An update on our 2014 AI calves

[Kathie in Thorp]

You may recall, we AI'd really late last year, as the handling facility wasn't all up to speed until September. We bred 7, all with British White semen on 9/30/13, except for one that the AI guy didn't have enough synch drugs (he thought we were doing 6). Anyway, about 40 days later, we did the Bio-Pryn blood draw on 6, and there were 2 that we couldn't get a stink'n vial of blood out of their tails. Of those we were able to draw blood from, one showed open. On the day we did that, one of the cows bred first time was in a roaring, raging heat, so she was AI'd again.

We're calving now. I know, weather is too hot, but we are. So far, a bull calf on the ground last week, a first time calver did fine yesterday with a heifer calf, today a bull calf out of one of the cows we couldn't get blood from. The cow bred a week later than the others is due soon, and obviously bred (and Bio Pryn said so). Then the last one is due in August and obviously bred, but we didn't test her. I have one big fat cow that was bred with the first bunch, but tested open, but she's got a small udder on her . . . might just be a sympathy udder, but we'll watch her too. The heifer we couldn't draw blood from is obviously open.

So, 7 AI'd, 5 calving for sure, 3 calves on the ground. Weather is hot and dry here. Tooo hot and dry. We'll bump breeding up at least 30 days next go-around. As most of you know, I'm picture-loading stupid.

 

[cowmilker]

Good luck with the last two (or three), Kathie. Always great to see healthy babies on the ground no matter what time of year. Craig

 

[cmf1]

There are better times and worse times and you can manage that as you go.
But live calves on the ground is what it's all about.
Congratulations, and good luck with the rest of them.
Hope you get some keepers from your AI.