Two possibilities exist for this phenomenon. First, the cow may have claimed another cow's calf and nursed that calf. Then, she delivered her own calf six weeks later and is now trying to nurse both calves. Second, the cow actually calved twice, six weeks apart and is now nursing both calves. Generally, the udder doesn't fill until about two to three weeks prior to calving. However, there is a lot of variation between cows. For example, older cows bag down sooner than heifers. It would be possible for a cow to produce milk six weeks ahead of her due date, but this is highly unusual. Several reports illustrate that cows can breed on consecutive heat cycles by two different bulls and subsequently delivering each calf independently two to three weeks apart. It would be a stretch to believe that six weeks could elapse between two calvings for the same cow.
FAQ #28620
Have a question? Try asking one of our Experts
Have you ever heard of a cow stealing a calf and having milk for it, then delivering her own calf six to seven weeks later? A local producer insists this cow calved twice, over this short period.
Have a specific question? Try asking one of our Experts
Unlike most other resources on the web, we have experts from Universities around the country ready to answer your questions.
This resource area was created by the: community
Resource Area Feeds
In This Resource Area
Cattle Facts:
Beef Tips:
- Reproduction
- Breeding and Genetics
- Herd Health
- Management
- Nutrition
- Pastures and Forages
Glossary: