How to know when a cow will calve, the signs and how many hours the contractions last

Milk from cows is formed to feed the calf. For lactation to take place, the cow must calve, give birth to a baby. Therefore, all livestock owners need to know how the pregnancy goes, how the birth (calving) of the cow proceeds. Correct behavior of the owner, caring for the animal before and after the birth of the calf will ensure high milk yield, help to avoid postpartum problems, and keep the cow and baby healthy.

What is calving

Pregnant cows are called pregnant (calf-bearing) cows. The natural end of pregnancy is childbirth, which in the animal is called calving. The generic process proceeds according to the usual scheme:

• begins with contractions, during which the cervix opens;
• during attempts, the fetus leaves the body through the birth canal.

By the behavior of the cow, one can understand that calving is approaching. The animal looks alarmed, prepares a place for itself. Contractions last several hours, the period of pushing is about an hour. Many factors affect calving duration:

• first births last longer than repeated;
• at the birth of twins, the process is delayed;
• small fruit comes out faster;
• weakened cows with problems calving longer during pregnancy.

Cows in most cases give birth on their own and do not need help. But experienced livestock breeders look after the woman in labor, keep track of the time and characteristics of calving. You should be concerned if calving is delayed:

• in primiparous lasts more than 12 hours;
• the rest of the cows have more than 10 hours.

The animal may need the help of a veterinarian, it is better to invite him in advance. In some cows, calving lasts longer, but there are no pathologies, this is within the acceptable limits, it is an individual characteristic of the animal.

How the fetus develops

With the intrauterine development of the calf, there is a constant increase in body weight, the development of organs and systems. The physiological norm at birth is considered to be a baby's weight of 30-40 kilograms, in large breeds - 50 kilograms.

Fetal weight gain table:

The bulk of the fetus is gaining in the last 2-3 months of pregnancy, the belly of the cow increases before our eyes, it becomes difficult for her to walk. In first-calf heifers and twin pregnancies, fetuses may develop more slowly. Calves born in twins are often low in weight, they have to be nursed, milked for longer.

How many days does a cow walk before calving

A variety of factors affect the duration and course of pregnancy. The average period is determined at 285 days, that is, 9 months.The norm is the time deviation from these indicators in both directions, that is, 240-311 days.

The duration of pregnancy depends on the following circumstances:

• conditions of detention - feeding, care, launch;
• breed of cow;
• which calving in a row - heifers wear longer.

According to statistics, heifers are born a day or two earlier than bulls. Often the exact date of conception is unknown, so the duration and duration of pregnancy are determined approximately.

Early calving occurs no more often than in 4-6% of cases. The following reasons can provoke an early birth:

• poor care;
• large fruit;
• high loads;
• hormonal problems in the cow.

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If the pregnancy lasted less than 140 days, the calf is born unviable, it is impossible to leave it. The case is considered a miscarriage.

To determine the calving date, a calendar is used, which lists the dates of birth with a known date of insemination and an average indicator of the duration of pregnancy.

How many cows can walk

Prolonged pregnancy occurs in cows in 10% of cases. Burenki walk around for various reasons:

• slow fetal development caused by hormonal abnormalities;
• features of the body;
• stress.

On large cattle farms, full-time experts monitor pregnant cows regularly. In households, a veterinarian is called in with a delay of 10 days. The doctor will examine the animal to identify pathologies. If the pregnancy lasts 311 days or more, urgent specialist intervention is needed so as not to lose the cow and calf.

How to determine the calving date

Finding out the date of the expected birth is important for the owner - you need to launch in a timely manner, in the future this will help to find out if the cow is walking. To determine the calving time, 2 methods are traditionally used - the above calendar and the calculation by the formula.

The calendar table is compiled at 5-day intervals. It is also convenient to use it to determine the launch dates.

The date can be determined using the formula:

D = (H + 11) (M-3), where

D - calving day;

H - date of insemination (number);

M is the month of mating.

Let's consider how to do the calculations. The cow is covered on September 10 (09/10). H = 10, M = 9. We insert into the formula: D = (10 + 11) (9-3), that is, 21.06. June 21 is the expected calving date. If the amount is more than the possible number of days in a month, subtract 30, and increase the month by 1.

If insemination occurred from January to March, 12 is added to the month number in the calculation.

How to understand that a cow is giving birth

The fact that calving will soon begin can be understood by the behavior of the cow and a number of external signs that are harbingers of childbirth. The room must be prepared in advance, since the formula and table use averaged indicators of the duration of pregnancy, which in reality may be shorter.

External signs of early calving:

1. Relaxed and pliable tie under the tail. Relaxation is sometimes observed as early as 2 weeks before delivery. Then the cord strengthens, but a few hours before calving, it softens again, becomes mobile.
2. Puffiness, smoothing of the labia.
3. The abdomen drops noticeably.
4. The udder is poured, it becomes larger. Colostrum emerges from the nipples. A clear viscous liquid begins to come out 2-3 days before giving birth, sometimes several hours after calving.
5. The plug that closes the cervix begins to dissolve and leave the vagina 1-2 days before delivery. Outwardly, it looks like sticky mucus, tourniquets, leashes hanging down.
6. Examination by the rectal method reveals a shortening of the neck.

With the approach of childbirth, the cow becomes fearful, behaves restlessly, fusses, constantly looks back at her butt. In the pasture, he tries to go aside, to find a secluded place. The animal is prepared in a stall measuring 3.5x3.5 meters, with a height of about 2 meters. All surfaces and sawdust are cleaned in advance, treated with disinfectants.

During normal childbirth, the animal does not need help. In anticipation of a quick calving, the cow is washed with a solution of laundry soap. The woman in labor usually lies on her side, although many animals that give birth many times prefer to calve while standing.

While the contractions last, the cow does not need to be frightened by the constant presence, noise. Experienced livestock breeders visit the woman in labor once an hour to monitor the time and progress of calving, to understand the need for help.

Contractions become more frequent, the neck fully opens, attempts begin. A bubble appears from the vagina, in it, putting the head on the front legs, there is a calf. If the bladder does not rupture, it is cut with a sterile instrument.

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If within half an hour after the water has departed, the fetus does not come out, the cow needs help. The veterinarian also helps if the calf is walking on its hind legs or the cow has twins. For 2 hours after calving, the cow has time to rest; colostrum milked at this time is especially useful for the baby.

Rules for the care of a pregnant cow

The first months of pregnancy, the embryo grows slowly, the cow does not need enhanced nutrition. The diet is not increased, the emphasis is on completeness and balance. For feeding use:

• roughage - hay, haylage, straw (30-60% of the diet);
• juicy - silage, root crops;
• concentrated - compound feed, cake, bran.

Additionally, the following dressings are given daily:

• phosphorus (8 grams);
• calcium (10 grams);
• chalk (50 grams);
• table salt (20-30 grams).

The diet is supplemented with glucose. Frozen and rotten food is excluded. They monitor compliance with the drinking regime, drink 2-4 times a day. In winter, the diet is supplemented with pine flour and branches.

Reference: a deficiency of vitamins, microelements can provoke fetal pathologies and miscarriage.

In the summer, cows are kept on free grazing, choosing places where the animal can hide from the sun. They are driven to the watering place 2-3 times a day.

2 months before the calving date, cows are transferred to dead wood (start-up), juicy and other feeds that stimulate milk production are excluded from the diet. In highly productive breeds, the number of milkings is gradually reduced (brought to 1), in unproductive species, milking is stopped altogether.

In the last weeks of pregnancy, it is important:

• do not overfeed the cows to avoid problems at the hotel;
• walk up to 3 hours a day so that there are no difficulties in labor;
• monitor udder health after start-up to prevent mastitis.

Underfeeding and overfeeding pregnant cows is equally harmful - this leads to difficult calving, and subsequently becomes the cause of barrenness.

Possible problems

Some of the most common hotel problems include:

1. Delaying labor - within an hour after the opening of the cervix, the fetus should come out.
2. The child's place does not come out (afterbirth). The woman in labor pushes, and the placenta is not expelled. You will need human help. Then you need to decompose the afterbirth and check the integrity.
3. With breech presentation of the fetus, the mother is helped by pulling the calf by the legs. If the bubble hangs, the animal cannot push the fetus out, the calf is pulled, synchronizing the actions with attempts.
4. In case of twins, the veterinarian is invited in advance - the legs of the calves are often confused, they themselves will not come out.

Inexperienced livestock breeders at the time of calving need to enlist the support of a veterinarian in advance in order to urgently call a specialist or consult by phone if necessary.

The future productivity of the animal and the health of the cow and baby largely depend on the course of pregnancy and calving in a cow.Calving usually takes place naturally, but a person should know how to prepare the animal for childbirth, how to help with possible problems.