Quick answer
The standard cattle gestation table uses 283 days: a cow bred on January 1 calves around Oct 11, bred April 1 around Jan 9, bred July 1 around Apr 10 and bred October 1 around Jul 11.
Pick a breed above to redraw the table with that breed’s gestation length.
How to read the cattle gestation table
- Find the month she was bred along the top row.
- Go down to the day of the month in the left column.
- The cell where they meet is her calving date.
Example: a cow bred on May 20 → find May, go down to 20, and the cow gestation table shows Feb 27. Anything from about 10 days before to 10 days after that date is a normal calving.
Choose a year above and every cell becomes a real date for that breeding season, including leap years; hover over or tap a cell to see the weekday and year. Use Look up one date for a single cow.
Gestation tables for beef, Angus and dairy cattle
The breed menu redraws the whole table with that breed’s average gestation, so you can print a gestation table for Angus, Hereford, Simmental, Holstein or any of 21 breeds. If you are using the standard 283-day table on paper, adjust it by these days:
| Breed | Average days | Adjust the 283-day table by |
|---|---|---|
| Angus / Black Angus | 280 | -3 days |
| Red Angus | 282 | -1 days |
| Hereford | 285 | +2 days |
| Shorthorn | 283 | 0 days |
| Highland | 285 | +2 days |
| Galloway / Belted Galloway | 283 | 0 days |
| Simmental | 287 | +4 days |
| Charolais | 289 | +6 days |
| Limousin | 289 | +6 days |
| Gelbvieh | 286 | +3 days |
| Maine-Anjou | 286 | +3 days |
| Brahman | 292 | +9 days |
| Santa Gertrudis | 285 | +2 days |
| Droughtmaster | 288 | +5 days |
| Other Bos indicus cross (Brangus, Beefmaster) | 286 | +3 days |
| Holstein / Friesian | 279 | -4 days |
| Jersey | 279 | -4 days |
| Guernsey | 283 | 0 days |
| Ayrshire | 279 | -4 days |
| Brown Swiss | 290 | +7 days |
| Milking Shorthorn | 282 | -1 days |
| American bison | 279 | -4 days |
| Yak | 262 | -21 days |
| River buffalo (water buffalo, e.g. Murrah) | 310 | +27 days |
| Swamp buffalo (water buffalo) | 330 | +47 days |
Example: a Brahman cow is due about 9 days after the date in the 283-day table; a Holstein about 4 days before it. There is a dedicated Angus gestation table too.
How this gestation table is made
Each cell is the breeding date plus the breed’s average gestation length in days, worked out with real calendar dates, so month lengths and leap years are handled correctly. The default is 283 days, the figure used by most breed associations and extension charts.
Some printed cattle gestation tables are a day different from this one. Older tables were often worked out by hand or use 282 or 285 days. Recent research suggests many beef herds actually average 279–281 days, which is why the breed menu is there. If your herd’s records show a different average, the cow pregnancy calculator lets you type your own gestation length.
Using the table for AI and bull breeding
For AI or hand-mated cows, look up the insemination date. If she was bred twice in the same heat, go with the second date. If she came back into heat and was bred again, cross out the old due date and look up the new one.
With a bull running with the herd, look up two dates: the day he went in gives your first calves, and the day he came out gives your last. The calving calculator breaks that stretch into 21-day periods if you want more detail.
You can use the table backwards too. Find the calving date you’re aiming for somewhere in the body of the table, then read the month at the top and the day at the side. That’s your breeding date.
Printing the cow gestation table
Press Print / save as PDF. Only the table prints, sized to fit one page. In the print window choose Landscape for bigger text, or choose Save as PDF as the printer to keep a copy on your phone. Laminate it, hang it in the barn, and write each cow’s tag next to her calving date.
Print one table for the cows and one for the heifers. Heifers are usually bred 2–4 weeks earlier, so they calve first.
Cattle gestation table FAQ
What is a cattle gestation table?
A cattle gestation table (or cow gestation table) lists a calving date for every possible breeding date, usually at 283 days. For buffalo, bison and yak there is a separate bovine gestation table. You look up the breeding day and read off the calving date instead of counting.
How many days does a cattle gestation table use?
Most use 283 days. This table uses 283 by default and can be redrawn for any breed, from 279 days (Holstein) to 292 days (Brahman).
Is there a printable cattle gestation table PDF?
Yes. Choose your breed and year, press Print / save as PDF, and pick “Save as PDF” as the printer. The page prints only the table, on one page.
Does a leap year change the gestation table?
By one day for calvings after February 28 in a leap year. Choose the breeding year in the year menu and the table uses the real calendar automatically.
Is the cow gestation table the same for beef and dairy cattle?
The method is the same, but dairy breeds average about 4 days shorter. Pick Holstein or Jersey in the breed menu for a dairy gestation table.
Last updated October 21, 2026 · Every date on this page comes from the same data the calculators use.