I've had repeated occurrences over several years of cows standing briefly appearing to be in a mild heat and then 5-7 days later going into a rip roaring heat. Not always the same cow. Any reality to what appears to be happening?
False heat / heat
- Thread starter angus9259
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Anonymous
My guess would be another in full heat stomulating the other to produce some hormones and the bull picks up on it. Purely a guess tho
snickers
Well-known member
we've had to happen several times and dont know what the deal is. they always calved close to when their due date was tho.
cow pollinater
Well-known member
Cows cycle on both horns with one being dominant. Once conception takes place they build a cl on both ovaries so that both ovaries are suporting the pregnancy.
In my large herd, I see nine to eleven day heats in the spring and then again in the fall in enough numbers to make me notice the frequency. They are almost always followed by another, much stronger heat nine to eleven days later but I can stick cows on them so I breed based on what I see.
In my large herd, I see nine to eleven day heats in the spring and then again in the fall in enough numbers to make me notice the frequency. They are almost always followed by another, much stronger heat nine to eleven days later but I can stick cows on them so I breed based on what I see.
regolith
Well-known member
I'm seeing a couple of repeated patterns this year - one is cows having a 9 or 10 day heat interval. Nearly all of those are on their first heat after calving (I tailpaint 6 weeks premating and change the colour if they cycle so I'm pretty certain of which cows haven't cycled in that time), cycle again ten days later and then presumably fall into the 18 - 22 day pattern from there. Can't say for sure, since I'm presuming on most to get pregnant on the second heat.
This seems to be happening with far greater frequency this year than I've ever noticed before.
The other is that if a cow is showing uncertain signs of heat, I'll throw some cheap semen into her and sit back and wait. A couple of those haven't returned to heat at all. I know at least one returned at exactly 10 days (causing me to suspect that the first was a true heat) and a couple more have come on to full heat 2 - 5 days later. You know a bored bull might start following a cow around a few days before her heat - the cow probably knows that early also.
Two or three have had full heats just three or five days apart - in fact, yesterday one came in without her tail paint and I blinked and said - did I forget to tailpaint you? - but no, I did recall repainting her and later I saw her standing under another cow.
This seems to be happening with far greater frequency this year than I've ever noticed before.
The other is that if a cow is showing uncertain signs of heat, I'll throw some cheap semen into her and sit back and wait. A couple of those haven't returned to heat at all. I know at least one returned at exactly 10 days (causing me to suspect that the first was a true heat) and a couple more have come on to full heat 2 - 5 days later. You know a bored bull might start following a cow around a few days before her heat - the cow probably knows that early also.
Two or three have had full heats just three or five days apart - in fact, yesterday one came in without her tail paint and I blinked and said - did I forget to tailpaint you? - but no, I did recall repainting her and later I saw her standing under another cow.
