Smaller calf = heifer? Or just hopeful thinking..

[cjb]

Our cow is due to calf in two weeks. The vet checked her a couple weeks back and said that the calf felt 'great' and mentioned that it is on the smaller side.

Is it more likely to be a heifer if its on the small-ish side?

I really, really want a heifer. I'm sure you can't all relate.... ;-)

If she has a heifer, I'm really tempted to keep her, breed her and have a family milk cow that we raised ourselves. Of course, I'm also thinking about breeding her back to a dexter this next time around, and hoping for a Jersey/Dexter that I can keep and raise as a family cow. We'll see.

Heifer Heifer Heifer Heifer Heifer Heifer Heifer Heifer Heifer Heifer Heifer Heifer Heifer Heifer Heifer Heifer Heifer Heifer Heifer Heifer Heifer Heifer Heifer Heifer

[DaleK]

It's a LITTLE bit more likely to be a heifer. Not much. You'll know when you see testicles, or not.

Patience, grasshopper.

[ozark_jewels]

Yep, it just depends on the calf. Some bulls throw smaller calves both bulls and heifers. Hoping for a heifer calf for you!! Joan is due anytime.....hoping for a heifer for us as well!

[Teacupliz]

lol doing the heifer dance- We have a Brown Swiss due in Feb. Awesome show cow- bred to Power Surge a nice bull. Do the heifer dance for us too. PLEASE- Liz

[farmergirl]

In my experience, if you expect it to be a heifer...you'll get a nice bull calf instead! LOL

[Teacupliz]

farmergirl- that is why my daughter age 13 has all bull calf names picked out- It is her 4-H cow. I bought 10 springing heifers this year and only got 2 heifers.
Liz

[HazyDay]

What does her hair on the top of her head look like? Up or down? I don't remember which means what but I think up means girl! (Will check on that)

[BlueHeronFarm]

I'm just laughing that you went from total cow trepidation to hoping for a heifer in less than, what is it, 3 months? That is the greatest! I'll add my hopes for your heifer. Can't wait for piccies.

[robin f]

how is her udder? are you keeping it stripped out, heres hopeing for a heifer for you, but as long as its alive its a plus

[cjb]

Agree Robin - live birth is what I'm after here.

The teat is still somewhat bigger than the others and I'm not getting much out of it at all anymore. Good news is that what I do get out doesn't look infected. I'm still stripping, massaging and treating with bagbalm and peppermint oil.

yeah, Blueheron, I know. I still have trepidation about the cow thing. To be honest, I just like my goats better. Then again, i havent had a great experience with this particular cow. If I lose this quarter (very likely), I will have a $2000 2 teater that's on the large side, so she eats alot. I'm including purchase price and vet bill into the 2k, not feed etc. On the other hand, its an experience and I could always raise the baby and sell Mama or decide to get out of cows altogether. We'll see how it goes with this freshening. I am HOOKED on my fresh goat milk/cheese etc. and will probably always have goats in milk. Maybe we'll get equally hooked on cow milk and Violet will just be the first of a string of treasured family cows for us.

Who knows?!

[robin f]

good man, keep it stripped out, you may win, i'm hopeing you do, as i know it will be a set back if she looses that other quarter, but even if she does you can say, well at least i tried my best, and i'm sure you have learnt a lot from it. its a lot of work, but it can reap big rewards, good luck, i'm off on vacation in the morning, but will be thinking of you, keep at it, good luck Robin

[JeffNY]

A small calf does not insure a heifer. Especially with Jerseys, they are small as it is. I had a bull born back in October, was smaller than the heifers we had during the summer. I hope for your sake its a heifer, but expect either.. Otherwise when you lift that tail when its born, and see an anus only, the let down is worse. So expect either.


Jeff

[francismilker]

Four of my jersey calves last year weighed: (seriously) 32lbs,33lbs,34lbs,35lbs. (in that order of arrival also) two of them were heifers and two of them were bulls. 33lb and 35lb were heifers. I would grab the calf and step onto the peanut scales in my barn. Once I got a weight of me and the calf combined, I'd put the calf down and step immediately back onto the scales to see what I weighed without holding it and subtract. So, in theory, like Jeff mentioned above Jerseys are just plain small. The bull I was using was bred for small birthweights but these four looked like a jackrabbit with black circles around there eyes!

[cjb]

ah well... I can hope, right?

[JeffNY]

Originally Posted by cjb

ah well... I can hope, right?

Yes, we all hope when a cow is due, it comes out as a heifer.



Jeff

[jerzeygurl]

Originally Posted by francismilker

Four of my jersey calves last year weighed: (seriously) 32lbs,33lbs,34lbs,35lbs. (in that order of arrival also) two of them were heifers and two of them were bulls. 33lb and 35lb were heifers. I would grab the calf and step onto the peanut scales in my barn. Once I got a weight of me and the calf combined, I'd put the calf down and step immediately back onto the scales to see what I weighed without holding it and subtract. So, in theory, like Jeff mentioned above Jerseys are just plain small. The bull I was using was bred for small birthweights but these four looked like a jackrabbit with black circles around there eyes!

yes its amazing how small they are. If it is cold or rainy out get them in and warmed up as soon as they are born, they are very suseptible to cold, more so than other calves, because of the size. Most of ours spend the first night in the garage in a pen made of straw, and return to mamma during the day. If they dont nurse I milk mamma some for them.

If it is born lethargic or gets cold, corn syrup warm water and COFFEe( as per vets orders) will get them going..I think our bull calf is still buzzin of the coffee

[cjb]

It is so cold here right now (has gotten down into the teens) that I have Mama in a box stall that I'm keeping very clean (tough to do with cows!!).

The calf will be born in a stall and won't go outside until SHE is a few weeks old.

Does that sound like an ok plan to all of you? Ok for her to be born indoors?

[HazyDay]

Make sure they have a large pen so she won't lay down on the calf.

Now Now cjb, don't get cocky! I got very cocky last year and had almost all buck kids! So what I am trying this year is picking out all buck names! (as if it will work! )

[ozark_jewels]

Well, our cows(Jerseys) calve outside in all weather. Have had them born in a snowstorm before and as long as you make sure they get dry and get their tummies full, they should be fine. Have one due any minute now. Its been in the single digits every night with windchills below 0*. We are watching her closely to be sure to be present around the time the calf is born, but she will calve outside and the calf will stay with her unless its extremely nasty. We have always raised our Jerseys this way, even in Ohio and Indiana.
Calving her out inside should be fine if you feel its needed, but as Alex said, be sure she has *plenty* of room.

[caseyweiss]

There are always exceptions, but our rule of thumb is the following: if the cow calves earlier than the due date it is usually a heifer, overdue usually means a bull.

Casey