Livestock Calculators
Menu

Cow Gestation Calculator

Pick the breed. Type the day she was bred. Get her calving date and the days to watch for heat.

1Breed

2Breeding

How she was bred

The AI date, or the day the bull bred her.

3If you know

Due date

August 4, 2027Wednesday

  • 279days, on average
  • Jul 30 to Aug 8about 2 in 3 calves come
  • 279days to go
  • Your cow should calve on Wednesday, August 4, 2027. That is 279 days after she was bred.
  • About 2 in 3 calves come between Jul 30 and Aug 8.
  • Watch her for heat on Nov 19 and Dec 10. If she comes into heat, she is not bred.
  • Next: Nov 26. Pregnancy check by ultrasound or blood test.
  • Today she is on day 0. 279 days to go.

Due Aug 4Answer

Her calendar

    When she is close

    • The first stage of labor usually lasts 2 to 6 hours. A heifer can take 8 to 12 hours.
    • Once she is pushing, a cow should have her calf within 30 minutes. A heifer, within 1 hour.

    Call your vet if

    • Only the water bag shows, and nothing happens in 1 hour.
    • Feet show, soles down, and nothing happens in 30 minutes.
    • She has been in the first stage of labor more than 8 hours.

    Your herd

    Keep a list of your cows and their due dates. Type a tag or a name, then add her. The list stays in this browser only.

    Gestation by breed

    Due dates are for the date you typed above: October 29, 2026.

    BreedAverageSpreadDue dateSource
    Angus279 days 274 to 283 days (2 in 3) Aug 4 K-State Beef Tips
    Red Angus282 days 277 to 287 days (2 in 3, our estimate) Aug 7 Virginia Cooperative Extension
    Hereford284 days 279 to 289 days (2 in 3, our estimate) Aug 9 Virginia Cooperative Extension
    Charolais283 days 278 to 288 days (2 in 3, our estimate) Aug 8 Virginia Cooperative Extension
    Simmental285 days 280 to 290 days (2 in 3, our estimate) Aug 10 Virginia Cooperative Extension
    Gelbvieh284 days 279 to 289 days (2 in 3, our estimate) Aug 9 Virginia Cooperative Extension
    Limousin286 days 281 to 291 days (2 in 3, our estimate) Aug 11 Virginia Cooperative Extension
    Brahman292 days 287 to 296 days (2 in 3, our estimate) Aug 17 Moore et al.
    Holstein280 days 275 to 284 days (2 in 3, our estimate) Aug 5 Hoard’s Dairyman
    Jersey280 days 275 to 285 days (2 in 3, our estimate) Aug 5 Hoard’s Dairyman
    Ayrshire282 days 277 to 286 days (2 in 3, our estimate) Aug 7 Hoard’s Dairyman
    Guernsey286 days 281 to 290 days (2 in 3, our estimate) Aug 11 Hoard’s Dairyman
    Brown Swiss288 days 283 to 292 days (2 in 3, our estimate) Aug 13 Hoard’s Dairyman
    Other or not sure283 days 278 to 288 days (2 in 3, our estimate) Aug 8 K-State Beef Tips

    Cow gestation chart

    Find the day she was bred. Next to it is her due date. This chart is for Angus, bred in 2026.

    January

    1. 1Oct 7
    2. 2Oct 8
    3. 3Oct 9
    4. 4Oct 10
    5. 5Oct 11
    6. 6Oct 12
    7. 7Oct 13
    8. 8Oct 14
    9. 9Oct 15
    10. 10Oct 16
    11. 11Oct 17
    12. 12Oct 18
    13. 13Oct 19
    14. 14Oct 20
    15. 15Oct 21
    16. 16Oct 22
    17. 17Oct 23
    18. 18Oct 24
    19. 19Oct 25
    20. 20Oct 26
    21. 21Oct 27
    22. 22Oct 28
    23. 23Oct 29
    24. 24Oct 30
    25. 25Oct 31
    26. 26Nov 1
    27. 27Nov 2
    28. 28Nov 3
    29. 29Nov 4
    30. 30Nov 5
    31. 31Nov 6

    February

    1. 1Nov 7
    2. 2Nov 8
    3. 3Nov 9
    4. 4Nov 10
    5. 5Nov 11
    6. 6Nov 12
    7. 7Nov 13
    8. 8Nov 14
    9. 9Nov 15
    10. 10Nov 16
    11. 11Nov 17
    12. 12Nov 18
    13. 13Nov 19
    14. 14Nov 20
    15. 15Nov 21
    16. 16Nov 22
    17. 17Nov 23
    18. 18Nov 24
    19. 19Nov 25
    20. 20Nov 26
    21. 21Nov 27
    22. 22Nov 28
    23. 23Nov 29
    24. 24Nov 30
    25. 25Dec 1
    26. 26Dec 2
    27. 27Dec 3
    28. 28Dec 4

    March

    1. 1Dec 5
    2. 2Dec 6
    3. 3Dec 7
    4. 4Dec 8
    5. 5Dec 9
    6. 6Dec 10
    7. 7Dec 11
    8. 8Dec 12
    9. 9Dec 13
    10. 10Dec 14
    11. 11Dec 15
    12. 12Dec 16
    13. 13Dec 17
    14. 14Dec 18
    15. 15Dec 19
    16. 16Dec 20
    17. 17Dec 21
    18. 18Dec 22
    19. 19Dec 23
    20. 20Dec 24
    21. 21Dec 25
    22. 22Dec 26
    23. 23Dec 27
    24. 24Dec 28
    25. 25Dec 29
    26. 26Dec 30
    27. 27Dec 31
    28. 28Jan 1
    29. 29Jan 2
    30. 30Jan 3
    31. 31Jan 4

    April

    1. 1Jan 5
    2. 2Jan 6
    3. 3Jan 7
    4. 4Jan 8
    5. 5Jan 9
    6. 6Jan 10
    7. 7Jan 11
    8. 8Jan 12
    9. 9Jan 13
    10. 10Jan 14
    11. 11Jan 15
    12. 12Jan 16
    13. 13Jan 17
    14. 14Jan 18
    15. 15Jan 19
    16. 16Jan 20
    17. 17Jan 21
    18. 18Jan 22
    19. 19Jan 23
    20. 20Jan 24
    21. 21Jan 25
    22. 22Jan 26
    23. 23Jan 27
    24. 24Jan 28
    25. 25Jan 29
    26. 26Jan 30
    27. 27Jan 31
    28. 28Feb 1
    29. 29Feb 2
    30. 30Feb 3

    May

    1. 1Feb 4
    2. 2Feb 5
    3. 3Feb 6
    4. 4Feb 7
    5. 5Feb 8
    6. 6Feb 9
    7. 7Feb 10
    8. 8Feb 11
    9. 9Feb 12
    10. 10Feb 13
    11. 11Feb 14
    12. 12Feb 15
    13. 13Feb 16
    14. 14Feb 17
    15. 15Feb 18
    16. 16Feb 19
    17. 17Feb 20
    18. 18Feb 21
    19. 19Feb 22
    20. 20Feb 23
    21. 21Feb 24
    22. 22Feb 25
    23. 23Feb 26
    24. 24Feb 27
    25. 25Feb 28
    26. 26Mar 1
    27. 27Mar 2
    28. 28Mar 3
    29. 29Mar 4
    30. 30Mar 5
    31. 31Mar 6

    June

    1. 1Mar 7
    2. 2Mar 8
    3. 3Mar 9
    4. 4Mar 10
    5. 5Mar 11
    6. 6Mar 12
    7. 7Mar 13
    8. 8Mar 14
    9. 9Mar 15
    10. 10Mar 16
    11. 11Mar 17
    12. 12Mar 18
    13. 13Mar 19
    14. 14Mar 20
    15. 15Mar 21
    16. 16Mar 22
    17. 17Mar 23
    18. 18Mar 24
    19. 19Mar 25
    20. 20Mar 26
    21. 21Mar 27
    22. 22Mar 28
    23. 23Mar 29
    24. 24Mar 30
    25. 25Mar 31
    26. 26Apr 1
    27. 27Apr 2
    28. 28Apr 3
    29. 29Apr 4
    30. 30Apr 5

    July

    1. 1Apr 6
    2. 2Apr 7
    3. 3Apr 8
    4. 4Apr 9
    5. 5Apr 10
    6. 6Apr 11
    7. 7Apr 12
    8. 8Apr 13
    9. 9Apr 14
    10. 10Apr 15
    11. 11Apr 16
    12. 12Apr 17
    13. 13Apr 18
    14. 14Apr 19
    15. 15Apr 20
    16. 16Apr 21
    17. 17Apr 22
    18. 18Apr 23
    19. 19Apr 24
    20. 20Apr 25
    21. 21Apr 26
    22. 22Apr 27
    23. 23Apr 28
    24. 24Apr 29
    25. 25Apr 30
    26. 26May 1
    27. 27May 2
    28. 28May 3
    29. 29May 4
    30. 30May 5
    31. 31May 6

    August

    1. 1May 7
    2. 2May 8
    3. 3May 9
    4. 4May 10
    5. 5May 11
    6. 6May 12
    7. 7May 13
    8. 8May 14
    9. 9May 15
    10. 10May 16
    11. 11May 17
    12. 12May 18
    13. 13May 19
    14. 14May 20
    15. 15May 21
    16. 16May 22
    17. 17May 23
    18. 18May 24
    19. 19May 25
    20. 20May 26
    21. 21May 27
    22. 22May 28
    23. 23May 29
    24. 24May 30
    25. 25May 31
    26. 26Jun 1
    27. 27Jun 2
    28. 28Jun 3
    29. 29Jun 4
    30. 30Jun 5
    31. 31Jun 6

    September

    1. 1Jun 7
    2. 2Jun 8
    3. 3Jun 9
    4. 4Jun 10
    5. 5Jun 11
    6. 6Jun 12
    7. 7Jun 13
    8. 8Jun 14
    9. 9Jun 15
    10. 10Jun 16
    11. 11Jun 17
    12. 12Jun 18
    13. 13Jun 19
    14. 14Jun 20
    15. 15Jun 21
    16. 16Jun 22
    17. 17Jun 23
    18. 18Jun 24
    19. 19Jun 25
    20. 20Jun 26
    21. 21Jun 27
    22. 22Jun 28
    23. 23Jun 29
    24. 24Jun 30
    25. 25Jul 1
    26. 26Jul 2
    27. 27Jul 3
    28. 28Jul 4
    29. 29Jul 5
    30. 30Jul 6

    October

    1. 1Jul 7
    2. 2Jul 8
    3. 3Jul 9
    4. 4Jul 10
    5. 5Jul 11
    6. 6Jul 12
    7. 7Jul 13
    8. 8Jul 14
    9. 9Jul 15
    10. 10Jul 16
    11. 11Jul 17
    12. 12Jul 18
    13. 13Jul 19
    14. 14Jul 20
    15. 15Jul 21
    16. 16Jul 22
    17. 17Jul 23
    18. 18Jul 24
    19. 19Jul 25
    20. 20Jul 26
    21. 21Jul 27
    22. 22Jul 28
    23. 23Jul 29
    24. 24Jul 30
    25. 25Jul 31
    26. 26Aug 1
    27. 27Aug 2
    28. 28Aug 3
    29. 29Aug 4
    30. 30Aug 5
    31. 31Aug 6

    November

    1. 1Aug 7
    2. 2Aug 8
    3. 3Aug 9
    4. 4Aug 10
    5. 5Aug 11
    6. 6Aug 12
    7. 7Aug 13
    8. 8Aug 14
    9. 9Aug 15
    10. 10Aug 16
    11. 11Aug 17
    12. 12Aug 18
    13. 13Aug 19
    14. 14Aug 20
    15. 15Aug 21
    16. 16Aug 22
    17. 17Aug 23
    18. 18Aug 24
    19. 19Aug 25
    20. 20Aug 26
    21. 21Aug 27
    22. 22Aug 28
    23. 23Aug 29
    24. 24Aug 30
    25. 25Aug 31
    26. 26Sep 1
    27. 27Sep 2
    28. 28Sep 3
    29. 29Sep 4
    30. 30Sep 5

    December

    1. 1Sep 6
    2. 2Sep 7
    3. 3Sep 8
    4. 4Sep 9
    5. 5Sep 10
    6. 6Sep 11
    7. 7Sep 12
    8. 8Sep 13
    9. 9Sep 14
    10. 10Sep 15
    11. 11Sep 16
    12. 12Sep 17
    13. 13Sep 18
    14. 14Sep 19
    15. 15Sep 20
    16. 16Sep 21
    17. 17Sep 22
    18. 18Sep 23
    19. 19Sep 24
    20. 20Sep 25
    21. 21Sep 26
    22. 22Sep 27
    23. 23Sep 28
    24. 24Sep 29
    25. 25Sep 30
    26. 26Oct 1
    27. 27Oct 2
    28. 28Oct 3
    29. 29Oct 4
    30. 30Oct 5
    31. 31Oct 6

    What changes the date

    The breed of the bull. The calf sets most of the date, so the bull's breed counts. The beef numbers above are by the breed of the bull.

    The cow's age. Older cows carry a little longer. In the Angus study, 2-year-olds averaged 277.7 days and 8-year-olds 279.6 days.

    First calf or not. Dairy heifers calve a day or two sooner than cows. Holstein heifers average 277.9 days, cows 279.5.

    Bull or heifer calf, one or two. Bull calves come a bit later. Twins come about 5 days early.

    Why two numbers for Angus?

    A study of Angus AI calves from 2000 to 2020 found 278.6 days. An older study from the US Meat Animal Research Center found 282 days for Angus-sired calves.

    Gestation in Angus has gotten shorter, by about 4 days over those years. We use the newer number. Only Angus has a spread from its own data. For the other breeds, the spread is our estimate from Angus.

    Questions

    How long is a cow pregnant?

    About 283 days is the old textbook number. Newer data on 101,787 Angus calves found 278.6 days. Dairy breeds run from about 279 days (Holstein) to 288 days (Brown Swiss).

    How many months is a cow pregnant?

    About 9 months. That is 279 to 283 days for most breeds.

    Do bull calves come later?

    Yes, a little. Heifer calves come 1 to 2 days sooner than bull calves in dairy herds. Twins come about 5 days early.

    When will she come back into heat?

    Cows come into heat about every 21 days. It can be 17 to 24 days. If she shows heat about 3 weeks after breeding, she is not bred.

    Sources

    Related calculators

    All calculators