Signs of heat in cows

This information is for a handout and it should be used together with the video.


1. Riding of other cows can be a sign of heat, but all riders are not necessarily in heat. 

2. Roughened hair, or hair rubbed off, on the tailhead may be evidence of others riding, indicating this animal may be in heat. 

3. Cows in heat may follow others, stand close and sniff, nuzzle and lick the back or rump of others. 

4. Cows in heat or near onset of heat tend to group together. 

5. Cows generally are more nervous than usual, and may bawl considerably, pace the fence and generally are more restless. Keen observers, familiar with their animals, often can tell cows in or approaching heat by subtle changes in normal appearance. A drop in milk production sometimes is observed. 

6. Another good indicator is stringy, clear (egg white appearance) mucus hanging from the vulva opening or smeared on the tail or buttocks. Clear mucus discharges often can be seen in the gutter or on the ground where a cow had been resting. 

7. The vulva lips will look moist and slightly swollen. A somewhat smoother surface is shown rather than the normal dry, finely wrinkled vulva lips of a non-estrus cow. Further, the hairs of a cow in heat tend to be wet and matted and smeared by tail and rubbing activity.