We didn't know she was pregnant...

[started*with*chickens]

Well, we are only 85% sure she's pregnant but I would almost put $ on it. I have another thread about all 4 (mini western heritage) of them that has some info on her but I wanted to post here too in order to hopefully get some opinions!

All 4 had what appeared to be hay belly when we bought them. We wormed everyone and got them started on good hay, grain and alfalfa pellets twice a day. Everyone is looking pretty good but the older cow is still huge. Well, one minute she's huge, the next not so much and then back to huge. We noticed clear mucus when we bought her on 4-24, then again on 5-4 and 5-5. She's starting to get loose in the back end, a little udder change and she seems 'off'. Our neighbor that breeds cows came over to see her and asked when she's due, that she looks pregnant to her and has the waddle.

I contacted the original breeder, she calved 8-6-2012 and was picked up by the people we bought her from on 8-19 but she was exposed to a bull during that time and he's had one cow breed back as early as 10 days. So the chances are slim but there.

Now I'm concerned because we wormed her and I'm not sure we should have done that if she's close to calving, I need to read the box. Then I'm wondering if we need to bump up her feed and with what and how much because I know they didn't have the best nutrition where we bought them from. The original breeder said IF she's bred she should calve around the 19th. I found a calculator that says as late as a week later if bred the last day she was there.

We only have a 10x10 pen that I could put her in to separate her from everyone else. I'm afraid that will just stress her out because she is still very protective of her calf from August. Dixie was 22lbs when born and I don't know anything about the bull she was exposed to (I will ask more if we have a 'maybe baby') but with this being her 4th (from what we've been told about her history) she should be fine right?

 

[Four Winds Ranch]

If she has udder development, she IS pregnant! I don't have any idea how far along, figure out when could be the earliest, and the lastest and keep your eyes open!!!!
I don't think the wormer will hurt anything, and it sounds like you are giving her proper nutrition now so she should be fine in that aspect as well!!! Yes, taking her from the herd and putting her by herself would stress her!
Most likely, being that it is her 4th calf, she should be fine!!! Lol, you will probably get up one morning to find a new baby nursing from its mom!!!

 

[started*with*chickens]

Thank you Four Winds!!!

We went out to feed this morning and she is HUGE (again)! Plus a lot more udder development! I almost got teary! I love good surprises!!!

The picture I really want to post is saying it's not a jpeg for some reason. I'm crossing my fingers for a Mother's Day calf! I'm betting we're looking around the 19th though. I've read conflicting opinions that some people say heifers can be 2 weeks late and older cows tend to be early or on time. Others say it's the other way around.

 

[Stubbornhillfarm]

Congratulations! My guess is just like human deliveries. The due date is a guesstimate; give or take. One thing is for certain...when the calf is ready, it will come. So excited for you!

 

[started*with*chickens]

I got ahead of myself and sent the breeder 3 pictures of her, sure he was going to come back and say 'Congratulations!!!!' I was going to wait until she calved and send a 'birth announcement'.

Now I'm really bummed because he said she doesn't look bred to him. He said we need to separate her calf from her for at least 6 months so she'll stop nursing. We bought her at 8 months old and thought she might have still been nursing but we brought her home 2 weeks before the others and haven't seen her even try to nurse again. She was dried up when she got here and I think she was already weaning her before we picked her up. I don't think her udder re-development has anything to do with her calf.