help, cow in heat?

[Jae~b]

Hey everyone, my 15 month Brangus heifer is obviously in heat, she is trying to mount my Shire mare. While it is a bit humorous, the horse isn't laughing. My husband says time to butcher her. I think she's a bit on the small side yet, but she is really getting obnoxious with her behaviour. She is chasing the foals and just generally being a pain in the butt. How long does estrous last in cows? Is this normal? Is 15 months a bit young to process? Thanks for any help. Jae

 

[WildRoseBeef]

No, 15 months of age is when she SHOULD start showing heat signs. So yes this is normal. Fortunately her jumping on everyone and her "aggressive" behaviour only lasts for 24 hours. But she will continue to do this every 21 days if you do not get her bred...or butchered. Once she gets bred and settles, you won't see any estrus activity from her for ~11 months (9 months gestation and 2 months (45 to 60 days) to get back into normal cycling). On the other hand, if you get her butchered, she won't ever be seen again except in pieces of muscle on your plate.

 

[amysflock]

It's not generally recommended to keep cattle with horses...the horses don't take kindly (usually) to the behavior of cattle.

I agree that 15 months could be a little early to butcher, and I also agree that it's about time she's in heat (she probably has been before now and you just didn't catch it...they don't all have - or always display - mounting and bellowing behavior). If you intend to have cattle, it's probably time to get her a bovine companion (a steer or a cow/heifer, unless you plan to breed and she's not a slow maturing breed like a Highland).

 

[durgasoft]

You did not mention if the cow is a beef cow or a milk cow. If you bought the cow just for meet it is never too early to butcher. They have veal and butcher at birth or after a few days while she was being milk fed. But If you want to produce more cows for more beef or more milk obviously you have to artificially breed her if you do not have a bull. You have to find some body who knows how to breed and who has a straw of semen. But the solution is to breed the cow unless you do not want to keep her until she has delivered birth to the calf that you have planted in her womb.

 

[Jae~b]

Ok, thanks peeps. She is a meat cow so she will be dinner at some point. My hubby wants sooner, I would like to wait til she gets a bit bigger. Fortunately that behaviour has stopped.... until her next cycle.

 

[clarmayfarm]

She will not hurt the horse, and she will likely be in heat every 21 days give or take the rest of her natural life!!! (unless of course, she becomes in the family way....