We have a Dexter cow which has successfully calved twice before. We bred her last spring, and the breeding didn't take. We bred her again during the summer, and it apparently DID take. However, after a few months, she started having "heat" cycles every three weeks, in which she would bellow and be mounted, yet whenever I checked her the vulva wasn't swollen and she wasn't dripping. This last "heat" cycle, however, she did look slightly swollen and had some mucus. She LOOKS pregnant, is getting fatter and all, but these apparent cycles have me concerned. Does anyone have experience with a cow which supposedly maintains "false" cycles while actually being pregnant?

Thanks, Patrice

-- Patrice (dldesigns@wave.net), March 01, 2002

Answers

Wandered the same thing about my wife...

Here we go with #4 right behind #3! I'm very happy though!

-- Mike in Pa (smfine@yahoo.com), March 01, 2002.

Patrice, yes they can show false heat, but the ones I see are usually not too "loud". You just see some casual jumping. All cows are different, though, so that might just be the way yours is.

If she was bred last summer you should easily be able to feel the calf in her now if she has one. Go to her right side and put your fist against her abdomen in front of her udder and in back of her ribs and push in lightly but quickly. This is called "bumping" for a calf. Anytime after five months you should be able to feel the calf. If you feel something hard that moves away, this is generally their head. If the calf is very young yet, close to the five month time, they can get away from you inside the cow, so you only have about one or two chances to bump the calf at a time. It may take some experience to feel them this early, as well. As the calf gets older, say around seven months when you are checking them to be sure of pregnancy before drying them off, the calf is very easily felt, and can't really get away from you. It's really obvious at that point. If your Dexter caught last summer you should be able to feel her calf by this time. Hope that helps.

-- Jennifer L. (Northern NYS) (jlance@nospammail.com), March 01, 2002.

Yes - cows can still show signs of oestrus while they are pregnant. Your description of how she stopped cycling for a while and then started again makes me more than a little suspicious that she has lost the pregnancy. Either get her pregnancy tested - if she is empty you can get her rebred and pregnant. Or you can sit it out and see if she produces a calf at her due date - if she doesn't you have wasted a few months!

Manual preg test via the rectum by an experienced palpator, or you can try balotting the foetus from the right side. Put your hand low on the belly on her right side (just in front of her hind leg) Then with a punch like action push on her belly suddenly - release it but keep your hand on the belly - you may be lucky enough to feel the calf bounce back against your hand!! Not feeling it does not necessarily mean she is not pregnant.

To be sure I suggest a vet check - but I guess you have to weigh up the cost versus the "knowing for sure"!!! Good Luck

-- Cowvet (cowvet_nz@hotmail.com), March 02, 2002.

Thank you all for the replies. I checked our calendar, and the breeding that didn't "take" was last summer; the successful breeding was actually in October, so she's not as far along as I led you to believe. Her due date is July 18. She's shy enough that she won't let me palpate her abdomen (she settles down nicely when milking, though), but she does look bulge-y on her flanks just in front of the hip bones, so I'm hopeful. All around (no pun intended) she just LOOKS pregnant. Here's to hoping...she gives wonderful milk!

-- Patrice (dldesigns@wave.net), March 02, 2002.