Waiting on one to calve

[rjbovine]

I need some stories on waiting for a calf to be born . I've have a rwf cow this will be her second calf . Wrote down on calender when she was in heat. Her due date was May 16th. Here it is May 23rd and no calf. Springing and teats are firm . Is this common that it's taking so long . Keeping a close eye on her. What other signs should I be looking for? Thanks rj

 

[denvermartinfarms]

Most of the time for me when it takes longer they are heifer calves not 100% but close. also a first calf heifer will have them in less time than normal i have had them calve at 8 months and three weeks. and after that no two weeks would not wory me a whole lot. the last two or three days they usualy will drop down and not look as big around and be leaking some liquid. hope this helps some. i know all this and been thru it for years and i still wory.

 

[Nesikep]

Well, this spring I had a heifer cow...

Breeding season, she was due to be in heat about June 5th, but didn't see the bulls around her, then 2 weeks later, I think the bulls were with her.. that put her due date around Mar 28th. So here comes calving time, and I was looking at her at the end of feb. and it looked like she was ready to pop, so I took her up. Yes, it was Mar 28th that she calved, bang on the day, but her udder was *FULL* for 2 weeks before, and she was so flabby in the back you'da thunk the calf was going to fall out.

This pic was in febuary


Here she is just before calving


And the day after... 110 lb long legged bull calf

 

[rjbovine]

Up date on calf. Had to pull calf thursday morining around 5 am. Calf was huge . Milked momma and tubed calf. Had vet out around 9:30 to see if some thing could be done for calf . He estmated calf weighed around 125 lb. calf very weak . Fast forward sat. morning he"s up and nurising on his own . Still alittle weak . But gaining every day. What a relief !! :banana:

 

[Kathie in Thorp]

Good news, RJ!

 

[Nesikep]

That is a big calf, good to hear that he DID COME OUT, and he's doing OK now. I had to pull a bit on that calf pictured above as well and he was a little slow to suck too... he's a thirsty guy now though!

 

[rjbovine]

One week old . Tail up like a flag and burning the pasture up. Good to see him go. Only problem I see his left front knee is still very large and he favors it some . But other than that I think he's go to go. thanks rj

 

[Nesikep]

I have a cow who throws 140 lb bull calves, and has no trouble about doing it, but they always have stiff knuckles for the first week... once they grow up you'd never tell though