Gestation length in cattle

[choochter]

Calved a number of heifers this autumn, all calved at their time but one heifer went 7 days overdue (i.e. over 284 days).
If I put her in calf again is she likely to do the same thing? Or likely to go even more overdue as a cow?

 

[Henarar]

Calved a number of heifers this autumn, all calved at their time but one heifer went 7 days overdue (i.e. over 284 days).
If I put her in calf again is she likely to do the same thing? Or likely to go even more overdue as a cow?

all to the same bull ?

 

[Sharpy]

In our experience bull calves tend to be later than estimated date, heifers tend to be earlier. Also continental cattle tend to have longer gestations.

 

[Al R]

Different breeds have different gestations.
Oddly enough and my wife doesn’t like me talking about it but women are extremely closely linked with a lot of things like this, milk yield is quite hereditary, ease of birth, ovulation cycles and gestation periods, some mammals will always give birth a few days pre term, others will be bang on and others will hold on as long as they can (295 days isn’t uncommon in people)

 

[MissSteak]

Different breeds have different gestations.
Oddly enough and my wife doesn’t like me talking about it but women are extremely closely linked with a lot of things like this, milk yield is quite hereditary, ease of birth, ovulation cycles and gestation periods, some mammals will always give birth a few days pre term, others will be bang on and others will hold on as long as they can (295 days isn’t uncommon in people)

It's fascinating isn't it. I am from a bad calving line, born early by ceaser. I've always thought many female human breeding lines have hereditary traits. Funnily enough my pregnant friends don't want to discuss this either!

 

[Al R]

It's fascinating isn't it. I am from a bad calving line, born early by ceaser. I've always thought many female human breeding lines have hereditary traits. Funnily enough my pregnant friends don't want to discuss this either!

I first bought it up with the midwives while my wife was calving and a few surgeons/ high ranked doctors while there wasn’t much to talk about in the middle of the night.
We came to the conclusion that a girl is best to give birth at the age of 18-21 as the bodies shape(pelvis and hips) can move more for childbirth, they did agree that women in their 30’s and definetly 40’s having their first child almost always had caesarean’s. I did explain that you wouldn’t calve a first time cow at 4 years old, 3 year old you know will be trouble but a 2 year old heifer will bounce back and thrive through life.

 

[AGN76]

What I learnt this year, is if you put a long gestation bull onto a cow sired by a long gestation bull, you end up waiting a long time!

 

[MissSteak]

I first bought it up with the midwives while my wife was calving and a few surgeons/ high ranked doctors while there wasn’t much to talk about in the middle of the night.
We came to the conclusion that a girl is best to give birth at the age of 18-21 as the bodies shape(pelvis and hips) can move more for childbirth, they did agree that women in their 30’s and definetly 40’s having their first child almost always had caesarean’s. I did explain that you wouldn’t calve a first time cow at 4 years old, 3 year old you know will be trouble but a 2 year old heifer will bounce back and thrive through life.

That's very interesting. I guess the pelvic bones must still be more flexible, then harden up/set into shape in 30s and 40s?? I have wide hips but I think I'd end up with a ceaser if I was calving. I'm from two generations of ceaser already.

I have often wondering that we are breeding lines of humans from bad calving lines and low fertility. Polar opposite of commercial animal breeding traits.

 

[MissSteak]

Sorry OP I've hijacked your topic.

 

[choochter]

all to the same bull ?

all to same bull, most of the cows as well, and last year, to same bull, no trouble

just checked my records, her mother only went 4 days over once, and that was a bull calf
her granny always calved on time

what I really want to understand is whether, or not, it might be in her genetics to have a long gestation length
which would represent an elevated risk of trouble in the future

 

[neilo]

That's very interesting. I guess the pelvic bones must still be more flexible, then harden up/set into shape in 30s and 40s?? I have wide hips but I think I'd end up with a ceaser if I was calving. I'm from two generations of ceaser already.

I have often wondering that we are breeding lines of humans from bad calving lines and low fertility. Polar opposite of commercial animal breeding traits.

I should keep quiet about that on here. Most in the sheepy threads would have that down as a culling offence.

I have no knowledge of your pelvic structure (post a pic if you wish) but, as with sheep or cattle, some just aren’t structured for easy birthing, as well as some having more muscling around that area.
Mrs NeilO only had one contraction before her CS, which we weren’t particularly surprised about. She’s not got wide hips and has always muscled easily, so an easy calving was always unlikely.

 

[John Chance]

We see significant differences between bulls of different breeds over single breed cows. At the extreme this gets to close to being a full cycle for getting in calf again. Can have an impact on keeping calving tight the next year.

 

[Henarar]

all to same bull, most of the cows as well, and last year, to same bull, no trouble

just checked my records, her mother only went 4 days over once, and that was a bull calf
her granny always calved on time

what I really want to understand is whether, or not, it might be in her genetics to have a long gestation length
which would represent an elevated risk of trouble in the future

was it a heifer or bull calf ?
are you saying she calved at 291 ?
we work of a chart that's 285 days but they seem to calve before that,
did she calve ok ? if so it would be interesting to see if she did go longer for a second year

 

[choochter]

my herd average is 284 if a heifer calf and 288 if a bull calf
291 days risks a bigger calf doesn't it?
what triggers the (late) onset of labour?

 

[multi power]

Hefiers here seem to have a few days shorter gestation than cows
But most of it is down to the bull
I'd suggest if you don't have to breed from the longer gestation hefier then just fatten her

 

[multi power]

That's very interesting. I guess the pelvic bones must still be more flexible, then harden up/set into shape in 30s and 40s?? I have wide hips but I think I'd end up with a ceaser if I was calving. I'm from two generations of ceaser already.

I have often wondering that we are breeding lines of humans from bad calving lines and low fertility. Polar opposite of commercial animal breeding traits.

You better be sure to pick a very easy calving bull

 

[Aspiring Peasant]

I had 2 blue heifers calve in September who were both AI'd on the same day to the same bull (Lodge Hamlet). They calved 5 days apart both with heifer calves so this makes me think the female side must have been the reason for the difference.

 

[shearerlad]

Sometimes I wonder about gestation length and calving ebvs.
For instance, 4th calver was 279 days, 5th calver was 295 days, both ai’ed to Netherhall Jackpot

 

[Whitepeak]

my herd average is 284 if a heifer calf and 288 if a bull calf
291 days risks a bigger calf doesn't it?
what triggers the (late) onset of labour?

Longer gestation doesn’t always mean a bigger calf or a difficult calving. We reckon that our Blondes always go over by 7-10days compared to when we had Holstein Friesians, however the vast majority calve unassisted and have small/average sized lively calves.

 

[choochter]

Sometimes I wonder about gestation length and calving ebvs.
For instance, 4th calver was 279 days, 5th calver was 295 days, both ai’ed to Netherhall JackpotView attachment 740594

Two of the steers I am finihsing just now are by Kaprico eravelle. I specifically chose this bull for the 2 heifers because of his short gestation length ebv - one heifer was 5 days overdue and the other 7 days overdue.
This year they calved to my Baz bull, one was on time , the other was 3 days over