Calf question

[Turin53]

I've got two cows that I thought would have calved by now. The longhorn is starting to show the hip bones and her tail seems to be bending(?) up. The holstein is just a wide-load but her bags are starting to fill out.
Any ideas how to tell when they are ready to calve? They were bred around the middle of October 07.
Sorry for such a stupid question, but the holstein lost her first calf and was down for about a month after. We just want to be ready when she is. :help:

 

[Running Arrow Bill]

Don't know anything about Holsteins except that one day's milk would last us a year! After it was pasteurized, of course.

Longhorns:

Usually when their bag fills up and teats point slightly in 4 directions and their vulva is puffy & floppy they tend to calve within 72 hours or so. Some will not bag up until a day before. Some will bag up 1 to 2 weeks before. Each LH cow is different. If you see her frequently lay down and get back up, touching her sides with head or horns frequently, calving will probably happen within a few hours or less. Given the 9 month gestation, they will usually calve + or - 2 weeks from date of conception. When tail stays up for a while calving is also pretty close. Watch, observe, take notes for the next calving.

 

[bigbull338]

you asked a real good q.if they was bred mid oct.they should calve end of july to mid aug.i bought 2 cows that was AIed at the end of nov.an they was supposed to calve like sept 5th to the 9th.well 1 calved a few days ago so i know she was already bred to his bull when he AIed them.waiting on the last 1 to calve to see if she was bred by the bull or her AI date.the guy spent $200 or $300 in semen to breed those 2 cows.an they most likely didnt settle.

 

[Turin53]

Thanks y'all. I hope to be able to post some pictures pretty soon of a new longhorn. She is bagged out and is sure miserable looking. But i'd be miserable being 9 mo preg and it was 105 outside. Going out to turn on the sprinkle system for her. Thanks again.
Anybody got an idea on the holstein? She is the trouble one. The LH just shoots the calves out with ease.