How old is old enough?

[Hexe]

Allright, bring on all your horror-stories! :-)
I have a Bull on the place to breed my two cows. One cow has a heifer calf, born on April 4th. Tonight I watched the calf try to mount a cow. Should I be worried about the calf being in heat? The cow in question was DEFINETELY in heat a week ago (the bull and I know for sure, no doubt about it). I'm new to keeping cattle but informed myself as much as I could (I'm a theoretical genius and a practical idiot). Most literature seems to suggest that most calves don't start being fertile/going in heat until 8+ months and I thought her virtue was safe this time around. Let me ask again - should I worry?

[agmantoo]

What breed is this aspiring "bull"

[jerzeygurl]

i always worry, dh says not to

but yes by 8 or 9 months you will have to for sure

[65284]

Some heifers start to cycle at a very early age. I bought a Dexter cow and her heifer calf, they both calved about 7 months later. The heifer was 13 months and 15 days old. Not common but it definitely happens.

[tinknal]

Don't worry. Mounting is normal calf behavior . They will do it at a very young age.

[Donna from Mo]

I had Jerseys for years, and they always came into heat by the time they were seven months old. My current Jersey heifer, Secret, is six months old and was in heat two days ago. Jerseys mature young.

[Cheribelle]

I would not risk exposing her to a bull yet

[Ronney]

Calf mounting either other calves or whatever happens to be handy, is quite normal behaviour. However, if you run a bull you need to make sure that any heifer calves of 6 months and older are kept well away from him. As has been mentioned, the Jersey matures very young but the end results if she goes to a bull are often not much to smile about and too often means one dead cow and one dead calf.

I have just had the vet out to inject a calf for mis-alliance. The floods took out several fences and the bull ended up with the 8 months olds, one of which is a heifer. I never saw him mount her and he may not have done but after spending two hours removing the dead calf from a too young cow several years ago, I wasn't taking any chances.

Many people breed their cows on weight. I don't run to such fancy things as scales and the youngest any cow goes to the bull is 15 months and sometimes older.

Cheers,
Ronnie

[Hexe]

Agmanto - The calf is a Dexter, so is the bull.