AI failure

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I am really disappointed in one of my heifers, I was just starting to like her. She is by EUC Tabasco. Very quiet, docile and the older she gets the better she looks.
She has failed four attempts to breed by AI and she has been with a bull for the last 2 months, no observed heat. She shows mucus only.
Is there anything else to try? I just want to give her every chance before I send her out. As calm as she is maybe she would be a good recip and mother, but not sure if I want to go that far yet.
Your thoughts please?

 

[Bcompton53]

How old is she? Can always have a vet take a look/feel

 

[[email protected]]

By vet exam, she is anatomically correct. She is 3 +/-, can't remember exact dob.

 

[bse]

she is 3yr old and not had a calf? did you do sync program on her? Sometimes they get cystic not calving for that long, a shot of GnRH can fix that, but if you did sync program she should have had it, cidr can help to

 

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Yep, we always worked with a cidr and synced. She is the only one that never showed standing heat, only mucus observed and AI'ed on timing. BTW, if it matters, she is a Shorthorn.

 

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Also, with our procedure, she GETS two GnRH injections.
Thanks for you input!

 

[Ebenezer]

Cull her.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

Or eat her.

 

[Son of Butch]

Yup, out the door, no excuses. You don't want to promote low fertility into any herd.

 

[[email protected]]

:cry2:

I know that's right, just wanted to give her every chance.
Thanks to all for your advice!

 

[Redgully]

We had a jersey like that years ago, a.i. twiced and then with a bull for three months. Everything inside was good and bull was fertile. I guess sometimes something must be out of whack. She was culled and of course she was also a favourite!!

 

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It just wasn't mean to be, I guess. Trying to fool Mother Nature doesn't always work!
Thanks for sharing your experience.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

She could be a free Martin. Sometimes it is hard for a vet to tell.
Even if she wasn't a twin at birth, cow might have obsorbed bull calf twin and you wouldn't know. It happens.

 

[76 Bar]

My first thought was also a freemartin and the bull twin absorbed/sloughed pre term. The "showing mucus" part threw me. Did some sleuthing & was surprised to discover while rare, a very small percentage can indeed demonstrate some minor heat symptoms.
Tian...not that its fool proof in determining a freemartin but would you kindly describe the physical appearance of her vulva and clitoris as compared to what you consider normal? FWIW years ago I was surprised when an otherwise healthy and well grown out yrlg heifer came up open at preg check. Vet noted her abnormal/infantile repro tract & diagnosed a freemartin. For all intents and purposes I thought her a singleton. Suffice it to say, since that time I take note of the exterior breeding end conformation of the replacements I retain.

 

[[email protected]]

She could be a free Martin. Sometimes it is hard for a vet to tell.
Even if she wasn't a twin at birth, cow might have obsorbed bull calf twin and you wouldn't know. It happens.

That is wild! Since your post I've read a little bit, very interesting.

 

[[email protected]]

My first thought was also a freemartin and the bull twin absorbed/sloughed pre term. The "showing mucus" part threw me. Did some sleuthing & was surprised to discover while rare, a very small percentage can indeed demonstrate some minor heat symptoms.
Tian...not that its fool proof in determining a freemartin but would you kindly describe the physical appearance of her vulva and clitoris as compared to what you consider normal? FWIW years ago I was surprised when an otherwise healthy and well grown out yrlg heifer came up open at preg check. Vet noted her abnormal/infantile repro tract & diagnosed a freemartin. For all intents and purposes I thought her a singleton. Suffice it to say, since that time I take note of the exterior breeding end conformation of the replacements I retain.

She looked like all of my other heifers, nothing unusual noted.
Thanks for thoughts!

 

[76 Bar]

Thanks for thoughts!

Happy to oblige.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Yup - not always visible signs, but a HAIRY vulva, protruding vulva, larger clitoris, peeing more like a squirt or off to the side - some of the signs. And, yes, I have heard of them expressing a standing heat.

 

[Farmgirl]

I can vouch for freemartin coming into heat. Last year I acquired a freemartin for beef. She was in the pen with a bull for a few cycles.

Farmgirl

 

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Thanks Jeanne and Farmgirl!!
Very interesting, these abnormal and strange nature things are why I am such a curious science nut!