how can I tell when thier pregnant?

[kenojoe]

I have six mixed beef cows with calves, about six to seven months old. The fella I got the cows from said they may or may not be bred back. The calves are still on the tit but not much. I plan on selling the calves next week. When I look at the cows from the rear several have a bulge to one side. Are they pregnant? I want to borrow my neighbors bull after the calves are gone but am not sure if I need it. Sorry to ask stupid questions but am learning the hard way. Thanks for any help.

 

[Kelly]

The only sure way is to have a vet preg check them. If you don't want to have a vet out & don't care to know the estimate date of calving(if they are bred) then I would put a bull out with them to make sure. Personally I would have a vet preg check them first so I knew which bull they were bred to and have a calving date to go by. It also makes sense because why have a bull to take care of if you don't need to!

 

[la4angus]

I want to borrow my neighbors bull after the calves are gone but am not sure if I need i.

If you borrow the bull and you don't need him fine. Send him back after a month, If you don't borrow him and do need him he's not there for you.

 

[txshowmom]

I have six mixed beef cows with calves, about six to seven months old. The fella I got the cows from said they may or may not be bred back. The calves are still on the tit but not much. I plan on selling the calves next week. When I look at the cows from the rear several have a bulge to one side. Are they pregnant? I want to borrow my neighbors bull after the calves are gone but am not sure if I need it. Sorry to ask stupid questions but am learning the hard way. Thanks for any help.

Have someone come out and palpate your cows. How long and when were they with the bull?

 

[jcarkie]

it is worth the time and money to have them checked. you can't tell by looking sometimes. i take mine to the vet and it cost me $5 per cow. i took my father - in - laws cows friday. only two were bred, one was huge i thought by looking,she was bred. she was open and fat.

 

[kenojoe]

it is worth the time and money to have them checked. you can't tell by looking sometimes. i take mine to the vet and it cost me $5 per cow. i took my father - in - laws cows friday. only two were bred, one was huge i thought by looking,she was bred. she was open and fat.

Thanks to those who aswered. My part of Kentucky has 2 vets,neither seem willing to come out unless the cows are at deaths door. I don't have a trailer to haul them. I will go ahead and borrow the neighbors bull. I still would like to know if there is any way to tell by looking. Best guess is the ones that look big would be about 6 months pregnant. Are they lopsided on the right side because they are pregnant or is that just the way a cow is built. Don't mean to be ignorant. Thanks

 

[jt]

it is worth the time and money to have them checked. you can't tell by looking sometimes. i take mine to the vet and it cost me $5 per cow. i took my father - in - laws cows friday. only two were bred, one was huge i thought by looking,she was bred. she was open and fat.

Thanks to those who aswered. My part of Kentucky has 2 vets,neither seem willing to come out unless the cows are at deaths door. I don't have a trailer to haul them. I will go ahead and borrow the neighbors bull. I still would like to know if there is any way to tell by looking. Best guess is the ones that look big would be about 6 months pregnant. Are they lopsided on the right side because they are pregnant or is that just the way a cow is built. Don't mean to be ignorant. Thanks

can you tell by looking? no, but you might guess right every now and then.. but that is by chance. now when that cow gets to about 8 + months, yes you might (only might) could tell better then, but most of us have to know way ahead of that time.

consider this. at 6 months the size of the fetus is only the size of a small dog. that does not take up much space in a 1000# animal.

you are in the same boat i used to be in.... cant get your animals checked very easily or time effectively, but you need to know.. so i learned how to check them myself. goto the texas a&m webpage and you can get a good publication on determining pregnancy in cattle.

http://animalscience.tamu.edu/ansc/index.htm

click on publications, beef cattle and scroll down to the reproduction area and find the determining pregnancy publication.

read all that stuff several times, ask questions, and hopefully find someone to palpate a few cows with you and help you to know what you are feeling of. and then continue to practice.. to get better.


good luck

jt

 

[Chuckie]

Seems if the come up with home pregnacy tests for women, that they could come up with one for cows that was economical. The down part wold be following them around for a urine sample! :lol:

 

[Tman]

Seems if the come up with home pregnacy tests for women, that they could come up with one for cows that was economical. The down part wold be following them around for a urine sample! :lol:

I chased this one for a while, getting the sample was not a problem, tester on the end of a broom handle. Problem is tests look for HCG or human chorion gonadatropin, key word being human. I here they can check Progesterin levels in the milk though. vivkie the vet could weigh in on this one.