Anyone ever have this?

[branguscowgirl]

My wife who did fertilization on people explained to me that the females sometimes have something as simple as a slightly abnormal PH. This affects the vitality differently on the male and female sperm. Its fairly simple but the details I never put to memory.

This is hitting on something here,I've read that the male sperm are faster swimmers...just wonder if it has any advantage on the abnormalities...

I am sure that there are many variables such as these. I have even heard something about the temperature having an effect. But I have never looked into the studies performed.

 

[dun]

I thought everyone knew that if the cow is facing north or south when she's bred it will be a bull and east or west it would be a heifer.

 

[Jogeephus]

Lots of cows that go four, five years only producing either bulls or heifers then swing the other way. Unfortunately it seems like my Annie is on a bull run now having given me five great heifers as a young cow.
If you've got the means to raise the bull calves and their quality is right, the mother cow could probably have a much bigger impact on your herd that way.
I'm not too sure that you'd want to go that route though is these genetics will be antagonistic to the Demetrius lines, and you'd need to run separate herds to ensure the great qualities of Demetrius are retained.

Its taken years of line breeding to form the DemetriusⓇ line of cattle so I'll have to surely be careful. I think I'll hold back this years bull calf and see what he does. His genetics should be in favor of easy fleshing. Really wanted to get some heifers though but I don't see why this wouldn't work.

Sold two pairs to my neighbor a couple years ago and he kept the bull and he turned out to be a beauty. Narrow hips, plenty of leg with plenty of space between his belly and the ground and a beautiful sweeped back that resembles a hand crafted harp. A Craigslist wonder for sure.

 

[Fire Sweep Ranch]

I thought everyone knew that if the cow is facing north or south when she's bred it will be a bull and east or west it would be a heifer.

Good one Dun, but flawed. Our chute aims east, so we would expect all heifers. Nope, we are bull heavy, but a lot of those are embryos... So that might blow the whole idea... :lol2:

I do know there is merit to the pH item. I can not remember which, but I know if it is more acidic it lends to one sex of sperm and more basic lends itself to the other sex. Just can not remember which.

 

[dun]

I thought everyone knew that if the cow is facing north or south when she's bred it will be a bull and east or west it would be a heifer.

Good one Dun, but flawed. Our chute aims east, so we would expect all heifers. Nope, we are bull heavy, but a lot of those are embryos... So that might blow the whole idea... :lol2:

I do know there is merit to the pH item. I can not remember which, but I know if it is more acidic it lends to one sex of sperm and more basic lends itself to the other sex. Just can not remember which.

Many years ago, dairy goat breeders claimed that having vineger in the does water would give you more doe kids. One year we did it and had a ton of does, the next year we didi t and had a ton of bucks, ended up pretty much evening out. I have no idea how much vineger you would have to have in a doe or cows water to affect her PH but I bet it's a lot

 

[inyati13]

My wife who did fertilization on people explained to me that the females sometimes have something as simple as a slightly abnormal PH. This affects the vitality differently on the male and female sperm. Its fairly simple but the details I never put to memory.

Bingo!

The science of Reproductive Physiology has explored in depth the factors that favor a spermatozoa that carries a X factor (Female) versus a spermatozoa that carries a Y factor (male). pH or Hydrogen ion concentration is perhaps one of the primary factors. It has been determined in mammals that certain pH ranges favor the Y over the X. If you have a cow that throws bulls, then she may have an in vivo pH that is optimal for the Y chromosome carrying spermatozoa. There are other factors including anatomical that contribute to favoring one spermatozoa genone over others. Lots of research out there.