how long does it really take?

[tripletmom]

Our 3yo whitefaced heifer was 'got' by the bull exactly nine months ago April 30. Her udder has been filling out for about a month now. When should we expect her to calf? The filled out udder is the only actual assurance she's bred.

[linn]

If this is a first-calf heifer she will bag up for quite a while before she has her calf. The best way to tell if birth is eminent is if the tail head drops and there are deep hollows on each side of her tail head.

[tripletmom]

Yes, first calf heifer. What's the 'tail-head'? My guess is between her hip bones and tail?

[linn]

Here is a picture of what to look for on the following site:
http://familycow.proboards32.com/ind...ead=1135894380

[tripletmom]

oh linn, thank you so much! I'll let you know how this all ends up. Hopefully a hairy black baby soon(she's bred to a red highlander)!

[Hammer4]

Gestation is normally 9 months and 10 days ( +/- a few for different breeds and some animals go short or long just on their own schedule anyhow ). Keep in mind unless you know the animal was in heat and saw the bull breeding her that day, you still may have to assume she was bred at some point that month ( or at some point in the time she was exposed to the bull ).

[tripletmom]

thanks - 9 mos and 10 days would be today!!! We did see the bull breed her and marked the calendar so are assuming she was in heat.

[JulieLou42]

My 3/4 GuernseyXRed Angus freshens 2-4 days early, but the Brown Swiss I had 33 years ago was exactly 9 months to the day, crossed to a Holstein.

[dcross]

Did you seperate her from the bull right away? If she didn't stick the first time, she might have gone through another cycle and gotten bred 21 days later.

[tripletmom]

it's been more than the 21 days it would have taken to not stick when we saw her bred and come around again and still no calf!!! Her bag appears to be really full and tight so I truly believe she's bred. Is there such a thing as a false pregnancy? A non-country friend said she had a dog that did this, came in with milk and the whole deal but wasn't really pregnant. This is a three yo whiteface heifer, never been with a bull prior to July-Sept 15 of last year. We saw her bred July 29.

[john in la]

OK you saw her breed on July 29 so her due date would have been May 7
That has been almost 3 weeks so we can assume it did not take.
Assuming a 21 day cycle her next breed date would be 8/19 due 5/28 and next would be 9/9 due 6/18
From your discription she is breed; just not on the date you thought. You are just going to have to wait it out. There is such a thing as false pregnancy but it is very rare.

[milkinpigs]

If she's gentle or if you have a way to restrain her, make a fist and gently "bump " her on her right side;about half way between her back and her udder.Sort of push in with your fist, gently, and you probably can feel the calf.

[tripletmom]

Tuesday, May 30. Still no calf! She's gentle in that she will come to the fence and eat bread out of our hand, but not so that we could touch her like that. Don't have a chute or anything to restrain her either. The bull was at our house until Sept 15, so I guess she could have gone around one more time, but would she be bagging up so much this much ahead of time? We started noticing that around the first of April so that's been two months. If she's not due now till the 18th of June, that would be going on three months.
It seem's we started noticing it last year with a highlander heifer only a few weeks before she delivered.

[tripletmom]

Finally!! Saturday morning!! We have a beautiful, black whiteface bull calf!!!
Thanks for all the information, next time we'll just be more patient!

Teresa

[Patt]

Congrats!!!!

[Rockin'B]

Well, that worked out well....

Very cool! Post a pic.