Well we are almost their!! or 4h projects are suppose to calve next monday. Do heifers ever go early? I think I have everything ready,but the family is starting too get a little excited. they are in the barn they are use to it. but does anyone have sound words of wisdom for me? From start too finish from what i have read it should take about an hour if longer, she may need help? does that sound right? any words of wisdom?
heifers and first time owners
- Thread starter BryanM
- Start date
Help Support CattleToday:
Gale Seddon
Well-known member
Try this:
viewtopic.php?f=8&t=74572
You can also get a lot of information by googling "calving signs," and other similar phrases. There's a lot of reading out there -- university and extension service websites are usually pretty helpful.
viewtopic.php?f=8&t=74572
You can also get a lot of information by googling "calving signs," and other similar phrases. There's a lot of reading out there -- university and extension service websites are usually pretty helpful.
cmf1
Well-known member
This is absolutely great stuff here to familiarize yourself with as a beginner in waiting.
http://www.cattletoday.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=49808
http://www.cattletoday.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=49808
Crazy Farmgirl
Well-known member
First of all congrats on your upcoming births! Hope all goes smoothly for you!
1st REMAIN CALM! more often than not if you did your homework in choosing their sire all will be fine.
I realize this is a very exciting time for you and your family but don't forget that the heifer has never done this and probably doesn't want or need constant pestering to see how things are going, even if she's "pet" like. Labor can do crazy things to cows, give her space! You indicated they are "in the barn they are used to". Are they stalled or just confined together in the barn? How many? What amount of space?
As far as time frames go there are no set "rules". I usually am more concerned with a timely progression of labor than a specific time frame.
Have the vet on speed dial! If possible have an experience person there to help make judgement calls on wether help is needed.
Good Luck and let us know how it goes!
Sure fire way to garuntee she'll calve is to take the family out to dinner or a movie or for that matter just run to the store....I swear they know when we're not home or have gotten "cleaned up" for some occasion! :mrgreen:
1st REMAIN CALM! more often than not if you did your homework in choosing their sire all will be fine.
I realize this is a very exciting time for you and your family but don't forget that the heifer has never done this and probably doesn't want or need constant pestering to see how things are going, even if she's "pet" like. Labor can do crazy things to cows, give her space! You indicated they are "in the barn they are used to". Are they stalled or just confined together in the barn? How many? What amount of space?
As far as time frames go there are no set "rules". I usually am more concerned with a timely progression of labor than a specific time frame.
Have the vet on speed dial! If possible have an experience person there to help make judgement calls on wether help is needed.
Good Luck and let us know how it goes!
Sure fire way to garuntee she'll calve is to take the family out to dinner or a movie or for that matter just run to the store....I swear they know when we're not home or have gotten "cleaned up" for some occasion! :mrgreen:
expensive hobby
Well-known member
Being a heifer, do keep an eye on her but don't try to get real involved unless she seems to be having problems. You will be amazed at what they can do on their own. More times than not "we" make the process difficult for the cow. Let her do her thing and she will be alright. You can actually cause things to slow down by trying to get involved. Give her some alone time and your little one will be out and nursing in no time. Keep things routine and do not isolate her from the others as this will cause more distress than necessary.
I have a youtube video that runs through the process once the feet show. You can check it out at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63rgE-Rk2GQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63rgE-Rk2GQ
chippie
Well-known member
Also, don't be alarmed if they do not have the calves on their due date. It is easier on the animal if it is not stalled. Some like to move about and walk during the early stages of labor. How big is your stall?
Good luck, hope that everything goes smoothly.
Good luck, hope that everything goes smoothly.
Oldtimer
Well-known member
Do they have to be in the barn?
I have ran into more calving problems with heifers because of lack of exercise than about anything else...I hate calving heifers that have been lotted or in a corral standing with their head in a hay feeder..
If possible let them have as much room as possible to move around...I feed my cows and heifers a half mile from the corrals so they have to walk at least that far to get water... Won't corral them or put them in the barn until I see the calf coming- or if the weather is really bad or they look like they are having problems.....
They often do best with the least amount of attention or pampering...
I have ran into more calving problems with heifers because of lack of exercise than about anything else...I hate calving heifers that have been lotted or in a corral standing with their head in a hay feeder..
If possible let them have as much room as possible to move around...I feed my cows and heifers a half mile from the corrals so they have to walk at least that far to get water... Won't corral them or put them in the barn until I see the calf coming- or if the weather is really bad or they look like they are having problems.....
They often do best with the least amount of attention or pampering...
Galloways1
Well-known member
Oldtimer":6egnugwu said:
X2
The more excercise and less human involvement the better.
No calve yet!! Reading over a few times, their is some great info people have posted, Thanks 
Their had been some question about why or if they have to be in the barn. No they dont have to be in the barn my reasoning for it was we dont own alot of pasture and its been extremely wet the whole year and when the grass doesnt grow and they are on it they just muddy it up, so i just recently been stalling three heifers in the barn. I guess i was trying to do some pasture management. the stall is like an L shape with the main area being 20x 32 and the leg being 10 x26 , i figured they had plenty of room.
Due date is this upcoming monday then the next heifer not till 21 days latter, so we will see, o ya we are being cautious not too bug the cows same routine they are use to! thanks will update when I see or have something too report.
thanks Bryan
Their had been some question about why or if they have to be in the barn. No they dont have to be in the barn my reasoning for it was we dont own alot of pasture and its been extremely wet the whole year and when the grass doesnt grow and they are on it they just muddy it up, so i just recently been stalling three heifers in the barn. I guess i was trying to do some pasture management. the stall is like an L shape with the main area being 20x 32 and the leg being 10 x26 , i figured they had plenty of room.
Due date is this upcoming monday then the next heifer not till 21 days latter, so we will see, o ya we are being cautious not too bug the cows same routine they are use to! thanks will update when I see or have something too report.
thanks Bryan
chippie
Well-known member
have they started showing any signs of being close to having the calves?
The signs I have noticed is her vulvagwtting sloppy and she has more of a bag? Dont know how close she is but its hard too judge for me with no experience at this.
I did let them outside to come and go from the barn and what a muddy mess!!!
I am not sure how much of a bag will be their when she is close?
I did let them outside to come and go from the barn and what a muddy mess!!!
I am not sure how much of a bag will be their when she is close?
No way to accuratly answer the question. Some will be so loose and sloppy that you figure the calf will fall out when she stands up and can be like that for days. Some don;t sloppy up till shortly before they calf. Same with the udder, some bag fit to burst well in advance and others not till just before and some after the calve.BryanM61":282bvsqc said:
Watch for the usual signs, tail head looks very prominant, sides make her look like she isn;t carrying a calf anymore, restless, maybe vocal, etc. The surest sign is still when the back feet are sticking out of her.
John SD
Well-known member
dun":1r3b1s4b said:
Dun, I'm sure you meant to say when the front feet are sticking out of her. If the back feet are sticking out of her, it's time to get out the calf puller. ;-)
cmf1
Well-known member
I still think Dunn's description of a "pump handle tail" for more than a few minutes is the best indicator of something fixing to happen.
just checked them tonight at 8p.m. they where all in barn(their choice). the only thing new is mucous coming out not alot but enough to wet her tail down a bit. I may looking to hard but i think her tail head is sticking up further and seems bigger? dont know time will tell !!@
Nesikep
Well-known member
with calving progress, I also agree that the time it takes isn't so much of a concern, but more a steady progression, however don't be alarmed if it takes a while to get from the nose to the rest of the head. I would also say that the most critical time is when the calf is halfway out, as the umbilical cord gets pinched off, however there's too much pressure on the chest of the calf for it to breathe yet, and quite often a tired cow will think this is a good time to take a break. If I see the cow isn't doing much at this point I'll give the calf a yank and it'll be out, the hard part is over at that point anyhow.
Another typical calving sign is the cow turning around and sniffing the ground.
if you want to keep an eye on the cattle without disturbing them, a webcam on a laptop via wifi can make you a very discreet voyeur
Another typical calving sign is the cow turning around and sniffing the ground.
if you want to keep an eye on the cattle without disturbing them, a webcam on a laptop via wifi can make you a very discreet voyeur
sorry to interupt everyones super bowl, but at around 5 tonight we had our first calve! :clap: I didnt get to see the birth like I planned, but it must have happened pretty quick, I did get too see the first steps and then the heifer didnt know what to do and I didnt know what to do so we had to call the voag teacher from the high school (great guy, also ai'd the heifers). the heifer keeped throwing the calve around when it stood up and came to her too nurse. so he suggested haltering the heifer and helping the first time too nurse. he said, its just being a heifer, so it did get so milk nursed for ten minutes or soo.
This brings up an idea for a subject or topic. after the birth what are the scenerios of heifers and calves after the birth and what are you suppose to do?
sorry for babbiling, my mind is going a mile a minute, just worried she didnt get enough too eat? and she the heifer didnt act like i thought she would!!!
This brings up an idea for a subject or topic. after the birth what are the scenerios of heifers and calves after the birth and what are you suppose to do?
sorry for babbiling, my mind is going a mile a minute, just worried she didnt get enough too eat? and she the heifer didnt act like i thought she would!!!
