I’d be trying to figure out why she was 6+ months late. At this point she’ll likely never catch up to the others. The few times I tried to salvage late calvers it just never worked for me. These days they get a free trailer ride.

Well , if we keep the Calf for breeding??? I would hold her until July 2021 ...but, she might just be sold off next fall.
Her Mom ,now that 's another Story...she frustrated us, she might just get grained out and Butchered next fall.

Might be bulls fault too. She was obviously last one he caught. I wouldn't worry about it.

I was just referring to the cow herself. Something caused it, but with all other cows calving on time you can pretty much rule out the bull being the problem. To be that late she almost had to have aborted and was rebred.

Nice!

That's what I believe

When my wife and I were in the cattle business. We had an older cattle man that mentored us. Gearld Fry was his name, we sourced grass based Red Angus semen through him from a grass based herd in South Texas.
Anyway, he taught us a lot about the "old ways" of breeding and raising cattle, what to look for when building a herd, cows that stay, cows that go down the line, and so on.
Regarding your mother cow, for some undesired reason, she did not settle in the window of time that she should have. Gearld taught us about "ruthless culling" ; no matter how "good" they are, if they don't give you a live, healthy calf, and take care of it and protect it, they are culled out of the herd. As you probably know, there are other things that can factor into this as well.
Out of curiosity, why was she with a bull that long, that she would calve this late ? Sounds like you have the setup for the mother cow to winter her calf well.

TraderVic, I sold off my Small herd in 06' after a Stroke that Paralyzed me left side almost complete. When the Cattle were gone....... I. didnt want to look at that side of my small farm. God had other plans and touched my body with healing over the. Next 3 years.... I got back to 80% . Backstory Done now.;--------------------------
About 4 years ago my Wife ( Bless her heart- for Real) saw an Auction in the paper for bred Baldy heifers. We went using her work bonus, overpaid but bought two. Those two calved and we've been breeding Up with good Black Angus. And now our own Angus X bull.
Last year with our small set up (23 acres) I left the Bull in with the bred Cows from Mid July till almost calving in mid April/may. The spring calves from 2018 were in a separate area, but I thought..." well the cows cant get any more pregnant than they are already so I left the bull until the first one calved.
---------------
This particular Cow was supposedly bred and had dropped her first calf On time the spring before. We watched her while others calved.....nothing. She seemed big enough...Now this really happened . In August she bagged up, by this time she was only in with a steer separate pasture....she bagged up and was leaking, dripping milk....We thought FINALLY but Nothing.... in sept last her bag went down but she looked preggo. I had a former Vet / neighbor come down to check her. We had her in the 30X40 bull pen and tried the two of us to get her in the chute. She got past us 5 times ran right through the 6' gat out into the pasture. Bent the gate in half. So.so so... late fall here I put her and the steer back in with the Cows and bull that were breeding for next springs calves , I had given up on her and was going to grain her out and Butcher her. Then the calf Two days ago.
Whole story.... unabridged. I understand how she got bred in late April, BUT HOW/ WHY did she bag up in August drip milk for a long time and then Go back to no enlarged utters until now Again?????

Interesting (and unusual) chain of events. Based on your description of her behavior, she sounds a bit "high headed", which we never tolerated.....for safety reasons mostly. We had more than one gate "compressed" by anxious cattle. Installed a "buffalo gate" (6' high) at the corral entrance after I had a gate modified by an escapee.

Glad you recovered from your stroke as much as you did. My wife worked in rehab at a local hospital for years, based on your recovery - you did way better than many.
FWIW, I have facial paralysis on my left side from a brain tumor surgery (acoustic neuroma) back in 1986.

Happy Thanksgiving !

Vic

Thanks TraderVic.

The vet told me about his brothernlaws cow... had a calf, three weeks later with the first healthy calf at side...she had a second calf- also healthy.

He cannot explain Her bagging up in August dripping milk, then her bag disipating..... ???

But he said after 40 yrs being a vet ....Stange things happen.

Happy Thanksgiving to All !

Very interesting. Good luck with your cow.

Hypothesis only. She was pregnant and spontaneously aborted but that pregnancy had started the hormone clock for milk production which never reset when she aborted and resulted in the udder/milk response in August. As long as she is producing adequately now all should be OK but I would keep close watch to be sure the calf is getting adequate nutrition as her hormone cycle may still be messed up.

Interesting Cohunt..
The calf is bright and alert 48 hours now...Ill keep watch. Thanks!
That could be what happened.

Just as a furbearer cannot wait for cold weather to begin to grow a fur coat, a mammal cannot wait for birthing to begin milk production. The start-up process is somewhat time consuming and the newborn needs food right now!

How old was the steer that was with her in the pasture?

11 months weaned since 6 mo.
Could have started sucking the dripping teets...explains parts of the puzzle, but that alone would not dry her up for 3 months .....

11 months weaned since 6 mo.
Could have started sucking the dripping teets...explains parts of the puzzle, but that alone would not dry her up for 3 months .....

The steer could've stimulated her to bag back up even if she was dried up after weaning. He probably didn't drink much so she was full and dried back up because nursing cows will do that around the seventh month of pregnancy.

Thanks for sharing. It's fun to see other people's beef cows.

Sure!

Yes, it sure is ....I love it when the Western guys show their spring calves.