Walks Alone Calving help - updated with pics

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Davidsonranch

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Dec 2, 2011
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Day 8 overdue.  Three inches of snow, miserable outside and still no calve. 

Quick question for everyone.  Usually when you start seeing significant amounts of mucus or clear "stringers" hanging out my experience is stuff is starting to happen.  This cow has been doing this for about 5 days now.  My wife swears some if it was pink or bloody colored, but I've not seen that.  Yesterday everything was looking like we were moving in the right direction, showing signs of springing, etc.  But today, back to normal. Still eating like a horse, chewing her cud, doing nothing.
 

GoWyo

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We synched and bred 12 head AI with March 31-April 1 due dates.  A couple have calved and some look like they are a week or more away yet.  Have a feeling the Angus cows bred Angus will have a few question marks on whether they are AI sired or my own bull sired.  The Angus cows in previous years have been generally right on time or up to two weeks early -- never late before.  The clubby bred ones will be easy to tell apart. 

I watched these cows twice a day for 25 days after AI and none of them cycled back in the first 3 weeks after AI (one cycled about 45 days later).  Very few have calved early, about a third are on time and the rest will be late.  One slipped her calf 25 days early -- I would rather have late.
 

Davidsonranch

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Good point Chambero.  I figured if something was wrong or calf died, I would see some type of reaction by the cow.  She appears to be doing fine, eating well, etc.  I appreciate everyone's help and encouragement. 
 

TOP 50

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Aug 13, 2011
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We just had an angus cow go 7 days over to BIM so I stopped at the vet and picked up some Dex and when I got home she was calving. 91lb heifer born in under an hour and sucking in 30 min. So maybe pick up some Dex and she will start!
 

cowpoke

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My experience if you synchronize and breed 50[35/40 might settle] cows and it will take close to 21 days to get them all calved.Some can be ten days early and some will be 10 days late out of same bull.Usually the late ones are a little bigger.The best way to get a cow to calve is plan something you really want to do get ready and when you go to leave her tail and actions will tell you she is going to calve.I think I missed three Cattlemans banquets in a row.I sort off ten to 15 heavy cows and almost every time one or more in the pen left behind will calve.
 

Davidsonranch

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Thats funny. I keep telling my wife, "She's going to calve today!" and nothing happens.  I'm going to start my day tomorrow saying, "She's got 3 more days or so" and maybe she will calve :)
I seriously have to leave town on Thurs for work so I'll bet you money she will calve on Thursday morning.
 

cdl

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Feb 4, 2011
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I have had two WA calves so far, the first was 10 days late and 80lbs. the second was 15 days late and 105lbs. I began to question whether the calf would be WA or the angus clean up bull, but the only options were WA, 105lbs and 15 days late or angus 105lbs and 6 days early. the calf is hairy and big boned and looks clubby so at this point I am quite certain he is a WA.
 

Davidsonranch

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CDL good info thanks.  Talked to another buddy of mine today who had one WA go 17 days late with a 105 pound calf.  We are wrapping up day 9 overdue tonight.  Moving her to different pen so neighbor can check for me while I have to leave town tomorrow through the weekend.  I might not be able to report until next Monday, hopefully with some pics of a live calf!
 

ai er

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Yep, you can synchronize and breed 20 head on a weekend, and they'll take 3 weeks to calve. I bred a mature Maine x cow to WA, she ran 10 days over, and it was probably 100 lbs.  She worked hard to have it too.
 

Davidsonranch

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Well finally the calf is here.  2am this morning 12 days overdue and backwards. Extreme hard pull and had to get the vet. 105 pound heifer. Absolute giant. Brokle face with lots of chrome like mama. Will try to get picks soon.
 

kjd farms

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Cornwall, Prince Edward Island, Canada
Good to hear.  Congrats!

Because of the cold winter we've had our birthweights are about 10-15 lbs higher than usual compared to this time last year and previous years.  They're also higher than our November/December calves.  Of course 12 days makes a difference.
 

Warrior10

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Mason City, Ne
Davidsonranch said:
Well finally the calf is here.  2am this morning 12 days overdue and backwards. Extreme hard pull and had to get the vet. 105 pound heifer. Absolute giant. Brokle face with lots of chrome like mama. Will try to get picks soon.
Congrats! 12 days over and only 105lbs isn't really a giant in the clubby world! haha! Can't wait to see pics!
 

cowpoke

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Good job on getting live calf.Backwards calves with some size don't give you a lot of time .I have been told breech calves can be born unassisted especially in dairy herds but my experience has been to save them you need to mechanically pull them and not waste much time.105# is not really that big but shape and pelvic size makes a difference.We only have about 12 left and haven't really had much out of ordinary.I C-Sec 1 leg back 1 about 30 days early and a few heavy milkers that we had to make sure got nursing all quarters,and a couple cows from Canada that are so mean and protective of their calves even at close to 30 days old that we are getting rid of before someone gets hurt.They aren't bluffing and I cant let anyone strange near them.I carry a  sorting stick but one slip and I could be toast.Life is too short to put up with bitches like them around  no matter how good they are.
 

Davidsonranch

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So as I mentioned the Walks Alone heifer came 12 days late.  I posted that she weighed 105 pounds. I was out of town and I thought my father in law and vet actually weighed her, but they didn't.  They just guessed.  I hate to say it, but I think she was a little more than that.  But alive!  Cow was teeter tottering on prolapsing but it all looks good now.  Calf is very hearty.  Thought I would post some pics of her and tell me what you think. Pics were from this morning and calf is 5 days old or so.
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