Upcoming birth - when to start watching

[cjb]

Violet, our Jersey, is due on May 23rd - 17 days away (who's counting?).

Are cows ever early? How early is too early? I just noticed today that now lays down differently, like her tummy is uncomfortable.

Man, I cannot wait and it BETTER be a girl!!

[Shazza]

I was going to say, when she moves away from the herd...but sounds like she is by herself? I start watching out the window when I have a rough idea and soon as I notice a cow wayyyyy off by herself, and if she's laying down and getting up all the time I know it is soon, I head down to squat a ways off and watch. Doesnt matter how long cos I know the minute I go back to the house I will miss it.

[cjb]

Do cows commonly deliver close to the due date or are they sometimes way early or late?

Last time, Violet was one week late.

[Shazza]

Mine are Dexters and Dexter crosses and they always seem to calve with in days of their due date...not like my goats that generally go over up to 2 weeks.

[gone-a-milkin]

Violet is likely going to make you wait.

Try not to worry too much! 17 days is not *quite* close enough to start 24 hour vigilence.

If she was a week late last time...

Here's hoping for a girl!

[cathleenc]

I was told normal range is 7 days both before and after the dd.

Our Violet calved on her dd. go figure.

[Trisha in WA]

My cows have been a week late every time.

[Oakshire_Farm]

My Jerseys are usually either right on or a day early or a day late. I have never had one go more than 2 days early or more than 2 days over. I find that the day of delivery or day before, the tail head gets loose, the ligements on each side of the tail go slack, if she is tame, start pressing on her ligs now, that way you will get a idea what they feel like now, they should be very firm, then when she gets close they will get loose, that is when I start keeping a close eye on them. My girls also start doing that low quiet mooo. The vulva will also swell. Spend lots of time with her and she will let you know. I handle my cows every day, lots of brushing and stroking. I usually notice any change in them. Good luck! My fingers are crossed for a health heifer!!

[matt_man]

Watch her rear udder and when it starts to look tight, then I would start watching her closer. She is blind in both quarters on one side correct? It might be harder to judge based on udder because of that. If you want her to calve in a stall, I would start locking her up at night a few days prior to her due date or if the mucous strings are pretty long and more clear and colorless than the normal opaque. Her teats will also start to look kinda shiny and not so wrinkly when she is very close. The space between her pin bones and her tail head will also hollow out considerably.

Rachel

[topside1]

Thanks Rachel, I also have one due any day now....She's acting different and hanging out in the woods for hours. Due date 14th, I'll be here...Topside

[G. Seddon]

I think 2 weeks either side of the due date is in the "normal" range. Here's a good website about calving and labor timelines:

http://www.ext.vt.edu/news/periodica...3/aps-409.html

[topside1]

Thanks Seddon...

[Jennifer L.]

She's an older cow,right? So will probably come in a few days either side of her due date. I wouldn't be too concerned about freshening way early unless it's twins. Sometimes they come early.

Jennifer

[cjb]

I think she's 6 or 7. She was a week late last time so I'm going to anticipate the same this time around. However, I will start watching more closely a week before.

Thanks for all the input. I'm starting to get anxious.

[gone-a-milkin]

Dang it, now I come over here all the time thinking, hmmm...I wonder if it is a heifer?

Nope! It is still waaay too early.:baby04:

[cjb]

Funny, I stop in the driveway, look at her big belly and wonder the exact same thing.