Calving started in early May this year when a new-to-us cow calved two months earlier than the vet who preg-checked the seller’s herd anticipated. And we wrapped up this weekend with a heifer calving her first calf about two months later than I hoped (I’m looking for first calf at 24 months, but 26 months is OK).
![b5-calving](https://b2717065.smushcdn.com/2717065/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/b5-calving.jpg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1?w=600)
![cattle-investigating](https://b2717065.smushcdn.com/2717065/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/cattle-investigating.jpg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1?w=600)
Two cows failed to calve. They were both due to have their second calves this year, and that particular calving is a good test of a productive cow. Most drama comes from heifers calving, but second calving tends to weed out the poorer-performing cows because that pregnancy is a triple challenge: the cow needs to finish filling out her frame, feed a calf, and gestate a fetal calf. One of the cows came into heat this July, the other may be bred but if so, she is barely showing.