Look...I'm not trying to be a jerk. So I'm sorry if I came across that way. And I don't know it all...but raising cattle requires some patience, some faith, some common sense, and sometimes a little luck. We've all lost some...if you're gonna have em, you're gonna lose one now and then. And I know that reality doesn't make it any easier when it happens. I take it hard every time.
I hear people on this site talking about inducing all the time, and it kinda goes against everything I believe. I don't even like to hear about inducing human babies, and people do that ALL the time! I don't think it's usually necessary...that's just my opinion. I'll tell you about the one experience I have with inducing a cow, and I think then you'll understand why I'm so against it.
Somebody I knew fairly well induced a cow a few years ago based on advice from his vet. He was worried that the cow was a few days over due, and the vet advised him to induce her. It just happened that I was going over to his house for dinner than night, and he had been waiting for a while for labor to start. After dinner, the cow still didn't seem to be progressing, so he asked me to check her. I couldn't tell exactly what was going on, but I knew it wasn't right. We called the vet. The vet said she probably hadn't dilated, and that if she wasn't dilated before she was induced, then the shot he gave her would induce labor without dilating her cervix. He had failed to share that part before he told him to induce her...so now she was in labor, and the calf couldn't fit through the cow's cervix.
The vet ended up coming out, and sure enough, the cow was in labor, but her cervix was not dilated. There was no way for the calf to get out. I asked the vet didn't this need to be a C-section, and he said probably so, but that he didn't do C-sections. By this time, it was late at night; there was no way this situation wasn't going to be bad. I won't even go into the details after that because it was the most inhumane thing I've ever witnessed. I cried in disbelief, but there was nothing I could do. The cow died.
I've had cattle all my life. Some things are second nature to me that I know I take for granted are common sense for everybody. Inducing is not something I would ever recommend, and if you think you have an extraordinary case that requires drastic measures, then please make sure you have a qualified person there who knows what he or she is doing. Most cattle will deliver within a week of their due date, either early or late. I've had them be as much as 10 or 12 days early or late, but they rarely are further away from the target date than that. Some genetics are different, and management definitely plays a huge role in calving problems, but I doubt it has as much to do with gestation as genetics does. That's anybody's guess.
It always pays to watch heifers closely, especially as they get near their due date or go over. And yes...the further over they are, the better the chance that the calf might be bigger or that she may need some help. But the fact that one is a few days over does not AUTOMATICALLY mean the calf will be big or that she'll need help. My advice is to watch her even closer. If you're especially anxious about it, I would say check on her every four to six hours; the more often you see her, the better the chance that you'll know exactly what's going on and when and if you might need to intervene. It might take a first-calf-heifer about 4 hours from the onset of labor until delivery, so don't panic or get in a hurry. But you should see progress...if she goes an hour or two and nothing seems to be changing, it's time to think about a game plan. Especially after the water breaks...things should move along, but still...it takes a little time. and 5 or 10 minutes seems like FOREVER! Try to have a clock or watch and know how much time has gone by, and try not to panic. Try to understand what "textbook" is and then be prepared by knowing how and when to respond if you're in a situation that isn't "textbook" delivery. That's the best thing you can do for you and for your cattle.
Again...I apologize if I came across like a know-it-all jerk. I'm not. And I do understand being anxious and nervous...I've had cattle for years, and I still feel that way about almost every baby we have! Good luck...I hope you just wake up one sunny morning and find em up and nursing with their little tail wagging!