# I think she's dropping tonight!



## GrassFarmerGalloway (Mar 18, 2009)

My fav. cow, Martha, looks like she's ready to throw a calf tonight!  Esp. since a low pressure system is coming through;  They always calve during bad weather.  I was out doing my usual pasture-pacing, when I noticed her udder and teats had bagged up.  When the teats fill, it's just a matter of days!  She's also real loose in the rear area.  I'm so excited!



Hopefully she'll go somewhere dry and sheltered...  That'll be hard to do, the pastures are so wet and mucky because of all the snowmelt.  

First calf of the year!


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## WildRoseBeef (Mar 18, 2009)

Lets hope for the best and be sure to post a pic of the baby when you can!


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## GrassFarmerGalloway (Mar 18, 2009)

WildRoseBeef said:
			
		

> Lets hope for the best and be sure to post a pic of the baby when you can!


Definitely!


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## Farmer Kitty (Mar 18, 2009)

Here's to eveything going alright. Don't get your hopes up for tonight though. I watch Thunder under those conditions for a week and a half!


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## wynedot55 (Mar 18, 2009)

heres hoping she calves soon.


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## English (Mar 19, 2009)

New here but I'm on baby watch as well.  Venice my Dexter is due on Saturday but looks like she could go any day.  In fact she's given me a couple of false starts this week already.  Good luck!

Mike


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## Farmer Kitty (Mar 19, 2009)

English!


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## laughingllama75 (Mar 19, 2009)

anything??? Probably not, they take great pleasure in making us wait.


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## wynedot55 (Mar 19, 2009)

english


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## WildRoseBeef (Mar 19, 2009)

Welcome English

GFG, we're still waiting!


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## GrassFarmerGalloway (Mar 20, 2009)

English,   !!!

And no, she didn't drop.    Just when I thought her udder couldn't get any fuller, it did.  Now her teats seem so small... I misjudged her date.    I do that a lot at the beginning of the breeding season...


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## Farmer Kitty (Mar 20, 2009)

They can fool even the most experienced person so, quit beating that wall!  Those calves have minds of their own and will do as they please.


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## laughingllama75 (Mar 20, 2009)

well, if she is anything like my angus, it will be a week from when you thought she was going to drop. Did I mention I love cows?


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## GrassFarmerGalloway (Mar 20, 2009)

I once had a cow that calved four months after when we thought she would.  She looks a lot like she has twins EVERY TIME because she has enormous calves.  I have another cow that looks pregnant even when open because she's so darn fat!


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## Farmer Kitty (Mar 20, 2009)

We have a belgiun blue cross that looks very preg when not. She is currently preg. and if I were to post a pic you would think multiple calves.


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## GrassFarmerGalloway (Mar 20, 2009)

You have any idea what causes that?  The ultra fat cow (Faith)  is fine everywhere else, just her gut is so big!


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## Farmer Kitty (Mar 20, 2009)

No idea. Wiggles is just a huge built cow around the middle. Her ribs and all.


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## GrassFarmerGalloway (Mar 20, 2009)

Maybe the fatties (Faith and Wiggles) are trying to annoy us by being constantly pregnant and never dropping.    Search me.

I'm not knocking Faith or anything.  She throws great calves and is gentle and kind.  I love her.


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## Kute Kitten (Mar 20, 2009)

A lot of calves are arriving this time of year! Some cows seem to take forever to calf!


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## GrassFarmerGalloway (Mar 20, 2009)

Kute Kitten said:
			
		

> A lot of calves are arriving this time of year! Some cows seem to take forever to calf!


Know what you mean!  ^^


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## Farmer Kitty (Mar 20, 2009)

Here's a pic of Wiggles (circled). She's not due until next month sometime mid month, I believe.


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## GrassFarmerGalloway (Mar 20, 2009)

HOLY COW!

(pun intended)


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## GrassFarmerGalloway (Mar 20, 2009)

Faith from behind.


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## Farmer Kitty (Mar 20, 2009)

She is pretty rounded!


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## GrassFarmerGalloway (Mar 20, 2009)

Tell me about it.  ^^


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## wynedot55 (Mar 20, 2009)

those are some nice round heifers.


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## Farmer Kitty (Mar 21, 2009)

wynedot55 said:
			
		

> those are some nice round heifers.


Wiggles is a seasoned cow.


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## laughingllama75 (Mar 21, 2009)

Holy Cow is right!!! Me thinks those gals have at least 5 or 6 in there...... LOL. hey, they could be the new Octo Mom's. LOL. 
At least they are great mothers and healthy....must be a reason they are built like that. Mother Nature MUST know what she is doing......


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## GrassFarmerGalloway (Mar 21, 2009)

Maybe she'll throw us two this year...   Always wanted twins!

:bun


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## Farmer Kitty (Mar 21, 2009)

Twins take more out of the cow. Personally, I don't like to see twins and we raise the calves not the cow.


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## GrassFarmerGalloway (Mar 21, 2009)

Farmer Kitty said:
			
		

> Twins take more out of the cow. Personally, I don't like to see twins and we raise the calves not the cow.


Oh.  Well, maybe I don't want twins.


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## Thewife (Mar 21, 2009)

FAT COWS!
We used to have a cow that had a big cow body on short legs. A friend saw her just before she calved, and freaked out! She told me she was bloated and needed treament or she would die!
Nope, that's just the way she looked!


Twins do drain the cow. We were lucky, most of our twinners were part holstien and had lots of milk. When they first calved, I always took the calves away and put them on a twice a day nursing schedule, giving mom a chance to eat. Later, I would turn mama out during the day to graze and keep the calves in. When the grass came on good, I would let them all go!


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## Farmer Kitty (Mar 21, 2009)

Even just carrying them and giving birth to them takes alot out of a cow.


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## GrassFarmerGalloway (Mar 21, 2009)

I kinda wanted them in the first place for the novelty of it.    It's not worth the novelty.


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## wynedot55 (Mar 21, 2009)

i love twins.


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## GrassFarmerGalloway (Mar 21, 2009)

wynedot55 said:
			
		

> i love twins.


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## wynedot55 (Mar 21, 2009)

means the cow makes 2x as much money.


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## Farmer Kitty (Mar 21, 2009)

wynedot55 said:
			
		

> means the cow makes 2x as much money.


Not in my business. It usually means less milk. The calves are smaller so if your selling them they will bring less.


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## wynedot55 (Mar 21, 2009)

your right with dairy cows twins usually knock a cows production by 30%.an increase her days open by 60 days.


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## laughingllama75 (Mar 24, 2009)

Ok, so........did she have her calf yet?


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## GrassFarmerGalloway (Mar 24, 2009)

Nope.  Now I have another one to watch (Faith), who had the 'I'm-going-to-give-birth-tomorrow- discharge' yesterday.

Note:  Through the couple years I've been working with cattle, I've noticed there are two kinds of discharge for pregnant cattle.  One is clear, thick and there isn't that much of it, and is usually seen two weeks to two months before she drops.  The other is usually seen a day to three days before she calves.  The second one is golden, long, stringy and occasionally twinged with blood.


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## Imissmygirls (Mar 24, 2009)

GFG, the main rule is: Never trust a pregnant cow. They'll always fool ya!


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