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That really depends on when she was bred. The average gestation period of a cow (or heifer) is around 285 days. Thus, if a heifer was bred when she was 15 months old, then she would likely give birth by the time she is 24 months of age. If she was bred when she was 18 or 20 months old, then she would calve out when she's 27 to 29 months of age.
What else can I help you with?
What age should bulls and heifers be bred for the first time?
Bulls can reach puberty by the time they are 8 months of age, but most are put in with the breeding herd by the time they are 12 months of age. Heifers reach puberty by the time they are 10 to 12 months of age, but most heifers are not bred until they are 15 months old. Of course the breed of the bulls and heifers depends on when they reach puberty and/or when they should be used for producing offspring.
What age should you start putting your bulls with your heifers?
When the heifers are at least 14 months old, you can put yearling bulls (15-20 heifers per bull for yearlings) in with them. Don't put your big mature bulls in with your heifers as this could cause problems later on.
How young can a Holstein bull calf breed thought banded but not now have young heifers with him not old enough to be breed?
A Holstein bull calf reaches puberty between 9 and 12 months of age, at which is the time that he starts showing interest in cows and heifers. If he's younger than that, then there's no need to worry. And, if the heifers have not reached puberty themselves (which occurs at around 12 months of age), then they will not get bred by this young Holstein bull. So no need to worry. However, you will have to pull him out before you suspect the heifers will start to show their first signs of estrus, if you intend to keep him in with the girls for a fair period of time. Oh and make sure he DOES get banded this time. It's best to band him before he reaches puberty. Most calves are banded at birth, or between 2 and 6 months of age.
My heifer had twins is that common?
No, it is not common for heifers (first-time mothers) to have twins. It is more common for mature cows to have twins. Twins in heifers can pose challenges in terms of care and nutrition for both the heifer and the calves. It is important to monitor them closely and seek advice from a veterinarian.
What is puberty in cattle?
Puberty in cattle is the same for humans: it is the time when a heifer or bull begins to become more receptive to the possibility of conceiving offspring, due to the fact their reproductive organs start reaching maturity and their secondary sexual characteristics begin to develop. Sexual maturity is when the reproductive organs reach maturity enough that a heifer is old enough to conceive or a bull is old enough to start breeding heifers and cows. Age of puberty in cattle is highly dependent on the breed and how selective for fertility a producer is for his/her cow-calf herd. Heifers in herds that have high fertility have been known to start puberty as early as 4 or 5 months of age. Other herds or breeds may not see heifers beginning puberty until they're between 9 to 12 months of age. Brahman and zebu cattle may have heifers beginning puberty as late as 15 to 20 months of age. The latter breeds often don't see heifers being bred to calve until they're around 24 or 25 months old. The former often have a rule of thumb with having heifers not to be bred until they're 15 months of age. However, some breeders of the more highly fertile herds may find that they have no issues with breeding heifers a few months younger. Of course this is all down to the producer's discretion and management goals.
Should first time heifer be brought in for freshening when temps are in the teens?
Yes, if the heifer has not calved yet and is close she should be brought to the barn so she does not calve outside, and can receive the care needed when she does give birth. It is important that first time heifers be milked regularly, regardless of the temperature. This will decrease the risk of mastitis, milk production, and get her used to the milking process.
What age should bulls and heifers be bred for the first time?
Bulls can reach puberty by the time they are 8 months of age, but most are put in with the breeding herd by the time they are 12 months of age. Heifers reach puberty by the time they are 10 to 12 months of age, but most heifers are not bred until they are 15 months old. Of course the breed of the bulls and heifers depends on when they reach puberty and/or when they should be used for producing offspring.
What rhymes with have a good time?
Calve a snood's mime
Why are heifers ready to calve called springers?
It's most likely because, historically, all the cows were bred so that they calved in the spring. Thus, when a cow or heifer was close to calving, it was "coincidence" that it was spring time that the females were ready to give birth, thus the term "springer" was adopted.
Can cows calve at any time during the year?
Yes.
If a cow is bred on time how often should she calve?
Once a year.
What is the legal time frame to vaccinate heifers for Brucellosis?
Heifers should be vaccinated for Bang's Disease (or Brucellosis) when they are between 2 and 10 months of age.
How much difference does it make on when you breed your cows?
Farmers usually try to breed their cows at 15 months of age for the heifers or girls, and possibly a bit younger for the bulls or boys. It is best to allow heifers enough time to have had their first oestrus cycle, which is usually a 'silent' or unobservable cycle, before mating or inseminating them. This usually results in more pregnancies than if they are mated during their first cycle. This is related to hormone levels. If cows are bred at a very old age, they may not successfully get pregnant, may abort throughout the pregnancy, may not produce as healthy a calf or may herself have health problems as a result. Higher pregnancy levels result in less costs to impregnate the cows, and less costs of feeding those who have aborted for another year before you can inseminate them again. This is because farmers want their herds to be synchronised and to calve at about the same time so they can predict when they need to help with calving, vaccinating, and so forth. If you were referring to "when" as in "what time of the year" to mate the cows, it would depend on when you would want your cows to calve. This means finding out when the pasture they are on, if that is the case, has the most quality and quantity to be able to support them all. This is also cost-important!
Should you keep heifers out of heifers?
No. All offspring from first-calf heifers should be sold because they are just going to be too small to be any good as replacements. I'd wait until your first-calvers are older, like after they've had their second calf to consider keeping any replacements from them. You may have an opportunity to keep some heifers as replacements from second calvers, but you're better off keeping heifers from cows that have proven time and time again to produce good keeper-quality calves. First-calvers are still growing when they have their second calf, and loose their baby teeth after this time. This growth and teeth-replacement period is quite stressful on both mom and baby, and as a result the calf isn't going to be gaining well because of these stressors. Besides, this first-calf heifer isn't a proven dam yet, so it is better to ship her offspring and give her a second (or third) chance to redeem herself and produce a better calf. By the time she has weaned her first and had her second, her adult teeth would've grown back and she would've finally reached maturity. Mature cows tend to give bigger, and better calves than first-calf heifers do.
What age should you start putting your bulls with your heifers?
When the heifers are at least 14 months old, you can put yearling bulls (15-20 heifers per bull for yearlings) in with them. Don't put your big mature bulls in with your heifers as this could cause problems later on.
Are heifers dangerous?
They can be, but not as much as a young bull that has just entered puberty. Heifers, if treated well, can be quite docile and well-mannered. This, of course, may change during and after calving time because of the hormones coursing through them, and their first experiences with ever having a calf. You may find heifers that are more scared and flighty of you than them being aggressive. When they are cornered in a small corral where they have nowhere to escape, that's when they can turn dangerous.
When do young heifers go into estrus for the first time?
There are a few factors involved, care of the animal will play a part. Typically it depends on maturity of the reproductive tract, but also on body condition and genetics. Most heifers will begin their initial cycling at around 11 to 12 months, however this is not always the case with breeds that are early maturing such as Jerseys, Dexter, Gelbvieh and Galloway, which may start coming into heat around 8 to 9 months of age. Late maturing breeds such as Brahman will find heifers going into first heat at 15 months. Other late maturing breeds like Charolias, Chianina and Limousin will have heifers going into their first eat between 13 and 15 months of age. Malnourished animals or those in poor body condition will have a delayed first estrus, but overly fat heifers will also come into heat for the first time later than those that are in normal condition. Genetics also play a role in determining the start of puberty for heifers. Some breeders select for cattle within a certain breed they're raising to be more early maturing than the breed average.
