Report any changes, no matter how slight and subtle to the unit supervisor and the Farm Animal Veterinarian. In addition, it is easy for a cow to step on a teat when getting up and down so be sure to report any teat injuries. Young male cattle are born with descended testicles. Unless being kept for breeding purposes, most males are castrated, usually at the time of weaning. No extensive peri-operative care is required, but animals should be examined for signs of infection in the days following the procedure.
Cattle are polyestrous.
Estrus cycles in the cow are about 21 days and the length of time the cow stands to be mounted by the bull is about 18 hours. Onset of puberty usually occurs about 40-45 weeks of age, but depends on breed and level of nutrition. The general rule is that puberty occurs when the heifer is about two-thirds of her adult body size, as measured by height and length rather than weight. Gestation period is about 280 days, or nine months. The dairy unit tends to wean calves from 6-8 weeks of age and the beef unit will wean around 5 months of age.