Cattle Reproduction

Calves are typically weaned from their mothers when they are around 6-8 months old. The separation can vary depending on the farm management practices, but it is usually done gradually over a period of 1-2 weeks to minimize stress on the calf.

Selective breeding is the most common method used to improve cattle breeds. It is a method where a producer keeps track of those cows that are doing well according to what he/she expects from them, and notes those cows that are not doing well so they can be sorted from the herd and sold as cull cows. This same producer selects bulls that improve the breed according to what the goal the producer has for his/her cow herd and use them on his/her cows to produce calves with the desirable characteristics needed to improve that breed. Calves that are inferior or average are sold as feeders.

As to why it is commonly used, it's because it's the easiest method to enhance a breed and expand or improve certain characteristics of that breed according to what the producer wants or is looking for.

Both sides, but it'll lean a little more to the right than the left. The rumen is on the left side of the cow.

In a herd of Shorthorn cattle where the herdbull is roan and the cows are all white, it is probable that the resulting offspring from these crosses will yield 50% white calves and 50% roan calves.

Calves are born with a set of teeth called deciduous teeth that are eventually replaced by adult teeth. These deciduous teeth serve the calf well for nursing and acquiring nutrients from milk. As they grow, the adult teeth will emerge to enable the calf to properly chew and digest solid food.

A stray calf is also known as a "lost calf" or a "wanderer calf."

Calves typically reach puberty between 5-12 months of age, depending on their breed and individual development. This is marked by the onset of estrus cycles in heifers and the ability to breed in bulls.

For those operations that can do inbreeding or line-breeding, the closest of kin that cattle can be bred to is brother-sister, or dam to son, or sire to daughter. Line breeding involves cows being bred to their grand-sires, half-brothers, uncles, or cousins, or the bulls being bred to their grand-dams, half-sisters, aunts, or cousins.

This could be due to constipation (if the stool is hard that is a sign of constipation, if so feed them some natural yogurt, this will help soften the stool). It could also be due to an irritation of the bowel or digestive system or a sign of dehydration, keep an eye on their eating and drinking, if you have noticed a decrease in appetite, than call your vet for a further look, antibiotics or fluids could be needed.

Hope that this helps.

A mature bull can weigh anywhere from under 2000 lbs to over 3300 lbs. The current average is around 2700 lbs. But, it all depends on each individual bull, and his breeding.

Mature bulls can weigh up to 2000-2800 lbs for the more "average" type breeds including Angus, Holstein, Brahman, Galloways, Charolais, and many others. Chianinas can weigh over 3000 lbs (heaviest recorded over 3800 lbs), and mini-breed bulls and Dexter bulls can reach 1000 to 1400 lbs.

The average weight of a one-year-old Polled Hereford bull calf is around 600-800 pounds, but individual weights can vary depending on genetics, nutrition, and overall health. It is important to consult with a veterinarian or livestock specialist for specific weight estimates for your calf.

Yes, it is possible for a black cow and a black bull to have a white calf if both parents carry a recessive gene for white coloration. This would allow for the expression of the white color in their offspring.

A newborn baby cow typically weighs between 60-100 pounds.

It is for breaking bulls so they are somewhat less aggressive. You put that in there and use it to tie them to a pole or something, and they quickly learn (as far as a cow can quickly learn anything) to stop charging wildly.

Cows can be bred at any age (since they are mature female bovines that have had at least 2 calves) so long as they are not already pregnant. Bulls, on the other hand, can begin to be used for breed by the time they are around 12 months of age.

It all depends on how swollen the vulva is and how quickly it swells. My pregnant cows vulva has doubled its size overnight so Im assuming a week or so. From memory it was huge last time she gave birth,it was large enough and floppy enough that it bounced as she walked and then she calved within the week. But I do think all cows are different,going by age and if she has calved before. Id also like to add,you can tell by the change in the cows behaviour where shes at. They tend to isolate themselves,rest more and urinate more just before calving.

A cow typically has one calf per year.

They have a gestation period of 9 months, and usually have just one calf although they are known to have twins.

Holstein bulls, as well as other dairy bulls are dangerous. They are unpredictable and at 2000lbs are very strong. A review of death by bulls in a 4 year period in the early 2000's in the Midwest tells me that complacency on the part of the handler played a part. Bulls can be docile and normal and well behaved for a year and then, one day stomp or butt the farmer or stock handler to death. Raising them as calves and trying to treat them as pets has not altered their unpredictable violent natures.

They are not pets, they cannot be reasoned with. For many farmers the right choice is artificial insemination. It lessens the danger and can provide more genetic diversity to the dairy herd.

No. Black is a dominant colour, no matter what colour the bull is. If the bull is white, the calf will be grey. If a bull is black, the calf will be black; if a bull is a blue roan, the calf will be most likely a darker roan or even black; if a bull is red or brown, the calf will be black; if a bull is yellow or orange the calf will be either grey or black.

A bull's penis is needing to be protected by a sheath, just like in all other mammals (except human males). When the bull is about to breed, the penis comes out when the bull gets an erection just before he inserts himself into the cow. A bull's penis is controlled by flexture muscles inside his body which controls erection and exposure of the bull's penis.

Yes, freezing bull semen is a common practice in the field of animal breeding. It allows for the preservation and transportation of genetic material for use in artificial insemination programs to improve breeding outcomes.

The offspring would likely be a mix of red and roan coloring, with some variation depending on the specific genetics of the parents. Roan and red are both common coat colors for cattle, so the calf might inherit characteristics from both parents.

Cows are typically weaned between 6 to 8 months of age. Weaning involves separating the calf from its mother and transitioning it to solid food. The exact age of weaning may vary depending on factors such as breed, management practices, and nutritional needs.

The average weight of an Angus calf is typically around 55-80 pounds at birth. By the time they are weaned at 6-8 months, their weight can range from 400-700 pounds, depending on various factors such as genetics, nutrition, and management practices.

A cow is generally and usually expected to give birth only once a year. However cows can give birth to calves once every 11 months. Occasionally a cow will give birth to a calf 10 months after her previous parturition, but that is quite rare.