cow overdue

[coolpop]

:?: have a 3.5 yrd old AI'd on Jan 10th, this would be her 2nd calf -- in our 6 yrs of a small cow/calf operation the gestation has been 280 days on the day. This hereford cow is very pregnant but not showing any signs of calving soon. She's been slowly bagging up nicely -- the belly bulk has been shifting -- rump is swollen and saggy --
even on a 283 gestation she should have had the calf last week on Thursday - 285 gestation Sunday...

So my ?? is -- who has had calves arrive late -- and how late???

I'm getting concerned, althought she's not showing any signs of distress -- just uncomfortable. She's still with the other cows/heifers, eating, drinking, everyday cattle stuff.

Hard to get a vet out here as this is horse race country.

Thanks, C

 

[tom4018]

Had one this year that we seen bred, went 10 days late according to a gestation calculator. 108 lb. calf had to pull it, don't want many like that.

 

[coolpop]

we had to pull her first calf because it was so big - didn't want to do it again.

 

[dun]

2 weeks early to 2 weeks late is still considered normal. We had one that went 17 days over once. Drove me crazy. Went out in the morning and she was feeding her calf.
That was when my wife said maybe it's better to not know the exact breeding dates so you don;t really know when thye should be due.

dun

 

[coolpop]

hehehe! think I'm in agreement with your wife, I'm tired, because this gal had a tough time with her first one, I've been checking on her around the clock - you should see the fury wildlife friends I have greet me in the middle of the night and early morning.

Dun, thank you for responding, I read your postings and have confidence in what you say - I guess as long as she's not showing any signs of distress or illness ??? should be ok until it's time to deliver ??

 

[randiliana]

hehehe! think I'm in agreement with your wife, I'm tired, because this gal had a tough time with her first one, I've been checking on her around the clock - you should see the fury wildlife friends I have greet me in the middle of the night and early morning.

Dun, thank you for responding, I read your postings and have confidence in what you say - I guess as long as she's not showing any signs of distress or illness ??? should be ok until it's time to deliver ??

I agree with dun here as well. I'm not sure how much overdue we have had cows go, but we have had calves come as much as 17 days early and not be preemies so I would think it would work the other way as well. As long as she looks fine, is eating and acting normally there isn't much you can do. Could talk to your vet about it though, just to see what he thinks...

One thing though is that longer gestation=larger BW so that could be a problem, and considering you pulled her calf last year I am wondering whether she is an animal that will always go past term??? Not saying that she will have trouble, just wanting to bring it to your attention....

 

[coolpop]

I helped to manifest the problem with her large calf last year - being her first one, I put her in a pen & run-in shed area, and gave her grain - more then she should have had, so this time I held her off of grain. She was looking a little small for the amount of time she had before calving, so my husband decided she needed some grain, just a little everyday - wow has she packed on the weight quickly. I remember him saying "she won't gain that much weight 'til the calf is born" We all make decisions you wish you could change later -- I wish we had kept her off the grain then I wouldn't worry so much about the size of the calf.

 

[dun]

I guess as long as she's not showing any signs of distress or illness ??? should be ok until it's time to deliver ??

That's about all you can do. Be ready if something goes down the dumper, but she'll probablyu just surprise you. If you se her in actual labor for a ahlf hour and no progress, get involved. I don;t mean just diddling around being restless, I mean laying down and really trying to get something sccomplished. As a second calver she should be able to have a larger calf then the first one without any problems. Unless she is just a small pelvic sized, narrow through the pins, etc. cow.

dun

 

[Beefy]

congratulations on your new bull calf.

 

[coolpop]

You think it's gonna be a bull ???? her first one was on time and was a bull.....this one is gonna be a heifer -- has to be, just has to be!

 

[Beefy]

Bull, October 27th, two weeks late, high birthweight, born during halftime just like me.

 

[coolpop]

10/27 -- your birthday Beefy ???

 

[Beefy]

yes. he'll probably have a big head too. you may use the name "Beefy."

 

[coolpop]

I'm OK with both the birth date and the name. ;-)

 

[jcarkie]

last year i took my bull out on 7/5, no cows bulling that day. so the last possible day to calve was 4/13, one cow went until 4/23 and had a normal size heifer???? i didn't think she would ever have the calf. we just get impatient.

 

[coolpop]

calf was 7 days late - all went well, fine healthy heifer :lol:

 

[J. T.]

Nice pair, Coolpop.

 

[TNfamilyfarm]

oooch!!! had to have calf pulled. now past due. i believe in letting the birthing process take its course, but either the AI donor is large or your heffer is going to be a problem.

 

[msscamp]

oooch!!! had to have calf pulled. now past due. i believe in letting the birthing process take its course, but either the AI donor is large or your heffer is going to be a problem.

I'm confused - the heifer calf is on the ground and ok - how is she going to be a problem? :?:

 

[coolpop]

I didn't have to pull this calf - cow did it on her own, she was just a little too close to the fence, so I pulled the calf away from the fence as cow was pushing. No problems with the calf or the cow, cow clean herself out within 6 hrs, all went very well.
He first calf we had to pull but I fed her too much grain, calf gained alot of weight. Kept the cow on small amount of grain this time.