So we have been waiting for two cows to calve since mid-November, cancelling a lot of plans because of this. We had the vet out in early January. He checked Marji and said she would be due within 2 weeks. He did not check Indy after Tom was slammed into a wall with Marji’s check but said that Indy looked pregnant Marji did calve about 2 weeks later but now it was been another month and still no calf from Indy. So what do you think? Fat or pregnant?
Well, she doesn’t look terribly pregnant, but who am I to say?!! She’s very hairy! What breed are they? They’re really beautiful.
Thanks! She is a Dexter-Highland cross.
This article may help
https://beefandsweettea.com/2013/11/08/pregnant/
Thanks! That was helpful. On the butt shot she does look fuller on the right than the left. I will look again today.
Can you see if she is getting a larger udder? She is beautiful. Does she allow you to touch her much?
She does not allow us to touch her. You can see her tears poking out on the side photo which I have never seen before.
Can you see any changes in her vulva when she lifts her tail to poop or pee? That and udder engorgement are the clearest “tells” for me.
I can’t see any changes but she usually does not lift her tail when I am close by.
Oh WOW!! I looked at the explanation vesta8 provided! That definitely makes it easy to tell!! And besides, it was a lot of fun, reading it! 🙂
It was fun reading. So what do you think of our cow after reading it?
If cows are similar to sheep: I can only see a ewe’s udder in the last month of pregnancy and through lactation (that is, without flipping over the ewe or carefully looking for it as she walks along). Gestation is ewe is 147 days (approximately 5 months). Also, the udder gets full (more like a balloon/bubble) right before lambing. Under a ewe’s tail will get bigger, softer, and turn bright pink/red right before lambing. I would say this cow is pregnant, but she may still have a few weeks to go. Our neighbor has cows, and their udders are much fuller than your cow’s….but his cows have calved several times before.
If she was just fat, I do not think the udder would be as prominent as it is. One way to judge the last possible calving date is when the bull was taken out…and then count forward (for however long cow gestation is).
Thanks! Glad to hear you think she’s pregnant. Unfortunately the bull was with her until 12/31 so that will not help much.