Say a prayer...

[greatgerts]

We are preg checking our fall calvers today, and I just have this "feeling" that the outcome is not going to be ideal. Out of 16 fall calvers, I have seen 3 that have seem to have been standing in the last 2 weeks (They have been in drylot for that time so it could be just close quarters causing the riding). Hopefully, that is all that are open and they can hit the road. If not, I guess I will have to do some searching for a new bull.

[bigbull338]

heres hoping you have a good day preg checking.an no more than 3 come up open.but you know they could be showing signs of false heat an be bred.

[greatgerts]

Oh, I know they could be showing a false heat. That is what I am praying for. I know that on one heifer, which I haven't seen come back in, when the bull was mounting her his aim was off. There were others that I haven't seen come back in, but there too you do not know if maybe they are coming in during the night where you don't see them in. The bull has been a silent breeder to date, so let's just hope.

[greatgerts]

So, only 3 out of 15 were bred. We are going to test the bull next week to see if we can tell what happened or not. I just wish I would have kept back a bull last year to be able to use... Now I need to start looking for a new one because I know that my 12 month old sure as heck can't breed 30 cows in his first season.

[bigbull338]

man thats no good.12 open cows is a killer.esp when the bull is shooting blanks.hope you can find a bull quick.

[hillsdown]

I don't know ,,but a yearling should easily be able to cover 30 cows within 6-8 weeks unless you have them running on a huge barren pasture where he has to move a lot of footage to find a cow in heat.

Good luck, it is sure a heart break and a pain in the wallet as well to have all those open cows..

[greatgerts]

I'm going to a sale next month where they are selling quite a few bulls. Just last summer I was talking about wanting to collect him because I was VERY pleased with his calves. I probably should not have opened my mouth about that one
I am having the vet out next week to possibly see exactly what the problem was. Only one out of the 12 open had some issues that could have caused her not to breed; she had small ovaries. Vet was really surprised when I told him that she was 18 months old. So, she is down the road too.
I guess the worst thing is just if I would try to breed them now, I will be out of calving season. So, I need to call the association and see how much this is going to mess me up if I wait to put in the spring season. I know my calving intervals will be WAY off. It just really sucks because he bred 16 cows to calve this spring, and then all of a sudden went bad.
Thanks for the wishes. I'm pretty confident that I can find a bull as good or better to go on our cows.