Signs of cow pregnancy: by months, folk methods for determining

There are many ways to determine the pregnancy of a cow yourself without any special equipment and laboratory tests. Of course, it is always better to entrust this matter to a professional, but sometimes this is not possible. At the same time, all these folk methods for determining pregnancy are absolutely safe, so you can not be afraid for possible harm to the health of the animal. On the other hand, they cannot guarantee 100% accuracy of the results.

What is pregnancy

Pregnancy in a cow is a state of pregnancy in an animal that occurs after estrus, ovulation, and successful artificial or natural insemination. The fertilization period in cattle lasts about a month and does not always bring the desired results – in such cases, the cow remains spring, which entails certain problems.

It is not so easy to visually determine the pregnancy of an animal, however, this must be done as early as possible, since pregnant individuals need special care. They are transferred to a different diet, including a complex of vitamin supplements and better feed, and the hygiene of the animals themselves and the stall is carefully monitored. Moreover, each stage of pregnancy in a cow involves a certain set of animal care procedures, ignoring which can lead to the development of pathologies in an unborn calf. On the other hand, all efforts will be in vain if the cow remains spring after an unsuccessful insemination.

That is why it is so important to know the pregnancy of a cow at an early stage, preferably in the first month. To facilitate the care of cattle during pregnancy, it is recommended to keep an individual calendar of pregnancy and calving of cattle.

How to determine the pregnancy of a cow at home

There is a whole range of methods to determine the pregnancy of a first-calf heifer at home. In order to get more accurate results, it is recommended to use not just one of them, but several, combining visual inspection with the study of the behavior of the animal. Additionally, you can conduct simple tests that do not require special laboratory equipment.

The most accurate results are shown by clinical methods for diagnosing pregnancy, however, with proper experience, you can also conduct fairly reliable outdoor studies on your own.

How to determine the pregnancy of a cow visually

Determining pregnancy in cows at home solely by external signs is not an easy task, but it is quite possible to do this, especially if you additionally observe the behavior of the animal. The following signs indicate that a cow is pregnant:

1. The cow’s coat becomes smooth and silky. This is due to hormonal changes in the body of the animal during pregnancy.
2. In the early stages of pregnancy, dark discharge begins to appear from the genitals. Subsequently, they become more viscous and transparent.
3. Transparent crusts form on the skin in the genital area, remaining after liquid discharge from the vagina.
4. In the first month after fertilization, mild bleeding can be seen on the genitals of the cow and the inside of the tail.
5. In the later stages of pregnancy, the pregnancy of a cow becomes obvious even to an inexperienced person who does not work with cattle – the general contour of the abdomen changes in a fertilized animal. At the same time, the right side of the abdominal cavity is noticeably enlarged.
6. Starting from the middle of pregnancy, the udder of a pregnant cow gradually increases. Toward the end of the term, it becomes more elastic and even firm, which is especially noticeable in primiparous cows.
7. In a pregnant cow in the middle stages of pregnancy, the legs and abdominal wall begin to swell.

The behavior of a cow after successful insemination also changes. According to popular signs of heifer pregnancy, pregnant animals become noticeably calmer and more careful, they stop jumping and lifting their tail. Movement in general slows down, and the gait becomes clumsy. The animal tends to separate from the rest of the herd and graze alone, at some distance. At the same time, the appetite of a pregnant cow is greatly increased.

By milk

According to the state of milk, there are two ways to check the pregnancy of a cow at home:

1. Add a drop of milk to a glass of clean cold water. If it spreads over the surface, then the cow remained spring after mating. Completely dissolved milk indicates the pregnancy of the animal.
2. 5 ml of alcohol are mixed with the same amount of fresh milk. If the cow is pregnant, the milk should curdle.

How to find out the pregnancy of a cow at home using a test

You can also determine the pregnancy of a cow using a special express test, which gives more accurate results than a variety of folk remedies. You can buy it in specialized livestock stores, which greatly facilitates the diagnosis of the animal – you do not need to call a professional veterinarian for this. The advantages of this method also include its speed – the average study time is only 15-20 minutes.

An express test on cows is used, mainly to determine early pregnancy (2-3 weeks). Carry out the test as follows:

1. A special powder is poured into a test tube or a test solution is poured.
2. Then add 10 ml of cow urine to the substance and observe the reaction.
3. If the color of the urine changes and sediment falls to the bottom of the tube, it means that the cow’s fertilization was successful.

Rectal and manual method for determining the pregnancy of cattle

The rectal method for diagnosing pregnancy in cows is more suitable for the study of animals in the early stages, but not earlier than one month. Too early diagnostic procedures can provoke a miscarriage in cattle. The safest bet is to have a pregnancy test done by a professional veterinarian, but in general the rectal method can be used on its own. The main thing is to follow all the precautions.

The rectal method is a palpation of the uterus through the wall of the rectum. During the whole process, the assistant must hold the cow by the horns. You can also place the animal in a special cage to restrict its movement.

The procedure looks like this:

1. Before starting the study, the hands must be thoroughly lathered, after which one is injected into the rectum.
2. Then you need to gently feel the cervix, which is located at the bottom of the pelvic region. It is quite dense and elongated. Only in the last stages of pregnancy is the cervix behind the pubic edge of the pelvis.
3. Based on the location of the uterus, other parts of it are also found, including the ovaries. In a spring heifer, the body of the uterus is located in the pelvic cavity, and its horns are of the same size. A characteristic groove is clearly felt between the horns of the uterus. The entire uterus can be taken in the hand, and it reacts to touch with a weak pulsation.
4. In the first month of pregnancy, one uterine horn noticeably increases in size. The ends of the uterine horns are displaced into the abdominal cavity. In the third month of pregnancy, the gutter between the horns of the uterus disappears.

The manual method of research is the probing of the abdomen of a pregnant cow on the right side. The procedure is carried out according to the following scheme:

1. A fist is brought to the right side of the abdomen and applied to the skin 40-50 cm below the hungry fossa. This place is located just behind the costal arch.
2. After that, you need to make a few neat pushes, without applying much force.

In this way, the location of the embryo is determined, and the pregnancy of the cow is confirmed. The accuracy of the procedure depends on the time of the analysis – the study must be organized early in the morning before the cow starts to eat. Otherwise, the movements of the fetus can be easily confused with the work of the gastrointestinal tract, through which food moves.

It is also important to remember that a few days before the birth, the fetus moves to the birth canal and is difficult to feel during this period.

Clinical methods for determining the pregnancy of a cow

Clinical methods for determining the pregnancy of a cow are used starting from the 30th day after mating. Most often, a biochemical laboratory study or ultrasound analysis is used for these purposes.

In the first case, the hormonal composition of the animal’s blood is examined. It is important to wait at least three months since the last pregnancy. Otherwise, the analysis will show the result of the last pregnancy.

Ultrasound equipment for determining pregnancy in a cow can be used no earlier than one month from the start of pregnancy. The device can cause a miscarriage in a heifer.

Signs of cow pregnancy by month

You can determine the pregnancy of a cow at different times by the following signs:

1. In the first month, pregnancy is evidenced by bloody and clear vaginal discharge, a shiny and smooth coat, as well as a calmer behavior. The flow is absent. The uterus in the first month can be captured in the hand during a rectal examination, during the procedure, the corpus luteum is clearly palpable.
2. In the second month, the uterus moves to the entrance to the pelvic region. The horn, in which the amniotic sac is located, noticeably increases.
3. In the third month of pregnancy, the horn with the amniotic sac continues to grow. During the examination, you can feel the fetus in the uterus.
4. In the fourth month, the uterus moves into the abdominal cavity, during the examination, the location and outlines of the fetus are clearly determined, as well as the placenta, which by this time reaches 2-3 cm. The blood vessels clearly pulsate.
5. In the fifth month of pregnancy, the cervix noticeably increases, which occupies most of the abdominal cavity. The placenta also grows, reaching 4-5 cm. The abdomen visually increases in size, the udder is filled with milk.
6. At the sixth month, the uterus descends into the peritoneum, and at this stage of pregnancy it is already difficult to feel the fetus.
7. In the eighth month of pregnancy, various parts of the calf are felt in the cow during palpation. The uterus is located in the pelvic region.
8. At the ninth month, a clear swelling of the udder becomes visually noticeable. The lower wall of the abdomen also swells. The size of the placenta is 8 cm. The fetus moves to the pelvic region.

Conclusion

In order to unambiguously determine the pregnancy of a cow, folk signs may not be enough. It is important to take into account all signs of pregnancy in cattle: a change in the behavior of the animal, the appearance of the coat, the contour of the abdomen, etc. If it is difficult to visually determine the pregnancy of a cow, you can always do a home test on the milk or urine of the animal. If this does not help, then they move on to more thorough research methods – rectal and manual. It is recommended that these procedures be carried out by specialists, however, with caution, you can do everything yourself.

It is very important to check the cow for pregnancy as early as possible. This will allow you to prepare in advance for the pregnancy of the animal and take all measures to ensure that the cow during this period feels as comfortable as possible and does not become exhausted after pregnancy.

For more information on how to determine pregnancy in a cow at home, you can learn from the video below: