Future Farmers of America (FFA) Vet Science Career Development Events (CDE) Practice Exam 2025 - Free Vet Science CDE Practice Questions and Study Guide

The process of determining a cow's weight after calving involves understanding the relationship between the animal's weight before calving and the expected weight loss associated with the calving process itself. Typically, when a cow calves, it loses weight due to the delivery of the calf, loss of amniotic fluid, and the expulsion of the placenta. Therefore, knowing the average weight loss during this process typically ranges from 60 to 100 pounds can help in estimating the post-calving weight.

In this scenario, if we consider that the cow’s weight before calving was around 1557 pounds, after accounting for the weight loss during calving, the most accurate estimation suggests that the cow's post-calving weight would be approximately 1457 pounds. This figure aligns with the common expectations of weight reduction during calving.

Thus, the selection of 1457 pounds as the post-calving weight reflects a reasonable assessment based on standard veterinary practices related to calving and weight loss.