Signs of a Pregnant Heifer

A heifer is a young female cow that has not yet given birth to calves. Heifers are not called cows until they have reproduced calves. In a dairy farm, pregnancy diagnosis is a common practice. Breeding season lasts between two to four months in a year. At the end of each season, heifers that do not reproduce will remain in the herd, which increases the costs of the dairy farmer or cow breeder. Early heifer pregnancy diagnosis increases the profitability and efficiency of cattle operations. Learning how to detect a pregnant heifer is important to ensure successful birth and identify early problems to avoid miscarriage.

  1. Oestrus Detection

    • Heifers can get pregnant, either from a bull's semen or by artificial insemination. A heifer is considered pregnant if it does not return to its period of fertility, or "oestrus," after a bull impregnation or insemination procedure. However, identifying a heifer in oestrus can sometimes mean something else other than pregnancy. Heifers who do not return to a period of fertility may also have problems in their reproductive system such as uterine infections and ovarian cysts. Although this is one way to check the signs of a pregnant heifer, oestrus signs are not the most reliable indicator of heifer pregnancy.

    Rectal Palpation

    • One of the fastest and most inexpensive ways of detecting heifer pregnancy is rectal palpation. This entails examining the contents of the heifer's uterus by slipping your hand inside the heifer's rectum. Usually, only skilled veterinarians and expert cow farmers carry out this procedure. Rectal palpation can be conducted 30 days after insemination. The earliest sign of heifer pregnancy using rectal palpation is the change in size of the uterine horns or asymmetry, and the presence of a membrane slip along the lining of the uterus.

    Ultrasound

    • Medical practitioners can use an ultrasound machine to detect a pregnant heifer. They insert a probe through the heifer's rectum, and strategically position it above the uterus. The probe will then emit ultrasound pulses through adjacent tissues. This reflection of pulses will produce an electric signal that is processed by the ultrasound machine. From here, images are produced and viewed through a video monitor. This procedure of detecting heifer pregnancy has a high rate of accuracy and is conducted as early as 25 days after insemination. Ultrasounds are more expensive than the other methods, and takes a longer time to confirm a pregnancy diagnosis.