How long after the calf due date until you call the vet?

[DavisBeefmasters]

We have a very young herd of Beefmasters, and I'm wondering how long you wait after a due date until you call the vet to check on why the calf hasn't been delivered. I have a first time cow that's only 1 week overdue from my records of when she was bred... but wanted to be prepared if I need to call the vet at 2 weeks past due, or 3 weeks.

Any advice would be helpful.

 

[Bama]

1 week - don't even get concerned
2 week - start getting a little concerned, check for signs of a discharge or other signs. If no signs worry a little more, but don't go biserk just yet. Warn others around you that you may go biserk any day within the next few days.
3 weeks - now you can worry. Question yourself "did she really breed on the date I thought she did"? If so you may want to consult the vet.

It ain't uncommon for a heifer to go over her due date, remember that everday that calf spends in there its getting bigger. Have supplies on hand for assistance.

 

[Rustler9]

I wouldn't be too concerned yet, does she show all of the signs that she's ready to calve? My Beefmasters, as I think most Brahman influenced cattle will show alot of swelling and have discharges sometimes for several days before they calve. Are you sure that she was bred on that date or maybe did she cycle again before she took? If the bull was in the pasture with her continuously she might not have taken when you saw her being bred. Sometimes they don't always get bred the first time. This could explain why she may be past what you think her date is-I've had this happen. If she shows all of the signs of an advanced pregnancy and nothing has happened in two weeks after the date that you think she was bred you might have the vet take a quick look. Good luck and keep us posted as to how she does.

 

[Beefy]

if you know she "took" then congratulations on your bull calf. be prepared to assist just in case. Not much you can do about it until the calf picks its birthdate.

if you dont know for sure she took at that breeding you might want to add 21 days.

 

[Medic24]

Not to worry. intervine if you see she needs help........poor presentation. extended labor, etc... if she is eating drinking, acting normal... then it likely is just that. :cboy:

 

[DavisBeefmasters]

Thanks to all who responded so quickly.

No calf yet. I did speak with the vet and they confirmed all that you have written -- since there is no behavior change, no discharge, and it's not AI but a bull in the pasture... it's just a matter of time... and patience.

You're probably right that it will be a bull calf, mom stumbled a little getting up the past few days.

Stay tuned!

 

[DavisBeefmasters]

Nothing yet and mom still has no change in disposition -- was really hot this weekend and she was sleeping in the field with her head down (enough to give me a heart attack).

I'll keep you all posted -- thanks again for the advice and reassurance.

 

[Dre]

Yep Unfortunately we had a late calf(Just 3 days late) and it was a bull. There are some stats out there its like a 80 % to be a bull if shes late. Let us know tho.

 

[dun]

Last year we had a heifer that was a week early and her calf., a heifer, weighed 75 lbs. This is the samll;est cow in the herd. Tis year she was 24 days late, AI so I know hat day I bred her. She laid down, in 10 minutes had a 80 pound heifer struggling to get up and eat. It was a sunday and I'ld already told the vet to stick close to the phone, figured he would need his calf jack to get it out.

dun

 

[DavisBeefmasters]

Update:

As of Saturday at 5:00 p.m. she started with discharge, went through the whole process and baby bull calf was on the ground at 6:30 p.m. (Big guy 80 to 90#) This first time mom cleaned him up nicely, he was on his feet by around 7:00 p.m. and by 7:30 p.m. we observed him sucking on mom nicely, kept an eye on the two with a flashlight for the next hour or so to make sure he got milk and he did. The only thing we didn't like was his haunting blue eyes (see picture below about 10 minutes after birth - bull calf was cooing to mom at the time with lungs clear)

Sunday morning sun was up at 6:30 a.m., mom came up to eat and left the calf in the field... laying spread out and not curled up in a ball so we went to go check. He was still alive but his whole body was cold, eyes still blue. We walked with him into the barn got a blanket on him, got his mom in the squeeze and milked her, force fed him some milk with a syringe (no needle) while rubbing his body. He was dead by 8:15 a.m.

Our local vet (not the one we like, but the one on call for livestock) said that the blue eyes were indicating heart problems but wondered if I could get some hands on advice on what if anything we could have done differently so we can learn from this.

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[GMN]

What a sad story. Try not to beat yourself up over it. There may have just been something wrong with the calf, genetically, seems to me you did everything right, before, during and after the calf was born. These things just happen sometimes.

 

[Beefy]

blue eyes, to me, indicate a vitamin deficiency. also, what do you vaccinate your cows for? weak calves are NOT cool. also, did you have to work a little to get milk flowing? sometimes they look like they are getting it but in reality they havent even gotten the waxplug out of the teat yet. i had this happen recently.

 

[Beefy]

ps, it sounds to me like she actually "took" 2 cycles after you thought she did, and had the calf a few days early.

 

[DavisBeefmasters]

We are 100% feed right now with alfalfa hay. They have a 3 in 1 pressed block and bloat block that stays in the manger full time (selenium deficiency out here) and they're always licking on it. We vaccinated pre-breed with Triangle-9 and per the vets recommendation 1 month prior to calving due dates. This heifer has also had the full array of clostridium with booster shot at the timing recommended by the vet (8 months old and just prior to exposing to the bull). The calves get a shot of Bo-SE and TSV-2 intranasal after their first day on the ground.

We had to work 2 of 4 teats to get milk to flow to clear it, but 2 of them were already open.

 

[sidney411]

I'm sorry your calf didn't make it. He died pretty quickly, I would have to assume there was somthing wrong with the little guy. He would have made it past Sunday morning even if he hadn't had any milk yet.

 

[Rod]

Sorry for the news I know its disappointing. This kind of thing just happens from time to time and sometimes with no explanation. Doesn't sound like it was anything you could of prevented and if you stay in the cattle business you'll learn it's just part of what happens sometimes. Best of luck.