She's close to birth, signs...?

I have a first time heifer and according to my calendar, she's close to having her first calf.

I'm looking for signs, and here's what I've got right now: two days ago, she had some discharge (none yesterday), her back pins look rounded out, and she is a bit more affectionate than she normally is.

Her bag isn't completely full yet, I expect that once stage one of labor begins. I can tell she's eating and resting more, so she knows it's happening soon.

Any advice, tips, or guess how close she is to calving? I'm checking her every day, and will be in watch when she goes in to labor. Thanks!

Subscribed…

I am a long ways behind you… but aim to start doing AI to my two heifers really soon.

You are keeping an extremely close eye on her… which is much more than most get.

What breed/or breeds combo is she?

~ Marty

Marty Mitchell wrote:Subscribed…

I am a long ways behind you… but aim to start doing AI to my two heifers really soon.

You are keeping an extremely close eye on her… which is much more than most get.

What breed/or breeds combo is she?

~ Marty

She's a Devon, and I know everything with them in slow, since they are slow growing. Her sire is also an extremely gentle Devon, bought from the same breeders but with enough diverse genetics to where they look slightly different. Both beautiful ruby red. She just turned 3 about a week ago.

I know with first timers, they usually need a bit more attention than experienced mothers.

I have heard of several folks within the grass-fed podcast, several other similar podcasts, and a few within forums that LOVE Devons. I really need to read up on that breed.

Both of my girls are Dexters... but all I really wanted was some that were small, easy on the land/and us, easy on feed, and good natured... with low-maintenance genetics. I hear Devons are very good for that as well. Are they known to calve easy as well???

I have only had one other cow (Herdford)... back when I was a young boy and showing for the FFA in school. She wound up having a 95 lb (approx.) for her first calf... and we spent the day pulling her around the barn trying to get it out. The calf had already died by the time we found her.  Which was the thing that led me to find Dexters. I did a search for easy-calving breeds that they popped up. lol That is my #1 most important item.

I bet your girl will be fine. Keep us posted. It's exciting for sure!

All I can remember is... seeing the sack start to show on her backside. They said to keep an eye out for that... and the baby would soon follow.

Edit:
I just pulled up a link to read up on the breed some. They are pretty! Look similar to my Red dexter heifer.

https://reddevonusa.com/devon_cattle

Marty Mitchell wrote:I have heard of several folks within the grass-fed podcast, several other similar podcasts, and a few within forums that LOVE Devons. I really need to read up on that breed.

Both of my girls are Dexters... but all I really wanted was some that were small, easy on the land/and us, easy on feed, and good natured... with low-maintenance genetics. I hear Devons are very good for that as well. Are they known to calve easy as well???

I have only had one other cow (Herdford)... back when I was a young boy and showing for the FFA in school. She wound up having a 95 lb (approx.) for her first calf... and we spent the day pulling her around the barn trying to get it out. The calf had already died by the time we found her.  Which was the thing that led me to find Dexters. I did a search for easy-calving breeds that they popped up. lol That is my #1 most important item.

I bet your girl will be fine. Keep us posted. It's exciting for sure!

All I can remember is... seeing the sack start to show on her backside. They said to keep an eye out for that... and the baby would soon follow.

Edit:
I just pulled up a link to read up on the breed some. They are pretty! Look similar to my Red dexter heifer.

https://reddevonusa.com/devon_cattle

These pics were taken last year, do they are a lot bigger now, but not too big. They are slow growers.

This week be our first calving experience with the breed. The other breeds we calved with went just fine.
The breeders we got these two from had a LARGE herd, and some of their cows lived to around 18+ years and still calving. They are incredibly hardy, and the bull calf we raised since he was a month old. Extremely gentle. Can't wait for the new baby to arrive!

Excited to hear whenever you get a new little one or two, too!

You have some very good looking animals there!

I promise… I will be updating my thread on dexters when we get those calves! 😁

Here is a pic of ours I snapped a few minutes ago. They had been on the dry/sacrificial lot for about a month while the grasses, clovers, and newly germinated ryegrass matured some. Gotta let the grass build up some more energy so it can hit the ground running next Spring.

They have been tearing into that ryegrass! With most grasses they take a nibble off of the top as they move along. With the ryegrass patches… they stay until nubs are left before moving on.

They were actually getting chunky off of that hay! They were able to eat more once the weather cooled down. I went out and gave Rose (the dark red one) a scratch under her chin the other day and it was fat rolls under there. It would totally be hard to tell the breeds apart if I were to plop Rose into the middle of your herd (at first glance anyways). She is probably smaller though.

Ready now… to burn some calories when it gets cold.

Marty Mitchell wrote:You have some very good looking animals there!

I promise… I will be updating my thread on dexters when we get those calves! 😁

Here is a pic of ours I snapped a few minutes ago. They had been on the dry/sacrificial lot for about a month while the grasses, clovers, and newly germinated ryegrass matured some. Gotta let the grass build up some more energy so it can hit the ground running next Spring.

They have been tearing into that ryegrass! With most grasses they take a nibble off of the top as they move along. With the ryegrass patches… they stay until nubs are left before moving on.



They were actually getting chunky off of that hay! They were able to eat more once the weather cooled down. I went out and gave Rose (the dark red one) a scratch under her chin the other day and it was fat rolls under there. It would totally be hard to tell the breeds apart if I were to plop Rose into the middle of your herd (at first glance anyways). She is probably smaller though.

Ready now… to burn some calories when it gets cold.

Wow, they do look great! Do you live in an area where it snows, or your grass disappears in winter? Or do you get a chance at winter grasses?

We are in Coastal Chesapeake, VA with wet and cool but not super cold Winters. Border of frost Zones 7B/8A.

I totally have citrus in the ground in a micro climate that I protect.

We usually get snow several times a year here and it is usually gone within a day or 4 depending on how long the temporary cold blast lasts. Grass seems to stop growing between late December and early Feb here… with some creeping along growth a month on each end of that.

We will randomly get a week or two throughout Winter with days reaching up to 70F but the coldest parts of the year usually most days will be mid 50s as a high.

Just depends on the year really.

This will be my first year feeding animals with grass. If I can get all of my other pastures looking like the one in the pic… we can probably go without hay most of the year. I hear there are some in my region that graze 365… but keep a hay reserve just in case.

My place was ruined when I got it… but it’s coming back now.

Large parts of the pasture currently has warm season grasses like the section in this pic. I need to get both types everywhere out there. This was in January after we first got the cows.

If I can get a mix of grasses out there that Peale in all seasons.. then all I will have to do is focus on getting a winter stockpile going on before the coldest parts of the year.

I will be adding crabgrass on purpose next Spring. A grazing type that will pump out grass in the middle of the Summer.

Rachel Elijah wrote:I have a first time heifer and according to my calendar, she's close to having her first calf.

I'm looking for signs, and here's what I've got right now: two days ago, she had some discharge (none yesterday), her back pins look rounded out, and she is a bit more affectionate than she normally is.

Her bag isn't completely full yet, I expect that once stage one of labor begins. I can tell she's eating and resting more, so she knows it's happening soon.

Any advice, tips, or guess how close she is to calving? I'm checking her every day, and will be in watch when she goes in to labor. Thanks!

Update:

No, she hasn't calved yet. I noticed her limping this weekend, so I took her into the vet this morning and had them look at her back leg. She somehow got a wire stuck in there that must've been in the field. They were able to get it out before it caused any infection or damage, and now she's recovering.

They also palpatied her to check on her calf, and they said, yep, there's a big ol calf in there. They believe she's 7 or 8 months bred, not 8 or 9 like I thought. They said to expect a calf in December or January. I had on my calendar to check now through December, so I'm about a month off in my calculations. What I thought were labor signs were really probably signs she just hurt her leg. But I'm glad she's doing good now.

So, I guess we have a little more waiting to do 😊. Which I'm fine with, as long as everyone's healthy and doing well.

I am glad to hear all is well! Definately the important thing.

Looking forward to seeing the pics down the road.

Born today!  (I think.)

I came out around noon and found this little one sitting comfortably. Judging from the looks of his mama, it was probably some time this morning.

We're separating mama and baby from dad, since he is too friendly with new baby.

It's a bull calf!

Rachel Elijah wrote:Born today!  (I think.)

I came out around noon and found this little one sitting comfortably. Judging from the looks of his mama, it was probably some time this morning.

We're separating mama and baby from dad, since he is too friendly with new baby.

It's a bull calf!

Congrats!!!

I don't have a picture, but I saw something very peculiar on our little calf... HORNS!!

this breed (red Devon) are not supposed to have horns naturally, and neither of his parents have them. We got them both from a breeder that specifically breeds red Devon cattle.

Am I missing something here? Why would this little guy be having horns?