How long does a pregnant cow walk

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The question of how long a pregnant cow walks can be answered simply: from the moment of successful insemination to the birth itself. However, breeders are interested in specifics, that is, when exactly to wait for the birth of the long-awaited calf. This is what will be discussed further. We will also touch on the question of how cattle bears the fetus, how the care of the animal should change and whether it is worth revising the nutrition of the pregnant cow.

How long does a cow's pregnancy last?

What happens in a cow's body

Of course, bearing a fetus dramatically changes the nature of the life of any living creature, including a cow. The first thing to say is about the acceleration of metabolism. For this reason, the cow will need enhanced nutrition and a revision of the calorie content of food. This is especially true in the early stages of pregnancy.

In addition to metabolism, the following also changes:

• there is an additional load on the heart;
• the tone of the vascular system appears;
• the circulatory system receives a double load, in particular, only the uterine veins can increase in size by 2-3 times;
• blood biochemistry during the analysis is changed.

It is also worth mentioning that the main reproductive organ is increasing: the uterus can stretch to incredible sizes, multiplying the dimensions by 12-16 times. Accordingly, in parallel with the uterus, the volume of the sternum also grows, which makes the animal breathe more often.

What happens to hormones

As soon as a successful conception occurs in the body of a cow, the hormonal background will change dramatically, as in any living creature during gestation. If this did not happen, then the corpus luteum would not be able to form, and the placenta would not appear, that is, the very fact of pregnancy would be impossible. In addition, pregnancy would be impossible if there was no production of progesterone, it is he who restrains premature labor or calving, and also makes him pause in further intercourse with the male throughout all trimesters.

All the same hormones provoke a change in the nature of vaginal discharge. Usually, by the beginning of the third trimester, the cow begins to "smear". Normally, such discharge should be transparent, the appearance of blood spots is unacceptable, this is an alarming sign.

How the calf develops in the womb

Cow pregnancy is conventionally divided into three stages - trimester, just like in humans. This division is conditional, but in different periods it is possible to understand what is happening to the calf right now, while the gestation period lasts, at what stage of development it is now. Next, we will describe in the form of a table how the characteristics of the fetus change depending on the duration of pregnancy:

Cow pregnancy signs

There is a clear list of symptoms that will indicate the fact that a cow has become pregnant. The following signs may appear regardless of how long the cow walks while pregnant. They look like this:

• lack of sexual desire for more than a month;
• the cow's appetite has improved;
• the cow became more tired;
• increased sweating appears;
• the character of the cow has changed for the better;
• the animal began to urinate more often.

Of course, in order to confirm or deny suspicions of a false pregnancy, you need to seek specialized help from a veterinarian who, using ultrasound and laboratory tests, will be able to examine the animal correctly. What he can see on examination if a cow becomes pregnant:

• a formed mucous plug appears in the birth canal;
• if the gestation period exceeds 4-5 months, the calf can be probed by manual examination.

Ultrasound examination

As in a person, you can confirm or deny the fact of pregnancy with the help of an ultrasound study. This must be done in the event that you cannot do it yourself or the pregnancy is proceeding with complications. When contacting veterinarians, this is the first research technique that you will be offered. It should be said that this is completely justified, because the ultrasound accuracy reaches almost 100%. In this case, you can not only find out if the cow is in position, but also with a high degree of probability find out what is the gestational age at the time of the examination.

The peculiarities of the ultrasound scan are that the cow is examined using sensors that are inserted into the genital opening, although the traditional method is sometimes allowed.

Pregnancy test with probes

This is an older method, it was used even when there was no ultrasound examination at all. This method cannot be called humane, since it is necessary to bandage the testicles of the bull, the animal, for sure, experiences painful sensations. A bandaged bull is offered to cover the cow, if she willingly lets him in, does not oppose, then the cow is pregnant. If everything happens according to the opposite scenario, that is, the cow willingly agrees to fertilization, it can be said with a high degree of probability that she did not become pregnant.

Some breeders skillfully use this method in order to find out how long the cow is.

Examination through the anus

It must be said that examination through the anus is used more often than others. The fact is that it can be used at home without using any special methods, that is, without much experience. In addition, even in the very early stages, it turns out to be effective. Also, the method is often used in order to determine the cause of infertility of cattle, if the cow cannot become pregnant for a long time.

Some veterinarians argue that rectal examination in many cases is more informative than ultrasound, so its popularity does not decrease.

Determination of pregnancy using tests

Some breeders prefer a more accurate diagnosis, that is, testing blood or urine for the presence of progesterone, which will tell you whether the cow is pregnant or not. Already after the first month of pregnancy, this hormone begins to be actively secreted in order to maintain the animal's pregnancy.

The hormone can be detected in any biomaterial of a cow: urine, blood and even milk that it gives.

Any cattle breeder can conduct a study on his own, for this you need to purchase a special pregnancy test, place it in the collected biomaterial (milk, urine), then, after 10 minutes (the waiting time cannot be longer), determine and check the result:

• the test showed 2 strips - the cow is in a state of pregnancy;
• the test identified one lane - the cow is considered a barn cow.

You should not buy such strips from your hands or in places of spontaneous sale, otherwise the result may be unreliable. Veterinarians recommend buying tests only from veterinary pharmacies. The most reliable result will show the use of the strip in urine, not milk.

How long is a cow's pregnancy?

Anyone, even a novice herder, should find out how much a cow is carrying a calf, that is, how long a cow walks pregnant or how long a cow's pregnancy lasts. If we know the answer to this question, then it will be much easier for us to weed out unsuitable cows and bulls (to reject), as well as to carry out actions in time that will be aimed at treating infertility in a cow, because the bull must fertilize, and the cow must not only give milk, but also give birth to healthy calves.

Let's answer the main question, how long does a cow's pregnancy last, how many months does a cow walk pregnant? The duration of pregnancy of a cow on average is from 9 to 9 and a half months, while the error is minimal. It is worth saying that the gestation period may slightly fluctuate, depending on what breed the cow belongs to, how old she is, whether she gives milk, what state her health is in, whether there was an interruption of gestation earlier, what is the current fecundity in the calendar ...

Statistics show that most bovine fecundations occur for about 280 days, but a third still postpone the fetus by 7-10 days. Any other duration is considered a deviation from the norm and should alert the owner.

You can independently calculate how long the cows are pregnant if you know for sure when mating with a bull took place.

How the care of a pregnant cow is changing

Now, finally, they waited for the cow to become pregnant. Like a woman, a pregnant cow needs a particularly careful inspection during the entire gestation period. Regardless of how long a particular pregnancy lasts, how the cow walks and how the pregnancy wears, it is worth reconsidering the diet, regimen and, of course, the attitude towards the pregnant animal.

What is required of a person? All 280 days the cow should live in cozy, comfortable conditions. If before that it was different, then it is worth immediately correcting all the shortcomings. The cow should have a clear sleep and wake schedule, in addition to this:

• you need to eliminate drafts and dampness on the very first day;
• establish a ventilation system in the barn;
• try to change the litter more often, at least once a day;
• if possible, expand the habitat;
• a cow's pregnancy calendar should be kept every day to keep track of any changes in behavior.

What should be the nutrition of a cow in the position

Throughout pregnancy, the cow will need special nutrition, because now there should be enough nutrients not only for her, but also for the small life that develops in her womb. In addition to the fact that proper feeding every day will give the mother the strength to carry the fetus, her body will be able to maintain its normal shape and maintain immunity at an altitude. Otherwise, if you want to save on food, the cow is threatened with the development of vitamin deficiency or the appearance of edema on the body.

A particularly crucial period for bearing a fetus is the third trimester. At this time, the most active weight gain of the calf occurs, the fetus sucks out a lot of strength and energy from the mother, which negatively affects the health of the calf.

Finishing the story about the duration of the cow's pregnancy, it must be said that in many respects the success of the birth of a healthy calf depends on the owner himself, so it is worthwhile to familiarize yourself with such questions in advance:

• How to recognize the first symptoms of a cow's pregnancy on your own?
• What is the care of a cow during pregnancy?

Now that we know how to determine the term and how the pregnancy of cows manifests itself, this process will be much easier.