Early born calf

[AncientAcres]

I just bought 4 bred cows a week ago. I was there when vet pregnancy checked them. He said all were 6-7 months pregnant. I went out today and have a small black calf. It appears to be nursing I can't get close enough to see for sure but is very active and walks beside mom everywhere she goes. Is it likely a calf could be born this early and appear healthy or is it more likely the vet was off by 2 months.

 

[dun]

The latter

 

[AncientAcres]

That's good to hear I didn't know how accurate it would be. It was a good surprise as long as it continues to be a health calf. I will have to keep an eye on the other 3!

 

[Black and Good]

Yep, I agree with dun. I bought 6 bred cows from a guy south of me last fall. All were pregged by a respected vet in the area?? All but one calved 2-4 months early. Good for me it wasn't calving later. To me sleeveing is just an educated guess. JMHO B&G

 

[dun]

Our vet pregs for us and is usaully within about 2 weeks or less of the calving date. Except Ol Granny. If he was within a month with her he felt that was pretty good. On year I called him to come over and look at our 90 day premature calf. His comment was "Granny likes to make a liar out of me"

 

[muleskinner]

Our Vet is used to checking dairy cows. So when she checks beef cows she is at least a month off.

 

[backhoeboogie]

"checking" is a matter of feeling for fetus size. The actual size of a calf can have a big range at its birthweight.

If a calf has its hair, its likely full term. Calves born premature usually have no hair.

 

[TexasBred]

"checking" is a matter of feeling for fetus size. The actual size of a calf can have a big range at its birthweight.

If a calf has its hair, its likely full term. Calves born premature usually have no hair.

I seldom ever touch the fetus. I was taught to feel for certain conditions inside that would indicate the stage of development of the fetus. Hard not to touch one though if it's 8 months and you pat him on the head when you insert your hand.

 

[dun]

Fetal Development

viewtopic.php?f=8&t=44910

 

[backhoeboogie]

"checking" is a matter of feeling for fetus size. The actual size of a calf can have a big range at its birthweight.

If a calf has its hair, its likely full term. Calves born premature usually have no hair.

I seldom ever touch the fetus. I was taught to feel for certain conditions inside that would indicate the stage of development of the fetus. Hard not to touch one though if it's 8 months and you pat him on the head when you insert your hand.

These are sale barn cows. Seen a vet preg check hundreds in the hay day. They don't spend a lot of time on each one.

 

[TexasBred]

"checking" is a matter of feeling for fetus size. The actual size of a calf can have a big range at its birthweight.

If a calf has its hair, its likely full term. Calves born premature usually have no hair.

I seldom ever touch the fetus. I was taught to feel for certain conditions inside that would indicate the stage of development of the fetus. Hard not to touch one though if it's 8 months and you pat him on the head when you insert your hand.

These are sale barn cows. Seen a vet preg check hundreds in the hay day. They don't spend a lot of time on each one.

That's why sale barn vets are seldom that accurate. One once told me after about 50 head its more of a guess than anything. Have seen owners demand that cow be rechecked after it came into the ring because he saw the cow bred and the vet had her marked several months different. In reality there is no sizeable baby to feel until 3 months so you have to use the indicators that tell you a fetus is present. I never tried finding eyelashes or anything else. Just the way I was taught by the instructor.

 

[riquezada]

Sale barn cows...I've bought some bred sale barn cows from time to time over the past 30 years. The vets have been off 6 months either way at times. Usually they are not bred near as long as they said. I wonder sometimes who the vets really work for...I have gotten some really nice good producers at times that I retained rather than resold. We usually raise our own replacements though.

 

[AncientAcres]

Just wanted to update and say the calf I posted this about is doing fine. She's a solid black little heifer. And not sure how the sale barn cow thing started but all my cows came from my neighbor really great guy and rancher. The vet was a really reputable guy who makes farm calls to everyone in the area so I wasn't trying to say he wasn't good at what he does by any means just was asking if palpating is normally very precise or just a ball park. Anyway thanks for your input.

 

[Son of Butch]

I got spoiled when I was young, we had a very good local vet that could darn near nail 'em all to within a week or two.
I thought all vets could do that... then I ran across a few that almost everything was either 2nd trimester or open.
And when they called them 2nd trimester they could still be off by 2 months either way!

 

[AncientAcres]

Had another calf born today. This one is as big as the heifer born two weeks ago is now. This one is a black motley face don't know if it's a bull or heifer because it was up and nursing so I just watched from a distance. 3 on the ground 2 to go. So far so good.