Questions about bred heifer......

shiandpete.1 · #1 05/30/09, 04:44 PM

Ok so my daughter decided to pick a heifer out this year as her market project. Miss Francie was growing nicely but then slowed down and started looking hippy and really round through the middle.....well dang it, her market project has just turned into a breeding project evidentally...wouldn't luck have it? Anyways, it has been years since I have been around a gentle enough heifer to notice the changes and can't really remember some things...First of all she has started to bag up, her butt is loose etc etc, but she does have milk..how soon till she calves do you think? Especially since she has milk. We raise goats and generally have a good idea when they will kid and at what age they come into heat...

So when do you all think? At what age do heifers come into heat? She was a Jan 2008 calf. We are considering taking her to the vet on Monday to see how far along but I hate the vet bill.

ksfarmer · #2 05/30/09, 05:53 PM

Depending on the breed, but, a heiffer can come into heat and be bred at 7- 8 months of age. With all the signs you mention, I would guess yours could calve anytime in the next month. A check by the vet could give you a better idea on how close to watch.

shiandpete.1 · #3 05/30/09, 06:24 PM

Thanks for your reply. i will let you know after we take her to the vet.

ozark_jewels · #4 05/30/09, 06:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ksfarmer

Depending on the breed, but, a heiffer can come into heat and be bred at 7- 8 months of age. .

We had a Jersey heifer calve out at 13 months of age several years ago. She was bred at 4 months of age. She sucessfully calved, but it was a bit of a pull. Gotta be careful running those young heifers with bulls!

francismilker · #5 06/01/09, 07:59 AM

I've got a jersey heifer that is accidentally "real close" and she will turn 14 months old tomorrow. It had to have happened through the fence or there was a midnight jump over and jump back in before daylight. She started making a bag and I suspected it but have seen young heifers make a bag without being bred. Took her to the vet and he confirmed. Not what I wanted to hear but all I can do is watch her close.
Best I can tell it had to happen when she was five or six months old. (not an age one would normally worry about pregnancy.)

shiandpete.1 · #6 06/01/09, 12:05 PM

Francie is a herford/maine/Angus and we figure that she was bred around 7-8 months. She was a very broody type of heifer anyways. Here ranchers keep calves on their moms until fall or early winter so it is not unusual to have bulls in with the young heifers as they are out breeding the cows. I will still let you all know when the vet thinks she is due, and if the calf is going to be big. I wouldn't be so worried had she not been being fed to get fat (2% of her body weight in grain with extra corn).