# Well she made it to May! Pics page 2



## kelsey2017 (Feb 23, 2012)

I have asked a few questions in the past about whether or not my heifer was even bred, now it is pretty obvious.  Now I am wondering if she is not due sooner.  I have a vet appt for the first week in March but I thought I would share some photos with you all here and see what you think.  I realize that my camera is super crappy but she definitely has an udder and she looks big in the belly to me. What do you all think?
She was not terribly cooperative so here goes.









Her big belly




and her face just because it is cute





What she looked like in Sep 2011, just for belly comparision


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## dreamriver (Feb 23, 2012)

Howdy,  hard to say.   95% of my girls will definitely get WAY more of an udder with 'strutting' where the teats are engorged, stick out and don't 'wiggle' is usually a very good sign that w/in a day or two they will go.  The vulva also gets swollen and jiggly and may have some discharge increasing as they get closer to calving.


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## redtailgal (Feb 23, 2012)

Heifers make it hard to tell, lol.  She may strut before she delivers, but she may not.  Alot of our's dont strut out until after delivery of IMMEDIATELY before.

That being said, I dont think she is very close, her belly is forward and high, and even in a heifer I would espect to see more udder developement that that (esp with a dairy breed).

IF you get a chance to take a pic of her "girly parts" post them on here, we might could give you a better idea then.  As she gets closer her vulva will change.  YOu will notice it looking loose and floppy, the opening will get longer, and it may actually hang down a little.


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## kelsey2017 (Apr 18, 2012)

Well, I think I am getting to see what you all mean about the 'changes' that happen.  I walked into the barn this afternoon and Kjersten (my Heifer) had a weird look on her face and looked like she was breathing fast.   Her girly parts are now, not just swollen, but jiggly and totally puffed out.  Also her teats are not floppy and the front of her udder is filling! I thought she looked a little anxious but I had work to do in the barn and she hung out for a while and then went outside and laid down.  When I was done (we decided we better get the calf warming hut put up) I went out to her where she was laying and she was much more mellow but when she got up she was kinda humping her back and looking uncomfortable.  I have not gotten the chance to go back out yet and see how she is but the kids are just finally falling asleep.   I hope everything goes well, I have read everything I could but that is hardly reassuring, I am digging out the sleeping bag and I might camp in the barn tonight.

Tell me though, why, when we have been having the most lovely warm spring she has to go into labor when it is freezing cold out, blowing wind and raining? Darn you and your crazy laws Murphy!

I hope I see feet, I hope I see feet!


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## Cricket (Apr 19, 2012)

Well???  I've heard that the drop in barometric pressure can trigger birthing.  I wonder if it's anything to do with predators laying low (er) hopefully in really bad weather?  Good luck!


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## Stubbornhillfarm (Apr 19, 2012)

Very exciting!  Keep us posted!


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## rd200 (Apr 19, 2012)

kelsey2017 said:
			
		

> Well, I think I am getting to see what you all mean about the 'changes' that happen.  I walked into the barn this afternoon and Kjersten (my Heifer) had a weird look on her face and looked like she was breathing fast.   Her girly parts are now, not just swollen, but jiggly and totally puffed out.  Also her teats are not floppy and the front of her udder is filling! I thought she looked a little anxious but I had work to do in the barn and she hung out for a while and then went outside and laid down.  When I was done (we decided we better get the calf warming hut put up) I went out to her where she was laying and she was much more mellow but when she got up she was kinda humping her back and looking uncomfortable.  I have not gotten the chance to go back out yet and see how she is but the kids are just finally falling asleep.   I hope everything goes well, I have read everything I could but that is hardly reassuring, I am digging out the sleeping bag and I might camp in the barn tonight.
> 
> Tell me though, why, when we have been having the most lovely warm spring she has to go into labor when it is freezing cold out, blowing wind and raining? Darn you and your crazy laws Murphy!
> 
> I hope I see feet, I hope I see feet!


 you totally have me laughing  "her girly parts" . Yes, sometimes i think... wow, that calf is going to literally come sliding out if mom coughs!!!!!!! That's the way nature intended it to be i guess. 
I hope all is well... update us!!!!!


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## kelsey2017 (Apr 20, 2012)

Sort of a false alarm, which is a good thing because I have been down with the stomach flu since Thurs morn.  Her back is starting to sink down around the hips and and she seems a little grumpy, she is still readily eating and doing her cow stuff so maybe she is going to wait for the crappy weather to come back tomorrow.  My BF draught proofed the barn a little better and got our milking parlor under way.  So it is okay for her to dawdle a little since we weren't quite ready.  I finally have a good camera so I promise pics if you all want when the time comes.


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## redtailgal (Apr 20, 2012)

lol, she pulled a good one on you.

Sounds like she is getting close.  Watch her udder, it may get pretty big and even shiny.  Those girly parts may start to look like she needs a wheelbarrow behind her.  (GROSS ALERT) Most of ours will have some wet sloppy looking girly parts right before calving, and will "wink" at you when they walk.  By "winking", I mean that each time one of the hind legs moves forward, the, um, opening of the girly parts will spread out, allowing you to see a flash of red and at times, fluid will drip with each step.  Dont let the red freak you out, I've seen some heifers literally turn blood red or even purple in there before they deliver.

She may start pacing, laying down and getting up, even turning circles in the next day or so.  Her hips will show more and more, she may end up looking bony and half starved, lol.   And be very careful when handling her, they get the grumps pretty bad sometimes.

As for the back hunching, she has a lot of weight hanging off her back right now, and I suspect her back is aching a little.  By arching that back, she is doing several things......shifting the weight to a different spot, stretching sore tired muscles, AND helping to get that baby into position.

Get you a five gallon bucket, and a jar of molasses.  After she delivers, offer her a half a bucket of warm water with a cup or so of molasses in it, esp if it was a hard delivery.  Dont try to make her drink it, just let her know it's there.  It will help her gain some energy back faster, as well as give her a little iron boost.

Good luck, and I cant wait to see baby pics!


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## kelsey2017 (Apr 21, 2012)

I also got some CMPK gel to give before and after.  I was under the impression I should give it to her within 24 hours of delivery but that is kinda hard to figure out.  I thought I might give it to her after she gets kind of out of it (I mean thinking hard about her labor) Or should I just wait for the gross alert signs and see if I can give it to her then?

She was very calm tonight and was in the barn under the red heat lamp just chillin' out.  I put a red bulb in so I can peek at her and hopefully the light won't discourage her from birthing in the barn if she should do it at night. I just brushed her and rubbed her back awhile, she seemed to enjoy that.  I assumed the back arching was also just plain discomfort too, she looks pretty miserable at times.  I was wondering about locking her in at  night but she makes much more of a mess, I just hope she is smart enough to go in the barn.  She loves laying in there chewing her cud but I don't feed her inside unless it is really nasty weather.


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## redtailgal (Apr 21, 2012)

I wouldn't lock her in.  The pacing will help a heifer have an easier delivery.  She may walk and pace right up until she lays down to push, and confining her may make her tense and frustrated, leading to a harder birth.

Here's another tip: this is your first calving, relax and take a breath, lol.  This is a fun time and chances are it will go off without a hitch.  Let her do her thing, and you just sit back and watch, ready to act in the unlikely event of a problem.

The red light wont have any effect on her birthing.


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## kelsey2017 (Apr 22, 2012)

I am pretty relaxed but I also had to work all weekend, so I was half expecting to come home to a baby.  I don't want to lock her unless it is terrible weather, they were talking snow, yuck!
Her barn is pretty big and all hers, I always let her come and go.  I will start shutting her in the cattle panel 'yard' outside of the barn at night so at least she is not out in the pasture when she calves.  The wolves would hone right in on that.  

On another note, where I bought the CMPK and Keto gels I couldn't get the  dispensing gun, so I will have to order one.  Are they mostly the same?  The tubes I bought are just like any other big tube that I can tell.


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## clarmayfarm (Apr 23, 2012)

Hi from Virginia, 

The CMPK or KETO gel can be given with a metal caulking gun found at any hardware/ Lowes store. We don't usually give them to our dairy cows until after they calve. I did not read what breed your heifer is, but she looks to be a Jersey cross. Jerseys have a propensity to get milk fever, so you may want to give her a tube of calcium gel as well, that plus a CMPK will not hurt her. 

Don't worry, a light nor locking her in will disturb her labor once she starts. 

We look for the following signs for an impending birth: no cud chewing, switching the tail, kicking at herself, etc., but she can fool you...we have a camera in our maternity pen (we live 1/2 mile from barn), and sometimes they just fool you. 
And once you see feet and are certain they are front feet (diving, head first with soles down), give her some time to push before interfering. 

Have fun!


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## kelsey2017 (Apr 24, 2012)

I noticed right away this morning that my heifer has fluid by her belly button.  I can't tell though if it is just edema or a hernia, is it possible that it could be a hernia?


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## rd200 (Apr 24, 2012)

kelsey2017 said:
			
		

> I noticed right away this morning that my heifer has fluid by her belly button.  I can't tell though if it is just edema or a hernia, is it possible that it could be a hernia? http://www.backyardherds.com/forum/uploads/3312_edema.jpg


Not a hernia. MOST heifers that i deal with on a daily basis get that. Its not a big deal, sometimes it will get alot bigger than that. Its just swelling.The Vet told me once WHY they get that, but i cant remember what he said. Looks like she's getting there.  He udder should get fuller and her tities will get glossed up and full.  Often heifers have a slightly longer calving period than cows do. Our vet always told us that if the calf is presenting normally, dont interfere unless the feet have been visible for an hour with no further progression or if the heifer looks in alot of distress.  Or if you come out in the middle of the night and its feet and a head sticking out and the head looks swollen AT ALL, then pull it. I see with our holstein heifers that they get "stuck" at this part of the game. They got enough to get the head out, but if the calf is big or the heifers "parts" are small, they often get the head out and then can't push the rest out. But im sure it will be okay. the majority of heifers do fine with calving. But from growing up on a farm, and doing maternity work the past few years, I've seen some really really weird calvings!!!  Backwards, upside down and backwards, full & half twisted uterus, one leg, multiple legs from 2 different calves, backleg and front leg, no legs-just head, just a tail, c-section, hy-drops, triplets, you name, It can happen.... thank goodness for 24hour Vets!!!! 

Sorry, didnt mean to scare you.... just alot of possibilities....


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## kelsey2017 (Apr 24, 2012)

Wheew!  I don't know nuttin yet but I'll get there.  The way she still runs around I thought she hurt herself.  Thanks for your reassurance, my "cow mentor" is not back until next Monday.  I guess Kjersten doesn't know she should wait for him!


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## redtailgal (Apr 25, 2012)

Yeah, Rd is right, it's not a panic situation.

I mean, even I had an "outie" during the last few weeks of my pregnancies.


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## aggieterpkatie (Apr 25, 2012)

Very normal. I've seen way worse and it still wasn't a problem.


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## Icp7147 (Apr 29, 2012)

It is very normal for this to happen around freshing. You shouldn't be concercerned. Also just a FYI if a cattle diets is high potasium ( sorry not sure on spelling ) It will create more edema in her. I have never had hardly any problems with heifers calving. Ketois is mostly found in aged cows seldom in heifers. As far as milk fever is concerned even being a jersey it is still more often found in aged cows.


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## kelsey2017 (May 3, 2012)

My computer died while I was trying to do this yesterday, urgh! But here is our new heifer! born yesterday after a very quick labor.  I was able to take picture and a video before the camera battery died.  She weighs about 50 pounds and is 3/4 jersey.  We still have to come up with a good name for her. she would let the calf nurse but  Mom is not quite sure why the baby is after her belly but also won't take her eyes off her.  We did have to put mom in the stanchion so the calf could nurse but it seems like they have that figured out now.  She let me touch her udder and milk her but it was making her nervous when the calf would go around behind her and she just kept turning around so the calf couldn't keep up.  I didn't want to monkey around too much but after two hours she hadn't let the calf nurse so we intervened too be sure she got colostrum.   
Is Iodine enough for the calf's navel?  I have blue-cote but I didn't know if that was okay to use, you only ever hear to put iodine on.


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## ThreeBoysChicks (May 3, 2012)

She is pretty.  I think you want iodine only.  The iodine helps to dry out the belly button quickly.


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## SuburbanFarmChic (May 3, 2012)

So cute!  And congratulations on your new girl


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## Cricket (May 3, 2012)

Beautiful!  I like the white spot.  Wish they'd stay that color--most of the ones I see end up a lot darker.  Looks like she picked a nice spot to calve and a nice day, too!


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## Stubbornhillfarm (May 3, 2012)

Congratulations!  What a pretty color she is and looks very healthy too!  Good job to Momma!


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## aggieterpkatie (May 3, 2012)

What a gorgeous little heifer!  Congrats!!


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## Farmerboy (May 3, 2012)

Congrats! The cow and the calf looks beautiful!


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## Four Winds Ranch (May 3, 2012)

Yor new addition is a very beautiful little girl! She should make you an awesome cow!


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## Royd Wood (May 3, 2012)

Fantastic and a heifer 
Its so easy this cow calf game eh


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