Calving and Pregnancy Detection

[Missy]

Hi all,
Ok first off, cow due to calf this week. Last night had big heap of mucous come out when she stood . When she would lay down her vulva would open up about 4 cm's or so and would have mucous just dribbling out of her non stop. Clear jelly like!
Very floppy around the vulva and seems to be alot of pressure on it when laying down.She is my first nurse cow to calve and i want to freeze some colostrum from her.
The calf seems to have dropped,she is not as wide as she was yesterday,and seems more tucked in around the ribs,big down the bottom!
So i am guessing she should calve soon,am i right?

Next question,i am doing an A.I course in May!
I was wondering if someone could point me in the direction of pregnancy detection machines. Is there by any chance a way of telling how far along a cow is without having the vet do a rectal,does a blood test tell??
Thanks ,hope i don't sound too silly

 

[dun]

All the mucus and gapping means is she's getting close. Some do it weeks in advance some only a few hours. Is the mucus kind of sticky or is it real runny? Sticky is plug runny without the sticky is pre delivery stuff. That latter usually means within 24 hours

 

[regolith]

Usually really floppy around the vulva means within 48 hours. Though I've known them hang on for a week like that.

I'd be interested in the preg diagnosis answers - our vets will only accurately date by rectal up to 14 weeks pregnant, and even then accuracy can be a bit 'iffy'.
The first farmer I worked for was an old school guy. He ran a bull with the herd and didn't record matings - if he could punch the cow's side and feel the calf kick back, he dried her off ready for her next calving. She'd be fairly reliably 6 - 7 months pregnant at that stage.
I have done it, but never really mastered the technique - you're pushing up from fairly low on her right side (well behind the ribs), to feel the calf.

Sounds like you'll be seeing that calf very soon.

 

[Missy]

Thankyou for your replies...
She calved today. A beautiful red heifer. Cow is dairy but i am stuck on her breed,first i thought brown swiss but she has something else going on :help:
Heifer is by a black brangus bull.
I will post pics tomorrow of heifer and cow.

 

[LoveMoo11]

Congratulations on the new calf ...could be your cow is a cross with some brown swiss. We had a red holstein/brown swiss who was reddish/purple in color. Post a pic when you can.
As for pregnancy detection, you can do it rectally, some vets have an ultrasound machine as well. You can also "bump" a calf on the side behind the ribcage.