Cow Gestation Period: How Long are Cows Pregnant?

Cows are some of the most easily recognizable animals on the planet. We rely on them for food, milk, and leather. There are many different breeds of cows across the world, and they vary in size. However, regardless of breed, all cows reproduce the same way. But have you ever wondered how long a cow’s gestation period is?

Here, we’ll learn a little more about what makes a cow a cow. Then, we’ll discover just how long cow gestation lasts and how many babies a cow can have at once. Finally, we’ll learn what signs to watch for to tell whether or not cows are pregnant. Read on to learn more!

Cattle: The Facts

Cows are large, cloven-hoofed bovines kept by humans as livestock and occasionally as pets. The first cows were domesticated from wild ancestors around 10,000 years ago in the Middle East and the Indian subcontinent, as well as Africa. Today, there are over 1.5 billion cattle on Earth, most of which are on farms and ranches. That’s why it’s important to understand how long cows are pregnant and just what it takes to raise cattle for human use and consumption.

Appearance

Cattle have long bodies and heavy heads set on thick necks. Most cattle have long tails tipped in hair, which they use to flick flies away. They rely on their size, sharp hooves, and strength in numbers to fend off predators. They have excellent senses of vision, taste, and smell, which they use to find food and avoid dangers. Cattle come in various colors, including brown, white, black, tan, and combinations of any two colors.

Size

Modern cattle stand anywhere from 30 to 65 inches tall at the shoulder. The largest breed of cattle in the world is the Chianina, which can reach more than 60 inches tall at the shoulder, with some bulls even exceeding 70 inches and weighing over 2,000 pounds. One of the smallest cattle breeds in the world is the Zebu, which reaches around 42 inches tall at the shoulder and generally weighs around 600 pounds. 

Diet

Cattle are herbivores and eat strictly plant materials. Their typical foods include grass, hay, grain, and other forbs. Cattle consume several pounds of feed per day. However, because they’re ruminants, they actually chew their food twice. 

Cattle use their front teeth along with their large tongues to grasp and pull grasses and forbs into their mouths. Then, they use their cheek teeth to mash up the tough grass before swallowing it. The grass is partially digested in the stomach and then regurgitated to be chewed once more. This constant chewing is known as “chewing the cud” and is one of the cow’s most characteristic activities.

Behavior

It’s important to understand that all extant cattle are domestic animals. This means that owners and ranchers carefully control the ways their cattle spend their lives. Many cattle are free-ranging and spend spring, summer, and fall foraging on managed cattle ranges. Like other herd animals, like horses, sheep, and goats, cattle stick together, with older cows and bulls dominating younger members of the herd.

How Long Are Cows Pregnant?

Cow gestation periods range from 279 to 292 days, with an average of 283 days. That means that cows are typically pregnant for a little more than nine months. Interestingly, cows’ gestation periods are a similar length to human gestation periods, which typically last about 280 days. Cow pregnancies may seem long, but they’re nothing when compared to the 645-day gestation of the African elephant.

Can Cows have Twins?

Twinning is very rare in cattle; less than 2% of births result in more than one calf. Cow gestation is long, and calves are large and well-developed at birth, which makes twins very uncommon. When twins are comprised of a male and a female twin, the female is known as a freemartin. 

Freemartins are infertile female calves born to twin fertile male calf brothers. In almost every case of male/female calf twinning, the male twin is fertile, while the female twin is infertile. This is because of certain effects of sharing a womb. During development, the freemartin twin is genetically female but does not develop female sexual characteristics. She may even develop some male characteristics. 

How Can You Tell a Cow is Pregnant?

One of the first signs that a cow’s gestation is underway is a lack of heat, or estrus, in the cow. Pregnant cows don’t go into heat until after they’ve given birth. Also, pregnant cows develop bigger udders; the further along they are, the larger their udder. As the fetal calf grows, the cow’s belly will also grow rounder, firmer, and larger. Further, bull cattle have almost no interest in pregnant cows.