# Calving heifer



## pitot (Jan 30, 2014)

Can someone explain what it means when their ligaments relax? I have a brahma jersey heifer that has bagged up and everyrthing seems to be tight even her teets seem to be. Also she had bloody discharge hanging out this morning. Soooo that being said I keep reading about the ligaments that relax and am lost.... a little advice would be much appreciated.... also when I took her to get bred I dropped her off and watched her stand to get bred and with a gestational calendar we predicted the 6th of feb. But the rancher said her bull had simmintal in him and all of the heifera he bred all calved up to 10 days earlier......


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## randiliana (Feb 22, 2008)

The ligaments on either side of her tailed will relax. You will see it sunken in there. Others may be able to explain better. As far as her due date, if the calendar said Feb 6 she could easily calve any time now. If she is bagged up tight and has bloody discharge she will probably calve in the next 24-48 hours.


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## Athena (Jun 11, 2013)

The whole pelvis softens and it usually looks like the tail head has been lifted upwards out of line with the rest of the spine, leaving dips on either side in front of the pin bones. You can usually see the skin sort of rippling there as the heifer walks.

If she had bloody discharge, I'd suggest all is not well if she hasn't calved during the day. Sometimes there will be blood before birth, but usually it's a sign that labor is in progress and if you haven't seen anything happening, the calf may be in the wrong position and if you don't help it out it'll die. Can you get someone experienced to come and help you - or a vet? You need to put a hand in and find out what's going on. If a calf is stuck, a heifer will often show no other signs of being in labor.


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## Gravytrain (Mar 2, 2013)

This may help:


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## karenp (Jun 7, 2013)

Gravytrain, thank-you for that post. I could never picture it.


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## G. Seddon (May 16, 2005)

pitot, has the heifer calved yet? Hope all is well for her!

Here's a very short article on what to look for, but if you google "calving heifers," you will find a lot more detailed information. 
https://www.noble.org/ag/livestock/minimizecalfdifficulty/

Do not wait too long to call the vet if she's straining and not progressing. Please post again with what's happening, okay?


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## haypoint (Oct 4, 2006)

I wish you well. I had a single catastrophic experience with a large calf in an Angus heifer.
Therefore, since Jerseys have small calves as do Brahma, great care must be taken to select a bull with a solid record for small calves.
Am I understanding that you selected a bull that had Simmental bloodlines? While there are exceptions to everything, most Simmental calves are large at birth. Have you studied the choice you made?
Oversized calves often cannot get their feet up into the birth cannel. If you are able to get the feet into place, without slicing the uterine wall, getting an oversized calf's pelvis through the heifer's pelvis creates another challenge. During that "hip lock", great pressure is placed on the cow's nerve bundle that runs to her rear legs. Failure to relieve this pressure in a timely fashion, can render the cow unable to get up and walk, ever.
I hope you have not bought yourself a calving lesson filled with sorrow. I wish you good luck and hope for an uneventful calving.
Minerals are important to a calf's health. I'm sure you were providing loose minerals with selenium all along. Right?


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## pitot (Jan 30, 2014)

Yes I have this bull has not had a calf over 50lbs and most were about 40 or so. A local rancher helps me out alot I get tk breed my heifers for free I just help her out when she needs help. I have been there and helped pull a couple calves that she haf aied.but I only show up when feet are already present. I dont have extensive experience but I do have some I usually just niy a lot of steers and feed them out. However I wanted to try out raising some heifers. So all of this has been helpful, I guess I am nervous because I do t want to loose a calf or heifer because my lack of experience and the rancher that helps me out I call all the time with questions and just feel horrible that I may be bugging them! So I found you guys to bug with my questions!
Update on the heifer. Last jught about 9 white kind of opaque mucous startes coming out. About ten it turnes to yellowish and a string about 6 inche long. This morning same yellowish mucous and about 8 inches long... her ligaments seem to be softish.... but thta was the first time ive ever felt them so I do not know... and my otger heifer is over in the bull pasture(she is an angus). So I cant really compare by feeling. I am hoping she doesnt start calving until I am off work... the rancher said she is always there for her first time heifers just in case because sometimes they just dont know whats going on and can just give up on rate occassion


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## wannabfishin (Jan 31, 2014)

did i read it right that you are at work. you should probably leave work now if the heifer is at home calving for the first time with nobody there


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## Athena (Jun 11, 2013)

I think your heifer is already calving - or she's in the process of trying. I'd bet you're going to learn about pulling a dead one shortly. That many different sorts of mucous and blood already having shown, would indicate things in progress already, not just preparation.

I hope I'm wrong.


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## haypoint (Oct 4, 2006)

I guess it is time for another reminder. This happened a few years ago. This calf is died. Had to be cut apart inside the cow. Spent all day, plus a Vet to save the cow. Birth weight, birth weight. The mistake here was selecting a young bull from a neighbor that had no idea if it was 100% Angus or a black mixed breed. Therefore, no idea of expected birth weight.


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## pitot (Jan 30, 2014)

I had the rancher come out and look this after noon and she said everything looks normal and fine and she should be calving in the next day or two... and as for the bull he hasnt thrown a large calf yet.... but of course there is always that one... she has been using this bull for the past few years so chances are in my favor.... anyways im probably just over thinking all of this because my lack of experince.... I also really do appreciate all of your input


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## G. Seddon (May 16, 2005)

I sure hope you are right, but everytime I look at this thread (first-calf heifer, inexperienced owner, "bloody discharge" etc.) I say to myself "this ain't gonna' be good news."


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## Wanda (Dec 19, 2002)

G. Seddon said:


> I sure hope you are right, but everytime I look at this thread (first-calf heifer, inexperienced owner, "bloody discharge" etc.) I say to myself "this ain't gonna' be good news."



Our version of ''bloody discharge'' and someone with no experience could very greatly. Quanaty and quality of the discharge are hard to gauge with the written word. The poster has a mentor as backup so I would say the situation is under control. It is a learning experience and some people get more nervous than others!


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## haypoint (Oct 4, 2006)

I'm really expecting some good news by now. Hope everything went/is going well.


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## myheaven (Apr 14, 2006)

Would love to know what happened.


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## pitot (Jan 30, 2014)

Well just goopy opawue discharge....... but maybe I didnt say how much there was earlier.... there isnt a whole lot of just some "strings" of it...... and no calf hahahaha like I said before I had someone come out and look and she said everythinh looks normal and to call her as soon as I lnow for sure and she will come our and watch with me in case the heifer needs help.... i will update when she has the calf and maybe a pic too!!!


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## Wanda (Dec 19, 2002)

pitot said:


> Well just goopy opawue discharge....... but maybe I didnt say how much there was earlier.... there isnt a whole lot of just some "strings" of it...... and no calf hahahaha like I said before I had someone come out and look and she said everythinh looks normal and to call her as soon as I lnow for sure and she will come our and watch with me in case the heifer needs help.... i will update when she has the calf and maybe a pic too!!!



Thanks for the update, it sounds like you have things under control. How is the weather in your location? We have a foot of new snow and 20 mph wind! Make sure the little guy gets dried off and a full belly and they are ready to tackle the world.


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## pitot (Jan 30, 2014)

Well we are in a droughy here in oregon but supposed to get some weather in soon...but the temps are in low twenties at night


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## WJMartin (Nov 2, 2011)

I understand about the nerves. I had a Dexter heifer calve last week, she is an average size Dexter and I didn't breed her until she was two but I called the vet out when she calved because the hoofs would show but then disappear, calf too large and I used a bull with a good track record.

This little bull calf only weighed 25 lbs. and is 19 inches tall, he still was too big for this first time heifer. Thankfully my vet lives just down the road and I bake cookies for him as bribery. 

I should have been able to help my girl myself but when I knew she was in trouble I became a gooberhead but after helping the vet I hope if there is a next time I'll be more calm, I know my vet hopes so. lol

Mom and baby are doing great except I think I have a milk stealer, going out now to separate, it's always something around here.


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## Oakshire_Farm (Dec 4, 2008)

Pitot - Do you have a calf yet?


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## tab (Aug 20, 2002)

Hope things are ok. Dh said I was worse delivering our first calf here than with ds! I have pulled calves but many years ago. Am really getting nervous as the time is creeping up for the second one. Do not feel bad about asking for help!!!!! Any person that cares about their animals understands. Go with your gut feelings, if something seemd hinky, check it out, even if you have to ask for help!


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## farmmaid (Jan 13, 2003)

Update please............


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## pitot (Jan 30, 2014)

Nothing! No more discharge just a huge bag! I had the rancher that is helping me out and she said anyday now and that ahe has cows that have their calves up to 10 or 12 days over the gestation period! She looked her over and said everything seems to be going great and just give it time.


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## Athena (Jun 11, 2013)

Heifer wasn't bred to that mating?
Heifer is now dead, but Pitot embarrassed to tell us?
Everything is fine, but Pitot forgot to tell us?


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## pitot (Jan 30, 2014)

No calf yet she was in a standing heat when she went in with the bull so all we van guess is she wasnt bred that day! First time being there through the whole thing so I just described what was going on because I cant rwcognize early labor signs just from reading about them and since then therw hasnt been any discharge not that there was a whole lot to begin with but she is big and her bag seems to be quite full! So all I can say is I dont know! Once ahe starts calving I have a rancher coming over to help( ive pulled a few calves every year for her when she needed an extra hand) so once that part comes ( of course we are hopong she has it on her own) we will be set! Once I have a calf on the ground I will update!


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## Athena (Jun 11, 2013)

Cool, thanks.


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## SpaceCadet12364 (Apr 27, 2003)

Brahma tend to have a longer gestation 290 to 300 days per my uncle (texan). Simmental also. Jersey is shorter 275 days. remember that is plus or minus 14 days. Most cows cycle every 21 days. We Just had a cow go 302 days between calves. Yes 302 was not expecting that.


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## pitot (Jan 30, 2014)

Heifer calf born at some point during the night... checked her at 10 pm and wasnt in labor as far as I could tell and she went long obviously but must have took on the first time I saw her stand for the bull everything is fine calf has sucked I got iodine on the cord and everyone os happy!


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## MO_cows (Aug 14, 2010)

Wow, she gave you 3 weeks of drama and suspense! Glad everything went so well.


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## G. Seddon (May 16, 2005)

Whew, happy for you! Good job on the iodine and making sure the little heifer calf got colostrum!


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## Athena (Jun 11, 2013)

On the initial information I am surprised; but very pleased for you.


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## Cheribelle (Jul 23, 2007)

YEAH! My first heifer had her calf within 1/2 hour of putting her in the barn. I went back out to check and baby was already up and nursing. The cow I have now gives me a little more warning than that.


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## haypoint (Oct 4, 2006)

Cheribelle said:


> YEAH! My first heifer had her calf within 1/2 hour of putting her in the barn. I went back out to check and baby was already up and nursing. The cow I have now gives me a little more warning than that.


My Jersey cow was set to calve just before we left for a week showing horses at the State Fair. But when it was time to leave, she still hadn't had it. So, we had to take her with us. At the fair, I had to enter her, so she could be there. Big as a barrel, bag swollen like a balloon. She placed last in her class. Every day the experts were sure she'd have it that day. By the end of the week, she still hadn't had it, so we loaded up and went home. Six draft horses and a cow. It was a 5 hour trip and dark when we got home. I opened the gate and led her into the barn, then drove the trailer to the pasture down the road 100 yards and unloaded the horses. Took 15 minutes, tops.
When I got back to the barn, the cow was licking on her new calf. I think she waited until she was home.:sing:


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## Spamela (Nov 23, 2013)

I am so glad everyone was wrong! lol:hysterical: I kid... I kid...

I am so happy that it went good for you! you must be so relieved!


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## tab (Aug 20, 2002)

Congrats!!!! She's a cutey. You had it easy with mom sneaking one by you!


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