How long does a cow carry a calf. How much does a cow carry a calf and other important questions about cattle pregnancy

10.07.2019

Keeping and breeding cows is a responsible business. It is necessary to show care and certain knowledge in order for the reproduction of the herd to be successful. It is important to know how long a cow's pregnancy lasts and to be able to calculate the calving date. This is necessary in order to be able to prepare for childbirth and create all the conditions for the normal course of this process.

The pregnancy of a cow, or scientifically pregnancy, lasts, like in humans, for nine months. In terms of days, it turns out 280-285 days. However, a cow can calve before nine months or later. In general, the period of 285 days is quite accurate, deviations from it are rare, but still happen.

The duration of pregnancy depends on the following factors:

Conditions of keeping and care of the cow. Due to poor conditions, childbirth may occur before nine months.
Features of the breed, the animal itself. There are early maturing meat breeds in which the bearing of a calf lasts a few days less, or universal ones, like.
Gender of the calf. It is believed that females are born 2-3 days earlier.
Cow nutrition. Poor nutrition can lead to an increase in the gestation period by 10-12 days.
Whether the cow is a first-calf or there have already been births.

Important! The normal pregnancy period is 240-310 days. 45% of pregnancies in cows last 280 days, 30% of pregnancies end on days 283-287.

How to determine the date of birth

It is very easy to determine the expected date of calving. It is enough to know the date of insemination. There is a special formula for determining the date of birth:

O \u003d (D + 10) / (H-3)

Here O is the date of calving, D is the date of insemination, H is the ordinal number of the month of fertilization.

For example, if a cow was conceived on May 5, then using the formula it is easy to calculate that the approximate date of birth is February 15.

O = (5+10)/(5-3) = 15 (day) / 2 (month).

If the day is greater than 30, subtract 30 from it and add one to the month number.

Ultrasound diagnosis of pregnancy is carried out a month after insemination.

There is also a calendar of gestation and pregnancy of cows. It is a table with the dates of insemination and calving by month. The results of this table are calculated from the formula above.

You need to know the date of birth in order to prepare for the arrival of the calf, and to know when the animal may need help. And most importantly, 2 months before the birth, it is recommended to stop milking the cow (“start”). A pregnant cow must necessarily be in a dry period before the birth of a calf. This is important for the health of the heifer and calf, as well as for future milk yields. The animal should rest before childbirth and gain strength.

How to tell if a cow is pregnant

Insemination of a cow does not always end in pregnancy, so the question arises of how to determine the pregnancy of an animal. You can find out that a cow is pregnant in different ways:

Calving cow before calving.

Give milk for research. A milk sample is taken on the 20th day after mating and sent to the laboratory.
Bring a bull to the cow several times. If she lost her heat, then the insemination was successful.
It is noted that the pregnant cow becomes calmer, more careful, eats more and does not call the bull. The texture of the coat changes, it becomes smooth and shiny, fits tightly to the body of the heifer.
A clear sign is the abundant secretion of mucus from the genitals.
Outwardly and to the touch, pregnancy can be determined by the 5th month.
A few drops of milk are taken after pumping. They are dropped into the water. If the drops settle to the bottom, and do not dissolve, the animal is dead.
Milk is mixed with medical alcohol in equal proportions. If the milk has curdled, the insemination was successful.
A veterinarian can determine pregnancy one and a half to two months after conception. This is done rectally.
With the help of ultrasound diagnostics. This method is rarely used and only if more than a month has passed after mating. This method allows you to find out how many months of pregnancy have already passed.
Using a progesterone test to diagnose pregnancy. Allows you to find out about pregnancy on the 21st day after mating and set the exact date of insemination.

How is the pregnancy

The ability to get pregnant and carry a calf normally in cows is determined by weight, not age. With a weight gain of 60% of the weight of an adult animal, mating can be carried out. Pregnancy occurs if insemination occurs during ovulation.

A cow can give birth to two or even three calves.

One cow usually gives birth to one calf, but there are cases of calving with two, three and four calves. When several calves are born, they are very weak and small. Single-sex calves develop normally. In the case of heterosexual offspring, heifers may be infertile.

During pregnancy, the cow requires special care:

The stall must be clean. It must be well ventilated and properly lit.
Grazing a pregnant cow is better separately from the herd, especially in recent months.
It is necessary to feed such a cow fully and in sufficient quantities (with the exception of transferring to dead wood). Otherwise, the occurrence or other pathology is possible.

Important! If you suspect illness and complications during pregnancy, you should call a veterinarian. It is not recommended to treat a pregnant cow on your own. It is also necessary to call the veterinarian if, after giving birth, the cow falls and cannot get up. It could be birth paresis.

Signs of imminent calving:

The cow stops eating, drinks little.
Becomes skittish.
The udder increases, the genitals swell and turn blue.
Colostrum appears.
Hanging belly.

With the carelessness of the owner, the cow can calve on the run.

Before calving (5-7 days before the date of birth), the barn is disinfected, the number of bedding is increased, and more attention is paid to the heifer. In order not to miss the start of labor, the cow is often checked these days, including at night.

The beginning of childbirth can be understood from the behavior of the cow, she restlessly walks around the stall, mooing lingeringly, raising her tail, stepping over her feet. The calving process must be monitored and, if necessary, call a veterinarian.

Features of lactation

A pregnant cow can be milked, but up to a certain point. By the 5th month of pregnancy, milk becomes less and less. If the cow continues to give milk, then you can milk it until the 7th month. Next, the cow needs to be launched. If by the 7th month the volume of milk has decreased to 3-4 liters, then you can stop milking immediately. If not, you will need help with the transfer to deadwood. After the milk is gone, it will be necessary to gradually return to the previous diet.

A pregnant cow is provided with a stall and transferred to dry food.

To transfer an animal to dry wood, you need:

Give the cow less to drink;
Feed less, don't give juicy green grass, feed straw and hay instead;
Do not let it graze for a long time (no more than 4 hours).

Attention! 1-2 weeks before giving birth, the cow's udder increases and colostrum begins to stand out - a sweetish transparent substance, with lumps. Before childbirth, milk is bitter.

A pregnant cow needs special care. All 9 months of pregnancy and the calving process itself must take place under the supervision of a livestock breeder and, if necessary, a veterinarian. Proper care and accurate determination of the calving date will allow you to get healthy offspring and good milk yields in the future.

The video tells in detail on behalf of an experienced breeder how to feed and care for a pregnant cow in the last months:

The pregnancy of a cow lasts 9 months. This is a stressful period, so during pregnancy, a cow needs special care.

Signs of pregnancy

Any farmer should know how long a cow bears a calf. Burenka walks pregnant for about 290 days. Check her pregnancy at home will help the following signs:

An increase in metabolic rates - the animal requires more food. The future cub needs mineral and feed additives, building and nutrients, which are important to give generously to the animal. The norms of food eaten are constantly exceeded, because most of them are required by the child.
Lost desire to hunt. This is the so-called reflexological study, when a bull is led to a cow for two weeks. As soon as the female has lost sexual desire, she fights off the bull and does not allow him to jump on herself, it can be stated that the uterus has been inseminated.
Vaginal discharge. Abundant yellow-white mucous discharge a few days after mating is a clear sign of successful fertilization. Mucus will be present on the external genitalia, tail, sometimes in the form of dried crusts.
Sudden weight gain. The cow will begin to gain weight in 2-3 weeks.
Changes in coat coat. It becomes smoother, even and sparkling. But a rough and rough covering is a sign of a barren cow.
manual way. In the morning, when the cow has not yet begun to eat, fingering is carried out outside. Place your palm on the right side, 45 cm below the hungry fossa, a little further from the costal arch. Move your hand down the abdomen, then release the pressure without stopping it. After that, the pregnant cow will have a fetal push.
A pregnancy test is the most accurate method to help determine fertility without the risk of harming the animal. This kind of procedure is easily carried out at home, is safe for cows and takes no more than 15 minutes. A veterinary pharmacy sells a special express test for cattle, in which test tubes with the desired solution are placed. For 10 ml of cow urine, add the ingredients of one tube. If the cow is pregnant, then the color of the mixture is transformed and a precipitate precipitates.
There is also a technique to help determine pregnancy by milk. In the laboratory, the level of hormones is assessed for an increase. The report lasts in days, and when growth is observed by day 20, the heifer is pregnant.
At home, pregnancy is checked as follows: put a drop of milk in a glass of clean water, if it is completely dissolved, then this gives hope for the future fetus.

Knowing the signs of calving, you can start monitoring the development of the future calf in time.

The cow pregnancy calendar is a table that indicates the date of fertilization and calving in order to calculate the dry period. It takes about a year to conduct it in order to correctly understand when to stop milking a cow.

deadwood

This period is a kind of decree for the cow: she is sent to start (stop milking) to allow the body to strengthen and prepare for calving.

Its duration is at least 50 days. This holiday will help the animal to accumulate nutrients that enrich colostrum (the first postpartum milk, the most beneficial for the health of the calf), prevent possible postpartum complications and lay a good foundation for future livestock productivity.

Initially, the cow's milk yield is weakened, while at the same time replacing the grass with hay in the summer and reducing the grazing time, in the winter - allowing free grazing in the paddock with the group. But it is also equally harmful to underfeed and overfeed a cow. Feeding rotten, dry, lethargic or sour feed can lead to miscarriage, causing indigestion and bloating in the cow.

Termination and false pregnancy

It happens that a cow becomes falsely pregnant. Finding out the reasons is important in order to prevent this from happening next time.

Reasons for false pregnancy:

Hormonal disorders. Failure of hormonal activity prevents the animal from maintaining a normal pregnancy and fixing a fertilized egg in the uterus.
Error in mating days. This sharply disturbs hormones, in particular, prolactin and progesterone. Due to the lack of ovulation, the egg is not fertilized, pregnancy does not form, but the body prepares for childbirth.
Failure of the endocrine glands. Violation of the functioning of the thyroid gland accompanies the duration of false gestation of the fetus.
Emotional instability and weak workloads. Then there is no coordinated and uniform production of sex enzymes, which develop changes in the body of the heifer.

Symptomatic abortion in a cow

Reasons for symptomatic abortion (miscarriage):

Controlling the course of pregnancy (terms of pregnancy) is no less important than the process of childbirth itself. The heifer is in the position of pregnancy for 9 months and every day the fetus grows in length, weight and acquires new anatomical features. The phased development by months goes like this.

Pregnancy of a cow or heifer can occur only if insemination occurred during the hunt (estrus) and the animal. On average, hunting begins already 16-28 days after the last calving and, on average, lasts no more than 36 hours. If fertilization has not occurred, it will be repeated every 20-30 days.

In this article you will find information about the methods and techniques for fertilization of cows, the course of pregnancy in cattle and methods for determining the timing of calving.

Insemination of cows

If possible, preference should be given to artificial insemination. In this case, the calf will be obtained from the sperm of more productive sires. In addition, artificial insemination eliminates the risk of infection with cattle diseases. The type of fertilization suitable for each particular individual is determined by the veterinarian.

Veterinarians advise to carry out such a procedure not in the first, but in the second or even third hunt, since in this case the possibility of successful fertilization increases significantly and the duration of lactation increases. In addition, to obtain a more reliable result, the procedure is recommended to be repeated after 12 hours.

General information about artificial insemination is given in the video.

Table of insemination and calving

The duration of the sexual cycle in cattle is three weeks. This period includes estrus, estrus and ovulation. If insemination was carried out during the period of ovulation, the female becomes pregnant. On average, pregnancy lasts 285 days, but this period can vary between 270-300 days depending on the age of the animal, the weight of the calf and the breed.

Figure 1. Table of fertilization and calving dates in cattle

Once pregnancy is determined, an estimated start date is calculated. As a rule, this period begins 7.5 months after mating. Below is a table that allows you to determine the date of calving, based on the week of introduction of sperm (Figure 1).

artificial insemination

Artificial insemination is a procedure during which the sperm of a certain bull is injected into the uterus of an animal. It allows you to accurately determine the onset of pregnancy and control pregnancy. Using the biological material of a bull, it is possible not only to maintain the purity of the breed, but also to fertilize several dozen females at the same time.

There are several methods of artificial insemination(picture 2):

rectocervical- seminal fluid is injected with a special instrument directly into the cervix. The device is fixed through the anus, and the seminal fluid is diluted with saline to save biomaterial and preserve sperm motility.
Visocervical: in this case, a mirror is first inserted into the vagina, which illuminates the cervix. After that, a dose of seminal fluid is injected with a special syringe.
Manocervical - for the procedure, a polyethylene tank and a flexible catheter are used. Inside the reservoir is sperm, which enters the vagina through a catheter. This method is considered one of the simplest, so it is most often used in household plots.

Figure 2. Types of artificial insemination of cattle

After carrying out all the manipulations, the female must be observed, and if signs of hunting do not appear after two weeks, fertilization was successful.

Insemination by rectocervical method

The rectocervical method is considered one of the best, since the seminal fluid enters the cervical canal directly, and the chances of successful fertilization increase significantly.

Figure 3. Technique and tools for performing rectocervical insemination

When carrying out this method of insemination, the instruments are fixed in the vagina through the anus, and the veterinarian simultaneously massages the cervix to accelerate the movement of sperm into the uterus. The procedure for this procedure is shown in Figure 3.

With rectocervical insemination, the highest pregnancy rate is observed (up to 75%). In addition, this method is considered the fastest, and the possibility of infection of an individual with infections is minimized, since only sterile instruments are used for the procedure.

Calving period of a cow after insemination

Although artificial insemination produces better pregnancy outcomes than conventional mating, the animal must be observed after the procedure to determine if pregnancy has occurred.

The main indicator that fertilization has occurred successfully is the absence of hunting. If fertilization does not occur, it is repeated after two weeks. In the absence of appropriate signs, we can assume that the female is pregnant. The duration of pregnancy in cattle is 285 days, with slight deviations depending on the age, breed and conditions of the animal.

The most effective artificial or natural insemination is carried out during the hunting period. But since it is quite difficult to determine the duration of estrus in advance, mating is carried out in the first 10-12 hours after the first signs are detected.

How to define hunting

You can determine the onset of hunting by some signs (Figure 4):

The female becomes restless and bellows constantly;
The animal often runs away from the pasture or from the herd;
Begins to arch the back and raise the root of the tail;
The appetite decreases, the animal is constantly thirsty;
Milk yield is sharply reduced;
Other females begin to jump on the individual, but at the same time she stands calmly. It is also possible that the cow herself begins to jump on others in the herd;
The vagina becomes red on the outside, transparent (at the beginning), and then cloudy (at the end of estrus) mucus begins to stand out from it.

Figure 4. Signs of hunting

After detecting these signs, it is necessary to call a specialist who conducts artificial mating, or take the animal to a specialized point. When carrying out natural mating, the female is taken to the breeding point to the bull. You will find more useful information about hunting in cattle in the video.

Hunting timing schemes

If the farm contains a large livestock, hunting synchronization is used. This is a method by which the hormonal balance of heifers is changed, due to which estrus occurs simultaneously at the same time.

Note: Synchronization should not be carried out on sick animals, as well as pregnant individuals. An exception may be cases when it is necessary to induce an abortion or premature calving.

Figure 5. Hunt synchronization scheme

There are different timing schemes. As a rule, hormonal preparations are used for these purposes, which are administered at regular intervals (Figure 5). On the first day, drugs are administered that provoke premature ripening of the follicle and the onset of hunting. On the eighth day, the animal is given drugs aimed at regressing the corpus luteum and reducing the formation of new follicles. Two days later, ovulation-inducing agents are used, and the next day, artificial insemination is performed.

After insemination (natural or artificial), the individual becomes pregnant, or pregnancy. It is important to timely determine the onset of fertilization in order to transfer the animal to the appropriate diet and determine the date of launch and the expected calving.

What is the gestation period for cows?

The duration of pregnancy in cows is 285 days (approximately 9 months). However, there are cases when the pregnancy lasts less or longer (from 270 to 300 days).

Deviation in terms of pregnancy is provoked by improper maintenance and feeding, therefore, in order to give birth to a healthy calf, animals must be transferred to a special diet.

The duration of pregnancy also depends on the sex of the calf. It has been scientifically proven that heifers are born a few days earlier than bulls. In general, if the individual is properly maintained and fed, the pregnancy passes without deviations and pathologies.

How to determine pregnancy

One of the main methods that helps to know how to determine the pregnancy of a cow is the usual observation. With successful fertilization, the animal does not enter the hunt and does not respond to the bull.

Experienced livestock breeders are advised to register the date of mating, so that in the future it will be easier to calculate the date of launch and calving.

How do you know if an animal is pregnant?

There are other methods to find out if a female is pregnant. To do this, it is enough to bring her to the bull. If the mating was successful, she will not respond to the bull.

You can also conduct a laboratory study of milk. He is sent for analysis 3 weeks after mating. At later stages, pregnancy can be determined by a routine examination of the abdomen.

How is the pregnancy going?

If it is not difficult to find out how long a cow's pregnancy lasts, then determining when the animal is ready for mating is much more difficult. Readiness for mating is determined not by age, but by weight. Despite the fact that puberty in heifers occurs before they reach the age of one, this does not mean that at this age the body of females is ready for mating and bearing a calf. The weight of a heifer ready for mating must be at least 60% of the weight of an adult of the same breed.

Note: To prevent premature pregnancy, bulls and heifers are kept separately after reaching puberty.

Figure 6. Pregnancy in cattle

You can carry out mating at any time of the year, the main thing is that the animal is in a state of hunting. Fertilization is carried out every year, since pregnancy is the main guarantee of successful lactation. During pregnancy, the female must be transferred to a special diet, and approximately one to two months before calving, milking should be gradually stopped (started). This is necessary for the animal's body to gain strength before calving and new lactation. In general, pregnancy in cattle occurs normally and does not require human intervention.

From 9 months, a cow can bring offspring. Although experienced breeders are in no hurry to immediately lead her to mating. Often waiting for the animal to reach physical maturity. It is difficult to give an exact figure when this will happen. It all depends on the breed of the animal, on its content, feeding. The animal is ready for mating if the weight is at least 60% of the weight of an adult animal. This period occurs only in the third year of the animal's life.

A cow carries a calf for 9 months

Why is the exact gestational age needed?

Why should farm owners know if a cow is pregnant, or as they say, pregnant, and how many months her interesting position lasts? It is understandable that care is needed during pregnancy. In addition, a pregnant cow is shy and sometimes loses a fetus due to severe stress. But the main thing is not this. A cow that bears a calf must have a dry period. Therefore, it is so important how long she goes pregnant, you need to know the exact gestational age.

What is a dry period

Before giving birth to a calf, the animal gains strength and rests. So that the body of the cow is not depleted, nutrients are deposited on the body, before giving birth, the cow is no longer milked. How long is the dry period? Not so long - from 45 to 60 days. But it is desirable that it is not too short. Pros of a long period:

maintaining the health of the animal;
milk yields will remain in the future;
the calf will be born healthy.

If the dry period lasts 45 days, then milk yields will decrease in the future. The quality of milk will also suffer: it will be low in proteins and fats.

2 months before calving, the cow is stopped milking

How to transfer to dry wood

The launch of the cow is done 7.5 months after its fertilization, this period must be observed. Before you start a cow, you need to properly organize its nutrition. If the animal's milk production has already decreased, and it gives 3-4 liters of milk per day, it is started immediately. If milk yields are still high, this is done gradually. We need to reduce the number of milkings. Change and feeding mode:

do not give juicy or concentrated feed;
reduce the amount of water;
reduce the amount of feed;
give low-nutrient hay or straw;
if the pregnancy was in the summer, it cannot be kept in the pasture for a long time. The animal is released to graze only for 4-5 hours, after which they stop milking for 6-8 days.

As soon as the animal has lost milk, return to the previous feeding regimen. This is not done right away.

Within 6-11 days, juicy and concentrated feeds are gradually added to the cow's diet.

During the launch, the cow needs to be released to pasture for only 4-5 hours

How long does pregnancy last

So how many months does a cow go pregnant? How long does pregnancy last in an animal, after what time can she give birth to a healthy calf?

Terms of pregnancy

Experienced livestock breeders note that the pregnancy or pregnancy in an animal lasts 9 months. To be more precise, a cow goes into pregnancy for 285 days. But, like a person, a cow has a premature birth, an approximate period. If she was poorly looked after, improperly fed, the calf is born a couple of days or even a month earlier. Sometimes she goes pregnant longer than expected, carrying the fetus for several days or even weeks. Therefore, they say that the duration of pregnancy in cows is 240 - 311 days.

The duration of pregnancy depends on the conditions of detention and the genetic characteristics of the cow

How to calculate the exact gestational age

With artificial insemination, the farmer knows the date of fertilization of the animal. Remembering how long the cow's pregnancy lasts, how long she will be pregnant, they will find out the approximate date of birth using the formula.

D \u003d H + 10 / No. - 3

It needs to be decrypted. D is the due date. Under the letter H denote the date when the insemination took place, and № is the number of the month when the insemination took place.

We add 10 to the number 15. It turns out 25. May is the 5th month. We subtract 3 from it. It turns out 2. The cow calves on February 25th.

If the day of the month, when added, received a figure that is greater than 30, then we subtract 30 from it, and add another 1 to the month. So, if it was inseminated on May 25, then 25 + 10 = 35. The month is also 2. (5-3 ). But we do as described above: 35-30 = 5. And by the month we add 1. Then the cow will calve on March 5th. If the month number is 3 or less (January, February, March), then 12 is added to the month number.

Often, pet owners make a calendar so they don't forget when to stagnate a cow.

According to him, it becomes clear how much she bears a calf, how long the pregnancy lasts. In one column is the date of insemination, in the other - the approximate time of calving. But it is impossible to guess exactly this date. Therefore, a deviation of 10 days is the norm.

Kira Stoletova

The question of how long a pregnant cow walks can be answered simply: from the moment of successful insemination to the birth itself. However, livestock breeders are interested in specifics, that is, when exactly to wait for the birth of the long-awaited calf. This is what will be discussed further. We will also touch on the question of how cattle bear a fetus, how animal care should change, and whether it is worth reconsidering the nutrition of a pregnant cow.

What happens in the body of a cow

Of course, bearing a fetus dramatically changes the nature of the life of any living creature, including a cow. The first thing worth mentioning is the acceleration of metabolism. For this reason, the cow will need enhanced nutrition and a revision of the calorie content of food. This is especially true in the early stages of pregnancy.

In addition to metabolism, the following also changes:

there is an additional load on the heart;
there is a tone of the vascular system;
the circulatory system receives a double load, in particular, only the uterine veins can increase in size by 2-3 times;
the biochemistry of blood during the analysis is changed.

It is also worth mentioning that the main reproductive organ is increasing: the uterus can stretch to an incredible size, multiplying its dimensions by 12-16 times. Accordingly, in parallel with the uterus, the volume of the sternum also grows, which makes the animal breathe more often.

What happens to hormones

As soon as a successful conception occurs in the cow's body, the hormonal background will change dramatically, as in any living creature during the gestation of the fetus. If this did not happen, then the corpus luteum could not form, and the placenta would not appear, that is, the very fact of pregnancy would be impossible. In addition, pregnancy would be impossible if there was no production of progesterone, it is he who restrains premature birth or calving, and also causes a pause in further intercourse with the male throughout all trimesters.

All the same hormones provoke a change in the nature of vaginal discharge. Usually, by the beginning of the third trimester, the cow begins to “smear”. Normally, such discharge should be transparent, the appearance of blood blotches is unacceptable, this is an alarming sign.

How does a calf develop in the womb?

Cow pregnancy is conditionally divided into three stages - trimesters, just like in humans. This division is conditional, however, in its different periods, one can understand what is happening with the calf right now, while the gestation period lasts, at what stage of development it is now. Next, we describe in the form of a table how the characteristics of the fetus change depending on the duration of pregnancy:

The period of pregnancy of a cow, how long does it last	What is the length of the calf, in cm	How much does a calf weigh, g	Physiological characteristics of the calf
1st month	up to 2.5	up to 5	At present, an embryo is being formed, the makings of a muzzle appear.
2nd month	6 to 11	from 11 to 52	Now all the organs have already been formed, a full-fledged body of the placenta is being formed.
3rd month	from 12 to 25	from 130 to 450	If the calf is male, then during this period the formation of the testicles occurs.
4th month	30 to 45	from 1000 to 2500	If the animal is not polled, then horns are born.
5th month	from 40 to 60	from 2600 to 4700	In females, the rudiments of the udder appear, in both sexes hair follicles appear.
6th month	from 50 to 75	from 4200 to 8700	Eyelashes appear on the eyelids, bristling of the hooves also occurs.
7th month	from 60 to 90	before 19500	The hairline at this stage of pregnancy resembles the hair of an already adult animal, and the brain also works at full strength.
8th month	from 65 to 95	up to 28000	Teeth begin to develop in the mouth, while they are still milk teeth.
9th month	up to 115	up to 68000	The calf is fully developed and ready for birth.

Cow Pregnancy Signs

There is a clear list of symptoms that will indicate the fact of pregnancy in a cow. The following signs may appear, regardless of how much the cow walks pregnant. They look like this:

lack of sexual hunting for more than a month;
cow's appetite has improved;
the cow became more tired;
there is increased sweating;
the character of the cow has changed for the better;
the animal began to urinate more often.

Of course, in order to confirm or refute the suspicion of a false pregnancy, you need to seek specialized help from a veterinarian who, with the help of ultrasound and laboratory tests, will be able to examine the animal correctly. What can he see upon examination if the cow is pregnant:

a formed mucous plug appears in the birth canal;
if the gestation period exceeds 4-5 months, the calf can be felt by manual examination.

Ultrasound examination

As in humans, it is possible to confirm or refute the fact of pregnancy with the help of an ultrasound study. This must be done if you cannot do it yourself or if the pregnancy is complicated. When contacting veterinarians, this is the first research method that will be offered to you. It is worth saying that this is quite justified, because the accuracy of ultrasound reaches almost 100%. In this case, you can not only find out if the cow is in position, but also with a high degree of probability find out what the gestational age is at the time of the examination.

Features of the ultrasound are that the cow is examined using sensors that are inserted into the genital opening, although the traditional method is sometimes allowed.

Pregnancy test with probes

This is an older method, it was used even when ultrasound was not in sight. This method cannot be called humane, since it is necessary to bandage the testicles of a bull, the animal, for sure, experiences pain. A bandaged bull is offered to cover the cow, if she willingly lets him in, does not resist, then the cow is pregnant. If everything happens according to the opposite scenario, that is, the cow willingly agrees to fertilization, it can be said with a high degree of probability that she did not become pregnant.

Some breeders skillfully use this method in order to find out how long a cow is.

Examination through the anus

It must be said that examination through the anus is used more often than others. The fact is that it can be used at home without using any special methods, that is, without much experience. In addition, even at the earliest stages, it turns out to be effective. Also, the method is often used to determine the cause of infertility in cattle, if a cow cannot become pregnant for a long time.

Some veterinarians argue that rectal examination in many cases is more informative than ultrasound, so its popularity does not fall.

Determination of pregnancy using tests

Some breeders prefer a more accurate diagnosis, that is, a blood or urine test for the presence of progesterone, which will let you know if the cow is pregnant or not. Already after the first month of pregnancy, this hormone begins to actively stand out in order to maintain the pregnancy of the animal.

The hormone can be detected in any biomaterial of a cow: urine, blood, and even milk that it gives.

Any cattle breeder can conduct a study on their own, for this you will need to purchase a special pregnancy test, place it in the collected biomaterial (milk, urine), then, after 10 minutes (the waiting time cannot be longer), determine and check the result:

the test showed 2 strips - the cow is in a state of pregnancy;
the test determined one band - the cow is considered barren.

You should not buy such strips from your hands or in places of spontaneous sale, otherwise the result may be unreliable. Veterinarians recommend buying tests only at veterinary pharmacies. The most reliable result will show the use of the strip in urine, not milk.

What is the duration of pregnancy in a cow

Anyone, even a novice cattle breeder, should find out how long a cow bears a calf, that is, how long a cow walks pregnant or how long a cow's pregnancy lasts. If we know the answer to this question, then it will be much easier for us to weed out professionally unsuitable cows and bulls (cull), as well as to carry out actions in time that will be aimed at treating infertility in a cow, because a bull should fertilize, and a cow should not only give milk, but also to give birth to healthy calves.

Let's answer the main question, how long does a cow's pregnancy last, how many months does a cow go pregnant? The duration of the pregnancy of a cow is on average from 9 to 9 and a half months, while the error is minimal. It is worth saying that the period of pregnancy may vary slightly, depending on which breed the cow belongs to, how old she is, whether she gives milk, what condition her health is in, whether there was an interruption of gestation earlier, what is the current pregnancy in the calendar .

Statistics show that most cow gestation is about 280 days old, but a third still overbear the fetus by 7-10 days. Any other duration is considered a deviation from the norm and should alert the owner.

How is caring for a pregnant cow changing?

Here, finally, they waited for the cow to become pregnant. Like a woman, a pregnant cow needs especially careful inspection during the entire gestation period. Regardless of how a particular pregnancy lasts, how a cow walks and how a pregnancy wears, it is worth reviewing the diet, regimen and, of course, the attitude towards a pregnant animal.

What should be the nutrition of cows in position

Throughout pregnancy, the cow will need special nutrition, because now there should be enough nutrients not only for her, but also for the little life that develops in her womb. In addition to the fact that proper feeding every day will give the mother strength to bear the fetus, her body will be able to maintain its normal shape and maintain immunity at its best. Otherwise, if you want to save on food, the cow is threatened with the development of beriberi or the appearance of edema on the body.

The third trimester is a particularly critical period for bearing a fetus. At this time, the most active weight gain of the calf occurs, the fetus sucks a lot of strength and energy from the mother, which negatively affects the health of the cub.

Finishing the story about the duration of the cow's pregnancy, it must be said that in many respects the success of the birth of a healthy calf depends on the owner himself, so you should familiarize yourself with the following questions in advance:

How to recognize the first symptoms of a cow's pregnancy on your own?
What is the care of a cow during pregnancy?

Now that we know how to determine the period and how the pregnancy of cows manifests itself, this process will be much easier.