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Herd Health & Cattle CarePregnancy Checking Cattle
Pregnancy checking tells you which cows are carrying a calf and which are not, before you spend a winter feeding the open ones.
Key points
- Pregnancy checking lets you cull or manage open cows early.
- Ask your vet which method and timing fit your herd.
- Record results at the chute and use them for feeding and calving plans.
- Report abortions to your vet, and do not handle suspect material.
Why pregnancy check at all
A cow that is open costs feed, pasture and labor all year without producing a calf. Pregnancy checking lets you make decisions early: sell open cows, rebreed some, sort the herd for winter feeding and plan your calving season.
It also gives you information about the herd. A high number of open cows may point to bulls, nutrition, disease or management issues that deserve a closer look with your vet.
Pregnancy checking is also a good moment to review each cow's year. A cow that is open, late or had calving trouble may be a candidate for culling, and a cow that is bred early and raises a good calf is worth keeping.
Common methods in general terms
Veterinarians and trained technicians commonly use manual palpation, ultrasound or blood tests to determine pregnancy. Each method has its own timing, accuracy and cost, and each requires the right skills and equipment.
Ask your veterinarian which method fits your herd, how soon after breeding it can be used and how accurate it is. Avoid doing rectal palpation without training, because it can injure the cow.
Training matters here. Many veterinarians and extension offices offer workshops on pregnancy checking for ranchers who want to learn, but safe and accurate checking takes practice and should not be improvised.
When to check
Timing depends on the method and on your breeding season. Gestation is roughly nine months, about 283 days, so you can work backward from the end of breeding to plan calving dates. Many ranchers check at weaning or when cattle are already being gathered, but your vet can recommend the best timing.
Cows can be checked more than once. A second check some time after the first can catch late breeders or cows that lost a pregnancy. Ask about what is practical for your herd.
Record the check date and method on every cow, because an early check and a later check do not mean the same thing. Your vet can explain how to read the results from each.
Setting up for a safe, efficient day
Gather cattle gently and keep the day calm. Check that the chute, headgate and alley work properly, and have extra help. Follow equipment guidance and extension or OSHA safety recommendations.
Plan the flow of the day: how animals are sorted, how results are recorded and where open cows are penned.
- Working facilities in good repair
- Enough help to handle the number of cows
- A way to record each ID and result
- Pens or gates ready to sort
- Shade, water and a plan for weather
Using the results
Record each cow's status and, if the vet gives it, an estimate of how far along she is. Cows that settle early will calve earlier, and you can group them for feeding and calving checks.
Open cows are a business decision. Talk with your vet, your nutritionist and your lender or accountant about options. Programs and prices change, so do not rely on rules of thumb.
Share the results with whoever buys or feeds your cattle. Many sale programs value cows that are documented as bred, and a clear record saves arguments later.
Pregnancy loss and reportable disease
If cows lose pregnancies or abort, call your veterinarian. Some causes are reportable diseases, including brucellosis, and handling aborted material carries risk to people. Do not handle suspect material yourself, and contact your veterinarian, the state veterinarian or USDA APHIS right away.
Keep records of when and where losses occur so your vet can look for patterns.
Keep ranch visitors and dogs away from cattle during a loss, and wash up carefully after any contact with birth fluids or tissue.
Common mistakes and what to ask
Common mistakes include checking too early to be reliable, rushing cattle, not recording results at the chute and keeping open cows without a plan.
Ask your vet which method and timing you should use, how to treat uncertain results and what to do about open cows.
- Checking too early
- Rushing the work
- Losing results
- No plan for open cows
Sources and further reading
- American Association of Bovine Practitioners
- Beef Improvement Federation
- USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
- University of Nebraska-Lincoln Beef
Organization homepages are linked so you can search them for current guidance on this topic.