How early?

[Black and Good]

I've got Reg. Black Angus heifer that was A.I.ed to Solution 5/4/13 due 2/11/14. She looks like she's ready to calve at any second. What's the earliest you all have seen one calve. I had one last year calve 14 days early her calve never did look just right, died when it was 3 1/2 weeks old. Thanks B&G

 

[regolith]

I'd say she's due anytime.

IME 4 weeks early likely to be dead, 3 weeks early may have a slight premature look but should do fine, two weeks early I'd call a normal full-term calving.
Two or three times I've seen cows spring up and get ready to calve, then deliver at around 6.5 - 7 months. Calf is dead, cow comes into milk just fine.

 

[Dale L]

Heifers will often calve a little earlier than an older cow. I would keep a close eye on her. Sounds like it will be anytime.

 

[Black and Good]

Thanks for the input. I have three other heifers that were A.I.ed at the same time and aren't showing anything like this one. B&G

 

[jerry27150]

10 days either way is pretty normal, never seen any longer

 

[Kscattle]

Just keep track of her progress, sometimes they do it the same every year. Seems like gramps always said, " month early-dead, 2 months early-lives". I go by 10 days before or after due date.

 

[double v]

10 days early good chance in a heifer

 

[jscunn]

Had one last year that was 26 days early, had a 52# heifer that ended up as the second biggest adj YW heifer in the replacements. The important part was I never had to touch the calf or any special treatment of the pair.

 

[Black and Good]

Had one last year that was 26 days early, had a 52# heifer that ended up as the second biggest adj YW heifer in the replacements. The important part was I never had to touch the calf or any special treatment of the pair.

Wow, that's amazing. The calf that I was referring to above that was 14 days early, was from first calf heifer that was A.I.ed to High Design. Heifer just never looked like she was milking real well, the heifer calf was just kinda a turd with big belly. We had that horrible nasty wet March. I just found her dead one day laying next to a bale. Had a bad spring last year lost 6 calves out of 30. I don't want a repeat if I can help it. :roll: B&G

 

[Beef Man]

Had 2 bulls that sired quite short gestation calves, one was pretty accurate and about 16 days early. The other one we used all his life on heifers and was very successfull at 7-10 days , makes quite a difference on birthweight. Never had or expected any problems and the calves growed out well. Sold a fair amount for breeding bulls.

 

[randiliana]

17 days is the earliest that I know we've had. Generally we figure on a 14 day window.

 

[Lucky_P]

Used an extreme calving-ease Angus sire several year back; calves routinely came 10-14 days early - and would jump right up and go to nursing.
Had one, by that sire, come 5 weeks early; born in a cold early Feb rain; had to bring him in the house to warm him up and tube him with frozen/thawed colostrum. Got his dam up, milked her out and fed him her colostrum the second feeding. He went out to the corral with her on the second day, and never looked back. But if I'd not seen him lying down there in the mud shortly after she had him, he'd have never made it.