Abstract: The method of determining the body weight of a newborn calf comprises weighing a control group of first newborn calves having different body weights, measuring the circumference of a front hoof of each of the first newborn calves in the control group, and recording the respective body weights and hoof circumferences measured for each of the calves in the control group. Next, the circumference of a front hoof of a newborn calf of unknown body weight is measured and is compared to a substantially equal hoof circumference of one of the newborn calves in the control group. The weight of the newborn calf of unknown body weight is determined by equating it to the body weight of the newborn calf in the control group having the closest hoof circumference to the hoof circumference measured for the calf of unknown body weight.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a method and device for determining the ease with which a cow may give birth to a calf. It includes a slide rule having two movable slides and a fixed slide. The fixed slide includes a predicted calving score scale at one end thereof and a hoof circumference scale at the other end thereof. One of the moving slides includes a pelvic height scale, and the other moving slide includes a pelvic width scale.The method of the present invention involves measuring the pelvic height and pelvic width of a cow which is about to give birth to a calf. Next, the hoof circumference of the calf is measured prior to the time that it is born. The measured pelvic height, pelvic width, and hoof circumference are lined up on the slide rule and this results in indicators on the two movable slides being positioned adjacent a predicted calving score. The predicted calving score indicates the ease with which the cow will give birth to a calf.