What is the name of a baby cow? | Reference.com What is the name of a baby cow? A: Quick Answer A baby cow is called a calf. Adult male cows are called bulls. Adult female cows are called heifers until they give birth; after they have given birth, they are called cows. Full Answer Both male and female cows are born with horns. Calves are usually 75 to 95 pounds at birth. They are weaned from their mother when they are between 7 and 9 months old, when they weigh between 400 and 600 pounds. Cows are herd animals that were domesticated by humans as far back as 5,000 years ago. The first cow in the United States was brought to Jamestown, VA in 1611. As of June 2014, over 70 breeds of cattle can be found in the U.S. What is a female cow called? | Reference.com What is a female cow called? A: Quick Answer Although cattle are often collectively referred to as cows, the word cow specifically refers to females of the cattle species that have given birth to at least one calf.

Young female cattle that have not yet given birth to a calf are referred to as heifers. Full Answer The word calf is used to refer to young cattle of both sexes until the point at which they are weaned. After weaning, they are known as yearlings until they reach the age of 2. At that point, the females become known as heifers until they give birth and become known as cows. Male cattle ages 2 and older are known as bulls. If a male is castrated, it is called a steer. AFTER THE CALF IS BORN remove the placenta so that the cow can not eat it, � allow the cow to lick the calf dry, � dip the navel in some Iodine (20%) disinfectant (neat vodka or other strong alcoholic drink will do if there is nothing else), � assist the calf to suckle the cow if it is having difficulty. You may need to hold the calf up to the cow and guide its head to her udder and in the case of weak calves, guide the teat into the mouth of the calf. This first meal is very important for the health of the calf and should be taken within five hours of birth. Figure 4 .

The calf�s first feed of colostrum is essential within five hours of birth For the first couple of days the calf can stickle the cow as and when it wants. During this time the colostrum (which is the first milk) is not suitable for human consumption and should not be sold. But it is very important that within the first 24 hours after being born, that the calf gets at least three or four feeds of this milk. At the end of the second day however, some provision must be made for removing the calf from the cow and taking care of it, in addition to getting the milk from the cow for home drinking or for sale. Taking care of the calf so you can get the milk is a critical part of raising dairy cows. Managing the young calf More management and labour is required to care for the calves of cows which are kept to produce milk for sale or home consumption. For a start, the cow and calf must be separated within a few days of birth. This is called weaning. 4.1 Weaning An important activity of dairying. It is not needed when cattle are raised only for meat. Beef calves are allowed to stay with the mother and suckle for as long as they want.

But dairy calves are separated from the cow soon after being born. This practice allows most of the milk to be collected and sold, rather than being consumed by the calf. Also, if the calf is freely fed as much milk as it wants for a long time, it will not have a strong early appetite for dry feed, and its stomach development will be slow and it will not grow well when it has to rely on grazing. So weaning must also involve the feeding of dry feed or roughage to the calf. Weaning can be done in several ways, but regardless of the weaning system practised, the young calf should be kept warm and dry in a clean, draft-free place. Below are two weaning systems which may be practised by smallholders (a) Complete weaning This is the removal of the calf to a place where the calf and cow can not see or hear each other. Without good fences and yards to keep the mother and calf separate, it is difficult to do successfully. The advantage of complete weaning is that all of the milk produced by the cow is available for sale, and the cow and the calf soon forget about each other.

BUT, � complete weaning can be done only by using milk replacers, [special milk powder or cows milk fed from a bucket or teat. � a separate pen must be constructed. � sometimes calves receive either too much or too little milk if the right amount of milk is not left unmilked. � keeping several calves together in the same pen can increase the risk of sickness, and the calves which suck eachother when they are young can enter their first lactation with mastitis. 4.2 Calf feeding If you are keeping calves penned away from the cows for part of each day, you should remember: � To allow the first milk (colostrum) to the calf during the first 24 hours. The calf should be allowed to have all that it wants. This is essential if is to remain healthy. � It is a good idea to keep some colostrum in the freezer. Sometimes a cow will die shortly after giving birth. The stored colostrum, even from another cow, can be thawed and fed to the calf and it is still useful several months after freezing.

� Calves will begin to nibble grass or other forage material from the first day of birth It is important to allow them to do this if they are to develop their stomachs normally for eating grass. If they are penned, they must have grass offered to them all the time. Tie bundles of it to the fence so that they can nibble it. Never put it on the ground for them. Always tie it up or put it in a trough. � By one month of age, calves should be eating grass and some concentrate which should both be available to the calf from birth � Introduce calves to concentrates gradually, and watch how much they are eating Give them a little more each day once they begin to eat it. Any concentrate which the calf does not eat on the day it is given, should be taken away and replaced with fresh feed. � Calves will feed independently on grass and concentrate from about 2 weeks onwards. Calves can only be completely weaned from milk if you have good quality dry feed I concentrate meal and the calves are eating enough of it before milk is completely withdrawn � Cut the grass from areas where cattle are not free grazing, to prevent introduction of parasites to the calves.

Have a separate fenced area where cattle cannot graze, from which to take the grass for calf feeding. � The cheapest way to rear a calf is to give it plenty of young, growing, nutritious pasture from birth onwards. Grass and legumes are much cheaper than milk to feed, and milk should be gradually withdrawn, starting when the calves seem to be eating grass and concentrate independently. Calves should be completely weaned off milk at 8-10 weeks. It is a good idea to increase their interest in grass and concentrates. � Calves must have water. Calves will begin to drink water between their feeds of milk from one to two weeks of age. Lack of water will cause the death of a calf faster than the lack of any other nutrient. By six weeks of age, a calf may be drinking abut four litres of water per day. Only clean, fresh drinking water must be given. Water is also especially important for calves if they have diarrhoea or if they go off their milk for any reason. From calf to breeding age No matter how small your milking herd, you should aim to replace about one fifth of the milking cows each year.

This means that you should try to produce one heifer calf replacement for every five cows you have. If you have a smaller number of cows, it becomes more difficult to maintain this percentage, and you might have to replace at a higher or lower rate from year to year. The cows should be replaced by heifers which you have raised on the farm, and which you have taken care of and selected as replacements, after they have been weaned. The period from weaning until breeding age is most important in the development of heifers to become dairy cows. There are several advantages to raising your own replacement heifers: � by keeping records, you can select heifers from the best performing cows. The cows with the best milking records will probably have the most suitable daughters as replacements, � you can avoid introducing diseases onto your farm with bought replacements, (always isolate new animals for a week or two to ensure they don't introduce diseases to your own animals) � if dairying is popular, good replacements may be difficult to buy when you need them, � you never really know the potential of purchased replacements, because farmers usually only sell those animals they don't want. They seldom sell their best producing heifers.

If you want to feed your calves better so that they grow well and will mate at an early age, you will have to adapt local feeds to suit your purpose, there is information on formulating diets for dairy cattle elsewhere in this book. Figure 5 . These two calves are six mouths old. The larger received one kg. of concentrate daily for two months in addition to grazing The smaller received grazing only. Calving Calving This Week Stages of labor | Correction of dystocia | Assisting the birth of a large calf | Important principles of helping at a difficult calving | Care of the calf | Care of the cow | Retained placenta It is not unusual to encounter problems during the calving process. Often these problems can be more easily solved if the producer has more knowledge of the physiological process of calving. There are two common presentations for the calf during calving. The first, which is normal and occurs in about 95 per cent of calvings, is the one in which the calf comes forward with the head tucked between its front legs with its nose a few inches from the tips of the toes.

The second most common presentation is not considered to be normal because of the high incidence of dystocia (calving problems) associated with it. The calf comes backwards with the hind feet first and the legs fully extended. Backwards presentation only occurs in about 5 per cent of calvings. In the case of twins, one calf is often presented backwards with the other one forward. Dystocia can occur when there are deviations from the above presentations. Postural changes from those described above, e.g., a foot or leg turned back, require correction before delivery can take place, and this should be done as soon as it is recognized. Any delay will only make the situation worse because the labor contraction of the dam will wedge the malpositioned calf more firmly into the birth canal and make corrections more difficult. If trouble is suspected, determine the nature of the problem as soon as possible and take suitable action to correct it without delay. Figure 1. Normal presentation Stages of Labor The first stage of labor is the preparation for birth, During this stage, which takes from three hours in a cow to 72 hours in a first-calf heifer, the ligaments of the pelvis and associated structures relax.

The cervix, vagina and vulva all dilate and the cervical mucous plug is released. All these changes are to facilitate the passage of the calf. Interference before this stage is completed should be avoided because dilation of the cervix will be incomplete, making it susceptible to irreparable damage. Figure 2. Normal presentation of twins (If assistance is necessary, be sure to correctly identify the legs of each calf.) During the first stage of labor, the cow will become restless and often want to separate from the herd. She may stand with her tail raised and back arched and occasionally may even make some premature attempts at straining. The start of the second stage of labor is signalled by the appearance of the water bag. The second stage of labor is the expulsion of the calf through the birth canal. Duration of this stage lasts from one-half hour in the cow to two or three hours in a first-calf heifer, A cow or heifer should be given no more than one hour after the water bag appears before being checked to see if she needs help. Expulsion of the fetal membranes (placenta) and involution of the uterus (getting ready for the next pregnancy) comprise the third stage of labor.

The placenta is usually expelled within a few hours of birth but complete involution of the uterus takes up to 40 days after calving. Correction of Dystocia It is important to be very clean when attempting to correct a dystocia and the vulva of the cow should be washed thoroughly with a mild soap or disinfectant solution. The operator's hands and arms should also be scrubbed clean. If you find upon inserting your hand into the vagina that the cervix will admit only two or three fingers, the case is probably one of nondilation of the cervix or possible uterine torsion. You may possibly be interfering too soon. If not, call a veterinarian who may elect to perform a caesarian operation. Figure 3. Uterine torsion If the cervix is fully dilated and three essential parts of the calf (two forefeet and head or two hind feet and tail) can be felt in proper position, the problem may be one of uterine inertia and moderate traction may be applied.

Bear in mind, however, that if the uterine inertia is caused by prolonged efforts at calving, there is the danger of the uterus having ruptured, in which case your veterinarian should be called immediately. Figure 4. One foreleg back. If necessary, push the head back into uterus, then bring the forefoot into normal position. Sometimes deviations of the feet or head are minor and simple to correct, at other times they may be very difficult and necessitate veterinary assistance as soon as possible. In any case, always be gentle, as you are dealing with living tissue which can be injured easily. Any abnormal posture in the calf should be corrected before attempting to pull the calf in order to avoid severely injuring the cow or calf. Figure 5. Head turned sideways. A breech presentation (see figure 6) may be very difficult to correct particularly if the cow has been in labor for some time. Extreme care must be taken when straightening the hind limbs to avoid tearing the uterus by the toes or the hocks of the calf. It is extremely important to work on straightening the calf's legs between bouts of straining and to stop trying to manipulate parts of the calf while the cow is straining.

This will minimize the risk of tearing the uterus. Figure 6. Breech presentation (hind legs forward) Carefully push the calf forward and bring the hind legs into the birth canal. If the calf is coming backwards, never attempt to turn the calf to a forward presentation. If the calf is positioned correctly, pull it. After the legs are exposed, complete the delivery as quickly as possible. Delay at this time may result in a dead calf because it will start to breathe very soon after its navel cord is pinched in the birth canal. Since the calf's mouth and respiratory passage may have become filled with uterine fluid from involuntary gasping, hold the calf up by the hind legs for a few moments immediately following delivery and make sure all fluid is drained out. Hanging the calf for a prolonged period should be avoided as fluid from the stomach will start to drain out of the mouth and may be aspirated into the lungs as the calf gasps and tries to breathe. Assisting the Birth of a Large Calf Proper obstetrical chains and handles (or clean nylon ropes) are very good for assisting with the birth of a calf. They are easy to apply or remove and, most importantly, they are easy to clean and disinfect.

The use of dirty ropes or twine should be avoided. Remember that chains or ropes must be applied properly to minimize damage to the limb. Always apply a chain or rope to the leg with a loop above the fetlock (first joint) with a half hitch below the fetlock (figure 7). Failure to do this may result in a broken limb on the calf which will not heal well even if put in a cast. Never apply a rope or chain calving around the calf's jaw but rather through the mouth and around the back of the head behind the ears. This will prevent a broken jaw. Figure 7. Attachment of calving chain or rope Lubrication of the birth canal and your hands and arms with a good commercial lubricant, obtainable from your veterinarian, will greatly facilitate the delivery of a large calf. It is vital that you work with the cow, timing your pulling with straining or contractions. As well, follow the natural lines of calf delivery, making use of both the natural curvature of the calf and the birth passage. This means puling in a horizontal or slightly upward direction until the head and trunk (chest) are delivered and then in a downward direction towards the cow's hocks until delivery is complete.

Advance only one leg at a time and be satisfied with only an inch or tow of progress. Don't hurry. Allow time for the birth passage to fully expand. A well-lubricated hand used in a "shoe horn fashion" may help in the delivery of the head. If a hiplock occurs (figure 8), try to free the calf by rotating it in the birth canal. Do this by wrapping a sack around the exposed part of the calf's body and turning it 90 degrees in either direction. Failing this, it may help to turn the cow on her side and pull the calf towards her hocks. Excessive traction may severely injure the calf or the cow. Keep in mind that twins are not rare in cattle and if you are not sure of the calf's position or confused about identifying the parts you can feel, call your veterinarian. Figure 8. Hiplock Important Principles of Helping at a Difficult Calving These are five important do's and don't s. Do be gentle - the cow feels pain as much as you do. Do be scrupulously clean. Wash your hands and arms and the cow's external genitalia thoroughly before starting to work and every time the cow defecates.

Remember that the calf bed (uterus) and birth passage are made of fragile living tissue that is easily torn. Do recognize your own limitations. If you cannot manage the problem, stop before the cow is exhausted and the genital passage is swollen and inflamed. Call your veterinarian early. Do check the cow's birth canal after the calf is delivered. Call your veterinarian immediately if there are tears or excessive bleeding. Do make sure that the calf gets at least two litres of colostrum as soon after delivery as possible. Don't wait too long to interfere. Wait only one hour after the water bag appears. Don't attempt the job without plenty of clean water and soap. Don't use such things as trucks or tractors for pulling the calf. Don't pull on the calf unless there are three things in the birth canal - either two front feet and a head or two hind feet and a tail. Don't delay in calling your veterinarian in difficult cases. Care of the Calf If the cow will take to the calf, let her do so. There is no better stimulus for a newborn calf than the vigorous licking of its mother. Make sure all mucus is cleared from the mouth upper respiratory passages. If the calf fails to breathe immediately after birth.

Try tickling its nose with straw or vigorously massaging the chest. If this fails to stimulate breathing, give artificial respiration either by mouth to-nose resuscitation or by raising and lowering the uppermost forelimb and simultaneously pressing and releasing the rib cage. Stop when the calf starts to breathe or you may over-oxygenate it. Disinfect the navel with tincture of iodine (2.5 per cent). See that the calf gets at least 2 litres of colostrum in the first two hours after birth. Care of the Cow Get the cow up on her feet as soon after calving as possible and make sure she 'mothers up' to the calf. Following a difficult birth, check for tears in the vagina or uterus. Tears in the vagina, unless extensive, are not too serious but uterine tears demand immediate veterinary attention. This is an emergency situation and should be treated as soon as possible. Occasionally the uterus will be pushed out (uterine prolapse) either with the calf or soon after its birth. If this happens, waste no time in calling a veterinarian.

If the cow is unable to rise, make sure that she is sitting up and that her hind end is not lower than her front end. Make her comfortable with dry bedding. If the nerves to the legs have been damaged and the cow is paralyzed, it may be several days or even weeks before she gets up. In this case, keep her clean behind and turn her frequently to prevent 'bed sores'. Figure 9. Uterine prolapse Retained Placenta A cow normally loses her afterbirth (placenta) within two to six hours after giving birth, A placenta which has not been passed by 12 hours is considered a retained placenta. If the cow shows no signs of illness (e.g., fever, off feed) there is little cause for alarm. Most cows will expel a retained placenta within six to eight days after calving. Manual removal should be avoided to prevent excessive haemorrhage in the uterus or introducing additional infection into the uterus. The placenta is best left alone or simply cut off where it hangs out of the vulva.

It is not recommended that uterine boluses be put into the uterus routinely as this may result in a delay of the decomposition of the placenta and, therefore, prolong its passage. If an animal with a retained placenta loses her appetite or seems dull and lethargic, it may have an elevated temperature, Injections of an antibiotic should be given daily until her appetite is normal. Consult your veterinarian if she does not appear to be responding to treatment. Source: Agdex 420/22-1. Pregnant cows, timing of pregnancy, open cows, pregnancy rate | UNL Beef | University of Nebraska–Lincoln University of Nebraska–Lincoln Pregnant cows, timing of pregnancy, open cows, pregnancy rate Pregnant cows, timing of pregnancy, open cows, pregnancy rate We hear stories of poor conception rates when feeding cows WDS. Is this fact or fiction? How long does a cow's pregnancy last? Gestation length does vary by breed and by sex of the calf. Gestation length ranges from 279 to 287 days. For most breeds, 283 days would be common. Cows carrying bull calves tend to have a slightly longer gestation compared to cows carrying heifer calves.

How long after a cow gives birth can she get pregnant again? It depends on a number of things: body condition at calving, age of dam, if there was any calving difficulty during the calving process, and if diet is adequate after calving during lactation so that weight and body condition losses do not occur or are minimal. Cows that calve in a body condition of less than 4 (scale 1 to 9) have a longer post-partum interval. First-calf cows have a longer post-partum interval than do mature cows. Cows that have calving difficulty have longer post-partum intervals. And, cows that lose weight and body condition after calving have longer post-partum intervals. So with all that in mind, the postpartum interval, if conditions are ideal, for beef cows is between 50 and 60 days for an average of 55 days. First-calvers will be at least 10 days longer. I have some forage that is a summer annual and I tested it for nitrates. It tested on the high side of acceptable level of nitrates to be fed to pregnant beef cows. Do you have any suggestions for feeding this forage?

NOTE: Please see the October 6, 2015 update for more details and links to additional resources. There needs to be some caution when feeding this forage to pregnant beef cows. If the forage is high in nitrites, then it needs to be mixed with a forage that is much lower in nitrates or a forage that does not contain any nitrates. Using other forages, the nitrates can be dilute to safe levels and fed. The easiest way to dilute the forage that has the nitrates is to grind and mix with the other forages. Keys to feeding a forage that contains nitrates: Dilute the forage that has nitrates to a safe level. Adapt cattle slowly to a forage that contains the high nitrates. Never allow cattle that are hungry access to forages that contain high nitrates. What info is available on pine needles abortions in bred cows? Pine needles consumed by cows during late pregnancy can cause abortion, or premature calving. Producers need to be aware that few options exist to decrease the risk of pine-needle-induced abortion other the physically isolating cows from exposure during late pregnancy.

Exposure to any source of pine needles, whether they are fresh, dry, weathered, on the ground, on standing trees, or on fallen trees during late pregnancy should be avoided. The culprit is isocupressic acid, a yellow, oily substance in pine needles. Identification of the culprit is the first step in developing an antidote. As far as I am aware, the antidote is not yet available. (Answer from 2008) Can pregnant cows be vaccinated for BVD or can the vaccine be given only prior to breeding? Pregnant cows can be vaccinated against bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) using killed-virus (KV) vaccines. Modified-live virus (MLV) vaccines should be given when the cow is not pregnant — ideally 30-60 days prior to breeding. Some BVDV MLV products state on the label that they can be safely administered to pregnant cattle if the cattle had also received the vaccine prior to breeding. Although some cattle producers prefer to vaccinate during fall work for convenience; it makes the most sense from a BVDV control standpoint to vaccinate prior to breeding so that cattle have the best protection during early pregnancy.

Looking for information on the first cycle after a cow has calf. Want to move the calving earlier in the year. Best ways to accomplish? Not an easy task to accomplish. Usually the length of the post-partum interval (PPI, time from calving to the first estrous cycle) is 45 to 55 days in beef cows. If cows are in good body condition at calving, then the PPI would be in the 45 to 50 day range and if in poor condition, the PPI would be longer. First-calf heifers have a longer PPI compared to mature cows, about 10 days longer if she has no calving difficulty and is in good body condition. If cows are exposed to bulls (bull exposure) after calving, then the PPI is usually shorter by may be as much as 10 days shorter. It has been documented in beef cows that uterine involution is not completed by 20 days post-calving, but the uterus is back to its non-pregnant size by 30 days post-calving. Another 10 or so days is needed to complete uterine involution and be prepared for another pregnancy.

I don't think many cows will come into heat (estrus) before 35 day post calving. You can "jump start" estrous cycles with progestins and gonadotropins (GnRH), but this will only happen in females that are close to begin cycling. There are synchronization programs for cows that use CIDR (progesterone) and GnRH (Cystorelin, Factrel, Fertagyl, OvaCyst). Use of these programs has the potential to induce estrous cycles in cows that are close to cycling. So, nutrition is very important, have cows in at least body condition score 5 at calving and don't skimp on the groceries after calving. Ionophores such as Rumensin or Bovetec have a positive impact on the reproductive axis, at least there are experiments using the heifer that demonstrate this, so consider using an ionophore in the ration after calving. Expose cows to sterile bulls as soon after calving as possible. Jump-start the reproductive axis using a progestin and/or GnRH. These considerations are all for not if the cows have not been managed properly from a nutritional perspective.

We just preg checked the cows in our herd and we felt we had too many open cows. Is there any way to prevent so many open cows? They are given salt and a good mineral all the time. All bulls are checked before being used. Open cows are usually due to mis-management of the nutrition program. Minerals are important, but I rarely see large reductions in reproductive performance due to minerals alone, especially in Nebraska. Here's a check list for you to help evaluate the reproductive performance of the herd. Separate non-pregnant cows by age. Are the majority of the opens in young cows, females trying to become pregnant for the second calf. If this is the case, then more often than not, it is due the nutrition program. Calf first-calf-females in a body condition score of 6 (on 1 to 9 scale). A lot of the diets that I see for these females after calving is often deficient in energy. Grass hay and alfalfa don't not have enough energy, so you will need to added some corn, distillers, gluten, silage, etc to the diet.

If there are a lot of "running" age cows (4 through 12 year olds), then this is a concern because if you have paid close attention to the genetic make-up of you herd, these cows should be of the weight and milk output that fit the resources on you operation. If the majority of the opens are old cows.......then you may have kept them to long. Bull to cow ratio. For young bulls, 1:12 to 1:15; older bulls 1:25 to 1:30. Did you have any breeding pastures that had only one bull for the entire breeding season? Maybe the bull was good early and got hurt or sick later in the breeding season. Did you run 2 yearling bulls in one breeding pasture? This is probably not the best management strategy. What was the length of the breeding season — 60 to 65 days is common. A shorter breeding season, especially in drought conditions, could result in more open females. Vaccination program for the cows. Consult your vet to make sure the reproductive diseases are covered. Did you notice any other bulls in your pasture?

Trichomonisis is not common in Nebraska, but it is in some bordering states. Consult your vet to make sure this was not the cause. If you observed very few cows cycling towards the end of the breeding season, then observed cows cycling after the breeding season ended, may indicate early abortions. Did you have a lot of calving difficulty in the heifers? This will cause an increase in the postpartum interval and result in more opens young females. Again, minerals are important and it sounds like you have this area covered. What are the advantages of target breeding weight on beef industry? Substantial research has been conducted contributing to the traditional guidelines of developing heifers to 60 to 65% of mature body weight at time of breeding. In general, studies evaluating different post weaning rates of gain or target weights have used either different amounts of feed, or different types of feeds varying in energy and/or protein content to obtain differences in rates of growth. A review of these studies conducted over the last several decades along with new research indicates the association among BW, puberty and heifer pregnancy rate appears to be changing over time.

In general, research reports published through the late 1980s have shown much greater negative effects of limited post weaning growth on age of puberty and subsequent pregnancy, whereas more recent studies indicate less of a negative impact of delayed puberty on pregnancy response. Several factors likely contribute to this change over time. Initial research in this area of interest corresponds to the industry shift from calving heifers at 3 years of age to calving at 2 years of age. Thus, selection pressure for age of puberty was probably minimal in the animals used in the early studies. While selection intensity would have increased with the reduction in calving age of heifers, genetic progress would take time due to the long generation interval in cattle. In the mid 1980s, researchers identified the association between scrotal circumference in bulls and age of puberty in their female offspring. Since then, scrotal circumference has been used as an indicator trait for puberty. The change occurring in scrotal circumference from 1985 to the present indicates substantial progress has been made, and a similar response in age of puberty would be expected (see breed association websites for changes over time in EPD for scrotal circumference).

Indeed, the inability of heifers to attain puberty prior to breeding may not be as problematic as heifers reaching puberty before weaning. There are data developed at the University of Nebraska were feeding replacement heifers to a traditional target weight increases development costs relative to more extensive heifer development. They reported similar pregnancy rates from the initial through fourth breeding season for heifers developed to reach either 53 or 58% of mature weight prior to breeding as yearlings. This demonstrated heifers developed to only 53% of mature weight could achieve similar initial pregnancy rates and retention compared to heifers developed to 58% of mature weight. In this data set, heifer development costs were reduced by $22 per head. We hear stories of poor conception rates when feeding cows WDS. Is this fact or fiction? We have recorded no negative effect on reproduction when beef cows are supplemented with distillers grains as a protein or energy source, or for both protein and energy. In a number of experiments, we have used a distillers grains based cube as a major component of the supplement that is fed to cows prepartum while grazing cornstalks or dormant native range.

Following reports provide examples of research where distiller was a part of the supplement and we recorded the impact on cow and calf performance. Supplementing Gestating Beef Cows Grazing Cornstalk Residue (PDF 148KB) We've developed replacement heifers using dried distillers grains. Heifers were fed distillers grains at 0.6% of their body weight on a dry matter basis. Distillers fed heifers had greater reproductive performance compared to the control heifers. Following is a NE Beef Report on using distillers grains in heifer development diets. Utilization of Dried Distillers Grains for Developing Beef Heifers (PDF 108KB) We have not conducted research investigating the effect of feeding distillers to beef cows where the distillers may be 1/3 of the diet or more on a dry matter basis. I have worked with producers where they have fed close to 1/3 of the diet being distillers on a dry matter basis to beef cows and they have not reported any negative effect on reproduction. In these cases, distillers was fed with low to medium quality forages.

I most cases, at least for beef cows, I can't think of many feeding situations where you would need to feed more than 1/3 of the diet being distillers. Always monitor sulfur and fat (when fed with forages) intake. Cows - Information & Facts on Cows,Bulls & Calves You are here: Home / Animals / Cows Cows Image Source Cows are members of the sub-family ‘Bovinae’ of the family ‘Bovidae’. This family also includes Gazelles, Buffalo, Bison, Antelopes, Sheep and Goats . Cows are raised for many reasons including: milk, cheese, other dairy products, also for meat such as beef and veal and materials such as leather hide. In older times they were used as work animals to pull carts and to plow fields. In some countries such as India, cows were classed as sacred animals and were used in religious ceremonies and treated with much respect. Today, cows are domesticated ungulates (hoofed animals with two toes on each hoof) that we see very often chewing the grass in farmers fields as we walk or drive through the countryside.

There is an estimated 1.3 billion head of cattle and 920 breeds of cow in the world today. Cows are referred to as the ‘fosters mothers to the human race’ because they produce most of the milk that people drink. The mature female of the species is called a ‘cow’. The mature male of the species is called a ‘bull’. A group of cows is called a ‘herd’. A young female cow is called a ‘heifer’. A baby cow is called a ‘calf’. A cow spends up to 6 hours a day eating. Cows spend over 8 hours a day chewing thier cud which is regurigated, partially digested food. Cows each drink equivalent to a bath tub full of water a day. ADVERTISEMENT Cows occupy a unique role in human history. Cows have been considered one of the oldest forms of wealth. Cows have always been of interest to man because of their amazing ability to be able to provide meat and dairy products, have been strong animals to work with and also reproduce themselves while eating nothing but grass. Amazing! Cow Reproduction The average cow is 2 years old when she has her first calf.

Calves are fed from the cow until they are between 8 and 9 weeks old. It is essential for a calf to be fed their mothers milk from the start as it contains antibodies that protect the new calf from diseases. Two months before giving birth, a dairy cow takes a rest from giving milk in order to grow her calf. During this period the cow is known as a Dry Cow. When a dairy cow gives birth, this process is called a freshening. All calves are born with horn nubs. It is common for a vet to remove these nowadays. A young female calf is called a heifer, she is called this until she has her first calf. A young male is called a bull calf. Did you know that cows never forget their calves. It is quite common to see them licking their grown calves just as they did when they were young. How to determine the age of a cow The age of a cow is determined by examination of the teeth and less perfectly by the horns. The temporary teeth are in part erupted at birth and all the incisors are erupted within twenty days. The first, second and third pairs of temporary molars are erupted in thirty days. The teeth have grown large enough to touch each other by the sixth month.

They gradually wear and fall in eighteen months. The fourth permanent molars are through at around the fourth month. The fifth at the fifteenth month and the sixth at two years. The temporary teeth begin to fall at twenty-one months and are entirely replaced by the thirty-ninth to the forty-fifth month. Interesting Cow Facts The oldest cow ever recorded was a Dremon Cow named ‘Big Bertha’ who died 3 months just before her 49th birthday on New Years Eve, 1993. ‘Big Bertha’ also holds the record for lifetime breeding as she produced 39 calves. The heaviest live birth of a calf is 225 lbs for a British Friesian cow in 1961. Dairy cows can produce 125 pounds of saliva a day. Dairy cows can produce up to 200 pounds of flatus (trumps and burps) a day! Cows often have their ears pierced-with I.D. tags. People first domesticated cows about 5000 years ago. The Holstein cow produces the most milk of all breeds. Cows can live to the age of 25 years old if people would let them.

A cow stands up and sits down about 14 times a day. In an average herd, there is 1 bull to every 30 cows. Cows can detect odours up to five miles away. The age of a cow can be determined by counting the rings on its horns. Cows can see colour. There are approximately 350 ‘squirts’ in a gallon of milk. Cows can pick and lick their noses with their tongues. Cows drink 25 – 50 gallons of water each day. That is nearly a bathtub full. When the Pilgrims went to America, they took cows with them.

Question: What name is given to a cow that has not had a calf?
Answer: Heifer