5 weeks. One calved the 19th of Feb and the other one is gonna pop before the weekend.
The other nice surprise is the continuing low birth weights on the Vanguard bulls calves. The first one for me is out of the Beheomoth(1750+lbs) and he weighed 69 lbs. Can't wait to see what he throws with the cows who always have smaller calves. I believe he is going to make a real solid heifer bull, and still have plenty of growth.
Nesikep
Well-known member
My cows always cook them longer... 283 is typical for a first timer with a heifer, and it goes up from there. I found my average is 288, with some going as long as 293. I don't know what happened about 5 years ago but suddenly our Bw went up 20 lbs to 100 average using the same bull and it didn't go down on the next bull either. It didn't cause us any grief so I don't mind. Next year we'll have the limo bull who wasn't a light Bw and we'll see what comes of that.
1982vett
Well-known member
Dun....you know it's all about the weather.....gotta get it done in the worst possible.
OP
OP
dun
Well-known member
That's what has been the shocker. These 3 have been born in really nice warm almost balmy weather. But it's supposed to turn to crap tomorrow but at least no snow (at least predicted). For the next week the highs are only going to be about what the lows have been for the past week.1982vett":1omvjukm said:
Workinonit Farm
Well-known member
dun":28bwaq26 said:
Now that you've said this, you know what's going to happen don't you? :lol:
I know it's happened to me countless times. :lol2:
Katherine
