When will she calve? Guesses?

farmerjan

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Looking at the udder I would say a couple more weeks. She probably settled to a 3 week later breeding than they thought? Vulva not swollen or close looking.
The calf sharing is strictly a personal decision. If she allows you to milk her from the start, then I would do the sharing from the start. If she wants to be difficult, then taking the calf away, and then you can put the calf in with the cow on her left, and you can sit and milk on the right side... I have done that many times.
In the early stages, she is going to make more milk than the calf can use so you are going to have to milk her out at least once a day. Often, if a cow is good about coming in to eat, I will leave the calf with them, and then once a day she comes in for grain, gets put in a head catch or halter tied, and then I have milked her completely out. In a scenario like that, the enticement of coming in for the grain will be enough to get her to let her milk down. It may take a few days before she is comfortable with you milking her instead of her baby...
Honestly, you are going to have to figure out what the cow is comfortable with. For the first few days, I would not get too worried as she becomes used to being a new mother... you can milk out some of the colostrum and freeze it for future use in case someone doesn't have enough or you buy a calf or something. I keep about a gallon or more in the freezer... in 1 qt jugs.... so they are easier to thaw.
There is no right way. See what you are most comfortable with, and what the cow herself seems to tolerate and accept. Some of the nicest friendliest ones can be a royal B#@*H in the barn after they calve, some are not so friendly and yet like the grain enough to be perfectly easy to work with. Having the calf right there where she can see/smell it is often a calming effect on a cow. But whatever you do, make sure her head is secured in a stanchion or head catch or at least a halter and lead rope tied to where she is eating so she does not have much "wiggle room"... you want her to stand in one spot and stay still. If you have a stanchion or head catch, start putting her in it NOW and having her get used to be contained/tied up... so it is again, no big deal after she comes fresh.
 

primrose

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Looking at the udder I would say a couple more weeks. She probably settled to a 3 week later breeding than they thought? Vulva not swollen or close looking.
The calf sharing is strictly a personal decision. If she allows you to milk her from the start, then I would do the sharing from the start. If she wants to be difficult, then taking the calf away, and then you can put the calf in with the cow on her left, and you can sit and milk on the right side... I have done that many times.
In the early stages, she is going to make more milk than the calf can use so you are going to have to milk her out at least once a day. Often, if a cow is good about coming in to eat, I will leave the calf with them, and then once a day she comes in for grain, gets put in a head catch or halter tied, and then I have milked her completely out. In a scenario like that, the enticement of coming in for the grain will be enough to get her to let her milk down. It may take a few days before she is comfortable with you milking her instead of her baby...
Honestly, you are going to have to figure out what the cow is comfortable with. For the first few days, I would not get too worried as she becomes used to being a new mother... you can milk out some of the colostrum and freeze it for future use in case someone doesn't have enough or you buy a calf or something. I keep about a gallon or more in the freezer... in 1 qt jugs.... so they are easier to thaw.
There is no right way. See what you are most comfortable with, and what the cow herself seems to tolerate and accept. Some of the nicest friendliest ones can be a royal B#@*H in the barn after they calve, some are not so friendly and yet like the grain enough to be perfectly easy to work with. Having the calf right there where she can see/smell it is often a calming effect on a cow. But whatever you do, make sure her head is secured in a stanchion or head catch or at least a halter and lead rope tied to where she is eating so she does not have much "wiggle room"... you want her to stand in one spot and stay still. If you have a stanchion or head catch, start putting her in it NOW and having her get used to be contained/tied up... so it is again, no big deal after she comes fresh.
ok! thanks for the tips! i do already have her very nicely halter broke, she stands tied... and also will walk into the barn and knows to walk into the stanchion were i secure her head and feed her grain everyday... shes very patient by now and will stand a good 10 minutes quietly well i sit beside her and mess with her legs/belly/udder😌i like her, i think she has huge potential to be a terrific family cow, if i dont screw it up hehe... and yes hopefully its not more than 3 weeks... we were expecting an early march calf so this slow progressing has felt like a long time of waiting lol...
 

farmerjan

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I think you have covered all the bases with her. If she is that good, and trusting of you, then hopefully she will just go on and be just as cooperative once she has her calf. Sounds like she ought to do good for you; and that you are really "trying to do it right"... she is lucky to have you as her owner...
There's nothing else I can suggest at this point... Keep us posted...
 

primrose

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I think you have covered all the bases with her. If she is that good, and trusting of you, then hopefully she will just go on and be just as cooperative once she has her calf. Sounds like she ought to do good for you; and that you are really "trying to do it right"... she is lucky to have you as her owner...
There's nothing else I can suggest at this point... Keep us posted...
oh thanks!! i sure do hope she will be quiet after calving! and i will keep you posted, hopefully next time she will have had her calf😃 thanks for all your help and advice so far!!
 

primrose

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well she FINALLY just calved!! i had her in the barn this morning, happily chewing her cud... i put her in the stanchion, she ate her ration... i checked her bag, it seemed tight, but not terribly much more so than usual... NO milk in her teats... then i came home after lunch and noticed her tail up. No water bag... and less than an hour she has calved!! almost missed watching that one! My only hint this morning was it seemed her pins had loosened and i thot i was seeing calf movement up in her hips! Happy lively bull calf, and theres still been no after birth... she is an odd heifer😂👏🏽
 

farmerjan

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Did you actually see her calve? Are you sure she did not eat the afterbirth? Sounds gross but that is what they do....
If you do not see any afterbirth and are positive she did not eat it... then either call the vet for advice.... OR to get a shot of Lutalyse to give her, which helps to expel afterbirth... and possibly a shot of Dexamethasone... but lute would be better... Dex can inhibit their milk production. Normally if they don't pass the afterbirth, it is partially hanging out of them... for some reason, sometimes the hormones do not cause it to fully expel... the cotyledons do not fully detach from the uterus... whatever you do, if she partially pushes it out ....DO NOT PULL it... it can cause a part of it to break off inside and then it will cause infection...

Glad you have a healthy bull calf... his nursing her will also help with the hormone process and often will help them to expel the afterbirth....
 
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