16month in calf heifer

jd6110

Member
As title getting ready to let cattle out an noticed limo heifer springin and heavy🤔😩 of course she’s not the biggest and def not the quietest. What would ye recommend to feed her wit till she calves were guessin month plus or minus away? Hav some hay left an could leave her on bare paddock but she prob b on own far from ideal I kno. Would oats or barley b ok as to give as a means of taming her?
 

tr250

Member
Location
Northants
As title getting ready to let cattle out an noticed limo heifer springin and heavy🤔😩 of course she’s not the biggest and def not the quietest. What would ye recommend to feed her wit till she calves were guessin month plus or minus away? Hav some hay left an could leave her on bare paddock but she prob b on own far from ideal I kno. Would oats or barley b ok as to give as a means of taming her?
What are the rest of the bunch getting ?
 

jd6110

Member
What are the rest of the bunch getting ?
Rest of bunch goin to grass usually sell September time. Cant let her to grass but mayb bare paddock. so basically wondering what to give to settle temperament and not over feedin her. wouldn like leavin her in shed on own for another month but may have to.
 

JSmith

Member
Livestock Farmer
Either feed it nothing or sell it as sold as seen an had a night out unsupervised!! They tend to calve alright though, what could it be incalf to, or don’t we know? If your gonna keep it I would give it the minimum possible until it has calved!!
 

Agrivator

Member
As others have said, the kindest solution is to induce it.

The modern fad for calving heifers at two years is fine if they are well grown and under good supervision. But calving heifers too young, sometimes younger than two, causes far too many welfare and financial difficulties.
 

tr250

Member
Location
Northants
As others have said, the kindest solution is to induce it.

The modern fad for calving heifers at two years is fine if they are well grown and under good supervision. But calving heifers too young, sometimes younger than two, causes far too many welfare and financial difficulties.
Wouldn’t call 2 years a modern fad dad always calved at 2 all my lifetime
 

Werzle

Member
Location
Midlands
As title getting ready to let cattle out an noticed limo heifer springin and heavy🤔😩 of course she’s not the biggest and def not the quietest. What would ye recommend to feed her wit till she calves were guessin month plus or minus away? Hav some hay left an could leave her on bare paddock but she prob b on own far from ideal I kno. Would oats or barley b ok as to give as a means of taming her?
Bare paddock, some hay , a companion and some luck. Handfull of oats wouldnt hurt to help get her used to you. Main thing will be to keep an eye on her if she needs help calving, not easy this time of year when your busy. I wouldnt bother inducing her tbh
 
If it's small, and say incalf to its dad i.e. Limmy, I would consider booking the vet for 3 weeks time and get it out the side door. I know it costs but calves are apparently a good trade, this way you get two live animals a calf after five or six weeks worth selling and a hf that will gone on and come to something.
 

Blaithin

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Alberta
Why induce it and lose the calf? Moms already going to be a bit stunted and need to catch up for carrying a third trimester baby. No point losing the calf on purpose. Watch her closely, if you can get at all close to the due date (work with the vet on that maybe) then you can try and induce her so you’re in control of when the labour happens if the vet is needed.

I’ve done that for a c section before. Didn’t want heifer calving while I was at work and I was fairly certain there’d be issues. Told the vet my concerns, I knew her breeding date so was confident the calf wouldn’t be too premie, got the shots (estrumate and dex), induced her and had her in at the vet within regular working hours. No emergency call fee and 2 am pissing around.

Of course you want to be fairly certain calf is far enough along and you aren’t pulling the trigger too soon. Vet may be able to help out with palpate and checking calf placement.

Agree she needs a buddy. The calmest, chillest one you can find preferably. Any older cows handy that know the bucket for a treat routine and don’t give a damn when you walk through their circle? Can treat her with a couple handfuls of grain to try and use bribery for calming down. Wouldn’t want to give her too much but a bit to get her tastebuds excited shouldn’t hurt anything.
 

Anymulewilldo

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Cheshire
Last one we had I’d got a fair idea when it had been served. Rang vet, she advised inducing 1 week before due. Did that, calf that big we needed a c section but all went too plan and the heifer went on to be alright. She was flighty as hell before calving but is a right chilled cow now.

Agree she needs a mate in the shed or paddock. As said a quiet old cow would be ideal but not always possible.

Bit of soaked beet pulp? Sweet and filling without pumping the calf up too much?
 

tr250

Member
Location
Northants
Personally I’d feed her plenty she is growing so won’t be putting it all into the calf, last thing you want is a young heifer with no milk I’d rather have a c section than that. I wouldn’t bother injuceing her either as from my experience they tend to hold their cleanse. The real skill will be when she’s calving whether you pull the calf or not. We have got 2 or 3 cows in the herd that were caught some calve a lot better than you might imagine
 
Personally I’d feed her plenty she is growing so won’t be putting it all into the calf, last thing you want is a young heifer with no milk I’d rather have a c section than that. I wouldn’t bother injuceing her either as from my experience they tend to hold their cleanse. The real skill will be when she’s calving whether you pull the calf or not. We have got 2 or 3 cows in the herd that were caught some calve a lot better than you might imagine
If you can, get her a pre-calver mineral block to ensure she's getting right minerals - expensive but cheaper than c. section
 

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