Are Pelvic Checks a must

[MIZEGFZOU]

I have a group of heifers which I plan on breeding in December (15months old). Do you always pelvic check? This is my second set of Calves I've ever kept. All of there mothers are good and have never had troubles calving. I wasn't sure if that approach would be fine or if I should Pelvic check and how much does that cost per head roughly.?

 

[coachg]

It gives you a better understanding of potential problems but there's still no guarantee. I don't pelvic measure the heifers we keep but try to keep them out of our best cows . I think I've had one other than a backwards presentation in the last 5 years . We calves 10-15 each year . Now that I've said this it'll be one of those years next year !

 

[MIZEGFZOU]

Thanks that makes me feel better. I did not the first time around and had to get rid of two cows. One aborted and another I had to pull her calf. Also knock on wood @coachg, here's to hoping all goes good.

I have culled out (sold) my cows with bad utters, or if I have had to pull their calf. These are only out of my best cows, which not saying they are the best around but trying to improve my herd with keeping calves from the best cows and putting a good bull with them.

 

[Dsth]

I do not pelvic measure my heifers. I AI breed heifers to a CE bull and try to watch them during calving season. occasionally I will pull a calf from a heifer to help her out but generally they would have it on her own. most problems come from calf not in ordinary birthing position.

 

[TCRanch]

All subjective. A must? Absolutely not. But I always have mine pelvic measured. And still no guarantee. One of my heifers this year had a 105 lb. heifer calf I had to pull; her lineage just grows 'em big!

Posted this thread last Feb, it may give you some insight:

3rd Time is NOT a Charm

Which is precisely why I have my replacement/retained heifers pelvic measured. Vet was out this week to BANGS, measure, calfhood shots & magnets and threw me a curveball. My minimum goal is 150 and one of my faves measured a pitiful 138; theoretically, she couldn't even have a 60 lb. calf...

www.cattletoday.com

 

[Mountaintown Creek Ranch]

No we never have.

 

[SBMF 2015]

I'm with @TCRanch . Not a must, but I sure do every one I keep.
I bought one probably fifteen years ago. Pretty easy to use. I teach a class of college students every year how to use it.

 

[moses388]

Do you always pelvic check?

I do not. Over the past 10 years, I had one heifer that required a cesarean section. Her pelvic floor felt too high when I ai'ed her. I should have know. If I find another one, I will ship her.

 

[GoWyo]

I never have measured. Seldom pull a calf even calving heifers and when I do it has been a T handle on OB chains.

 

[gcreekrch]

Never, calve 120 to 200 heifers every year. Expect everything!

We do ask the vet to let us know any pelvic abnormalities at preg checking.

 

[SBMF 2015]

It only takes one train wreck to make pelvic measuring seem really cheap.
The year before I started pelv measuring we bred 19 hfrs to a little blk angus bull. Under the old school assumption that little black bulls make little black calves.
The fallowing spring I pulled 18 calves and had 1 hfr prolapse and die.
I was young, maybe 20 didn't know anything about EPD's yet. But I learned PDQ! We switched to calving ease hfr bulls and pelv measuring the hfrs. Rarely pull calves now.
I find one or two hfrs on average every year that I cull after we measure. Not necessarily because they don't pass but they are usually 10-20sqcm less than the average of the group.

 

[Ebenezer]

If an Angus bull, check CEM for the heifers' sire and CED for the sire of the next calves. There are some programs that you can study a bit and the trends of negatives are a multi-generation revelation in their herds. But they advertise the wording "calving ease". Buyer beware!

 

[Nesikep]

I think it's a good idea.. just one more tool in the toolbox
That said, when we first started out and bought our first group of 12 heifers, they were all measured, and that year was an absolute disaster with calving.
I've never done it but wanted to.
Like TC ranch, I've had some lines of cows that just make big calves, and had one heifer with a 110 lb heifer calf.. it was quite a night.. both became great cows though