springing heifers

[DRB]

I've got a nice set of charolais heifers..They were all bred last Feb and March....The youngest is 20 months old and the oldest is 28 months...of the group the youngest and smallest third (5) are and have been for several months now making a bag..slightly swollen udder and teats... the oldest and largest 10 show no signs of pregnancy other than growing bellies....do younger or smaller heifers tend to make bags sooner :?:

 

[Linda]

Most heifers will keep you guessing until the calf is born. I've had heifers bag up as much as 2 months before calving, while others wait until the calf is in the process of being born. I don't think the size of the heifer or its age matters - it probably has more to do with the genetics of the heifer.

 

[greatgerts]

I love playing the guessing game of how the milk will be the indicator of calving on young heifers or on new cows that we buy. If my head is really in it, I am usually within a week to 10 days(after the first year).

 

[txshowmom]

We have also had heifers that will bag up very early, some as early as 5 months. You can't really judge calving by the size of the bag in heifers. SOme will bag up while others will not. SOme of the ones that bagged up early and had the prettiest udder gave the least amount of milk so don't judge a book by its cover.