Heat Detection

[Bret]

While watching the cows last night for heat, I observed that a couple of cows kept trying to mount a cow that is due to calf soon. Because of her size and also because she was preg-checked early on by the vet, I am reasonably sure she is bred. However, the mounting attempts made me question.

Do cows near calving have hormone signals that trigger the sniffing and mounting response from other cows(and calves) as when coming into heat?

Thank you.

Bret

 

[Rustler9]

Sounds like those cows may be coming in.

 

[jt]

Sounds like those cows may be coming in.

i agree.

i dont know what all triggers cows to ride each other, but i have had cows in heat try to ride the bull and i once had a 6+ month bred cow ride a new bull that i put in the pasture with her, and she did that for 2-3 days, so much, that i got her up and palpated her to make sure she hadnt slipped her calf and had come back into heat.

if you want to make sure about your bred cow, have her checked.

jt

 

[Susie David]

I agree...looks like the other cows are comming in soon. The cow that is comming in usually mounts the ones that are not...but then some are especially prone to mounting any cow that smells right at the time...(have a cousin like that). Only the bull really knows for sure and most of the time ours gets up earlier in the morning than we do.

 

[dun]

SHortly before a cow cxalves the hormone balance changes and it isn;t unusual for others to try to mount. Doesn;t matter if they're coming in or not, they may try to mount. Even a bull can be fooled at times. I'ld keep an eyue on them but wouldn;t be surprised if they don;t come into heat themselves.

dun

 

[Bret]

Thanks all for your replies on this topic. Susie David, you made me gut laugh about your cousin.
Bret

 

[bigbull338]

id be watching the 2 cows riding the springer. most times cows coming in heat will ride other cows befor they start bbeing ridden. so watch them. scott

 

[James Reed]

I was a herdsman At a dairy for 5 years where my main job was checking heat and AI ing all the cows. We used no clean up bulls because the owner wanted everything AI bred. As far as cows standing there and getting rode. Yes they are in heat. Lots of times we had those cows that where bred that would follow the heat cows and ride the cows that where in heat. Also a sign of cows riding other cows is that they will come into heat very soon. When I would see this I had the milkers sort them every morning and they would be prime in heat by morning from the night before. Cows that just stand there are deffinanlty in heat. I did all this for about 3 yrs every night untill i Tlked the boss into buying electronic patches to put on the cows. Sycronizing them is a very good idea also. I am babling. Sorry,
James

 

[James Reed]

I was a herdsman At a dairy for 5 years where my main job was checking heat and AI ing all the cows. We used no clean up bulls because the owner wanted everything AI bred. As far as cows standing there and getting rode. Yes they are in heat. Lots of times we had those cows that where bred that would follow the heat cows and ride the cows that where in heat. Also a sign of cows riding other cows is that they will come into heat very soon. When I would see this I had the milkers sort them every morning and they would be prime in heat by morning from the night before. Cows that just stand there are deffinanlty in heat. I did all this for about 3 yrs every night untill i Tlked the boss into buying electronic patches to put on the cows. Sycronizing them is a very good idea also. I am babling. Sorry,
James

 

[Bret]

Just to follow up, the springer did halve a 70 lb. heifer a few days ago. The other cows and heifers are being sync'd now.
Thank you.
Bret