Can someone answer this question?

[fryguy]

Can someone please tell me why it always seems to be the absolute worst possible weather out when your cows start to calf. Is there some thing in a cows system that says we just had three nice days, I am five days over due and it is now in the minus numbers for temp. I think I will calve NOW! Or its starting to snow and I will calf now five days early. I can't be the only one that notices this. It has been a little hard to avoid the snow tho, over 70 inches in January and February starting off the same.  (lol)

 

[GoWyo]

Something about low pressure weather systems makes cows lay down and have calves right in the worst of it.  Seems backwards as a survival strategy, but then so is calving before there is green grass. 

 

[BadgerFan]

Something about low pressure weather systems makes cows lay down and have calves right in the worst of it.  Seems backwards as a survival strategy, but then so is calving before there is green grass. 

GoWyo, I got a good chuckle out of your comment, very true. I think we've bred a good portion of the "survival strategies" out of our cattle.

 

[Jill]

It isn't just cattle, humans are the same way, it has to do with the barometric pressure.

 

[steerjock2011]

i have to agree with you JILL, it is the barometric pressure.

 

[GoWyo]

Something about low pressure weather systems makes cows lay down and have calves right in the worst of it.  Seems backwards as a survival strategy, but then so is calving before there is green grass. 

GoWyo, I got a good chuckle out of your comment, very true. I think we've bred a good portion of the "survival strategies" out of our cattle.

I have some old EXT x Limmy cross cows that seem to calve during the late spring blizzards, but they have retained a number of other survival strategies.

 

[BadgerFan]

[quote I have some old EXT x Limmy cross cows that seem to calve during the late spring blizzards, but they have retained a number of other survival strategies.

let me guess, you'd get rid of them but can't get the old girls in the load out pen.  ;D

 

[oakbar]

I've heard the theories about barometric pressure, etc. but I think it has more to do with the nature of the female beast.  Sorry Jill!!  Most females I know seem to pick the absolute worst time to do almost everything.    Weddings on big game days, family gatherings during hunting season,  beauty pageants during cattle shows,  etc.  Why should the cows be any different?? 

Just remember, this Iowegian lives with 3 blonde females and a cantankerous old female bull dog that ignores me just the like the wife and daughters---that could have something to do with my perceptions.  LOL

 

[GoWyo]

[quote I have some old EXT x Limmy cross cows that seem to calve during the late spring blizzards, but they have retained a number of other survival strategies.

let me guess, you'd get rid of them but can't get the old girls in the load out pen.   ;D

Some are pretty mean at calving time -- we pasture calve so I rope the calf on foot and haul it up into the back of the pickup to tag and band.  The ones that didn't want to corral I kept driving them around the pasture with a horse until they gave up and went to the corral for relief.  Once trained, they are actually good to work with - just have to ease them into stuff.  Most endearing feature is that they are low maintenance, so even if they are overprotective at calving time, if they don't bail fences, they get to stay.