Are they bred or not?

[SRBeef]

I am looking for some more signs of whether or not my cows and heifers are bred yet or not. I see no riding of each other, no standing etc. but I am not always around to watch them.

I noticed a few have some of the hair on the top of their tail head sticking straight up more than others. Does that mean anything? Some obviously have some marking/messing up the hair on their backs, I am assuming from being bred by my bull?

Any other tell tale signs either yes or no besides riding or being ridden?

Thanks. Jim

 

[KNERSIE]

There are many signs, but none of the are reliable.

 

[GRTiger85]

Preg checking them is a pretty good indicator............

 

[Suzie Q]

I have heard that there is a sticker that you can get that you put on their rump. When they go in heat and the herd starts jumping on them they knock the top layer off it and it turns fluro orange.

 

[dun]

I have heard that there is a sticker that you can get that you put on their rump. When they go in heat and the herd starts jumping on them they knock the top layer off it and it turns fluro orange.

All that shows is that they've been mounted, has nothing to do with actual pregnancy status.

There are 2 ways to know for sure. One is to have them preg checked or a blood test, the other is to wait till there are feet sticking out.

 

[Suzie Q]

AAAhhhh language barrier - being bred and being pregnant mean 2 different things to me.

It would show if they do not turn orange that the do not come in heat again. As I said I have only heard about them not used them.

 

[dun]

AAAhhhh language barrier - being bred and being pregnant mean 2 different things to me.

It would show if they do not turn orange that the do not come in heat again. As I said I have only heard about them not used them.

e've used them and they aren;t as fool proof as you might think. If a cow is not in heat and is with one of those super hot cows that monts everything in sight (sometimes including the herdsman) the patch on the no heat cow can be rubbed clear. Had one of those this year. Had a cow so hot last week that if the bull would have had a patch on him you would have think "he" was the one that got bred. Anytime he wasn;t trending her she was riding him

 

[jkwilson]

Had a cow so hot last week that if the bull would have had a patch on him you would have think "he" was the one that got bred. Anytime he wasn;t trending her she was riding him

I just consider them an aid to what I see. For synched cows, if I go back at 5am and nothing shows color, and my son checks at lunch and nothing shows color I can be pretty sure nothing was in heat during the night or in the afternoon, so can start watching closely in the evening. If I come home after work and three cows have colored tags, I can assume at least one was in heat during the day.

I like them when I turn a bull out to clean up too. Tells me what got stuck AI. Maybe I can't bank on it, but it gives a pretty good idea when I'm having calves.

 

[SRBeef]

Thanks for the replies. No mention of the hair on the tailhead standfing up so this doesn't mean anything?

My vet does palpate preg check all females at the fall workup in November. I was looking for something sooner if possible since I am planning on selling my bull. As much as I hate to part with him, I am keeping most of his heifers and need to change bulls.

I do want one more calf crop out of hium and was wondering if he got them all bred yet. Must be since no visible signs of heat. Maybe give him another week or two which will make it two full 22 day cycles.

Thanks again. Jim

 

[MF135]

which will make it two full 22 day cycles.

Two full 22 day cycles since when?

 

[pdfangus]

Thanks for the replies. No mention of the hair on the tailhead standfing up so this doesn't mean anything?

My vet does palpate preg check all females at the fall workup in November. I was looking for something sooner if possible since I am planning on selling my bull. As much as I hate to part with him, I am keeping most of his heifers and need to change bulls.

I do want one more calf crop out of hium and was wondering if he got them all bred yet. Must be since no visible signs of heat. Maybe give him another week or two which will make it two full 22 day cycles.

Thanks again. Jim

I would go three cycles to be sure and then pull the bull cause what ain't bred most likely ain't his fault if he is breeding any...... and this is assuming he is fertile and sound and active.

three cycle would give you near a sixty day calving window.... okay 63 or 64 days.... but that is tighter than most folks already have.

then when the pregnancy work is done and the calves are weaned.....
sell the open cows.......
don't fret....don't worry about how nice they are.....
they are open and not producing a thing......
sell em.

a few years of this and you will be suprised how much the fertility of your herd improves.....
improves faster if you refrain from keeping dtrs of those open cows....

 

[SRBeef]

Thanks for the replies. No mention of the hair on the tailhead standfing up so this doesn't mean anything?

My vet does palpate preg check all females at the fall workup in November. I was looking for something sooner if possible since I am planning on selling my bull. As much as I hate to part with him, I am keeping most of his heifers and need to change bulls.

I do want one more calf crop out of hium and was wondering if he got them all bred yet. Must be since no visible signs of heat. Maybe give him another week or two which will make it two full 22 day cycles.

Thanks again. Jim

I would go three cycles to be sure and then pull the bull cause what ain't bred most likely ain't his fault if he is breeding any...... and this is assuming he is fertile and sound and active.

three cycle would give you near a sixty day calving window.... okay 63 or 64 days.... but that is tighter than most folks already have.

then when the pregnancy work is done and the calves are weaned.....
sell the open cows.......
don't fret....don't worry about how nice they are.....
they are open and not producing a thing......
sell em.

a few years of this and you will be suprised how much the fertility of your herd improves.....
improves faster if you refrain from keeping dtrs of those open cows....

Thank you. I agree on the importance of herd fertility. I already cull anything that is open at preg check time in November - no exceptions. I appreciate what you are saying about 3 cycle/60-some day calving period but for my marketing system, I want it much tighter than that. Shooting for 1 cycle as I had in spring 2009. In a small herd like mine in a limited rotational grazing system (my bull does not need to go far looking for a date) and with a good bull it is possible. 45 days/2 cycles is my absolute limit. I appreciate your comments. Jim

 

[Limomike]

Most simple way I can usually tell that one of my cows is bred, is that her tail is held to the side slightly after being bred. She is usually that way for a day or two.

 

[HOSS]

As most have stated aside from a blood test there is no real fool-proof way of telling. The hair standing up on the tail head is a good indicator that something mounted that cow but not 100%. If you have a back-rub for flies they will sometimes stand under it and rub back and forth causing the hair to rough up. Some like to scratch their tail head on low hanging limbs or on boards. Mud on the tops of their hind quarters can idicate that they were mounted. It will transfer from the front hooves of the animal doing the mounting.

I have used and still use the heat detecting patches especially when I am AI'ing. I found out that a cow can rub the top coat color off by continually swishing her tail switch up on her back and hitting the patch. They can also rub it off on limbs or a back-rub.

I am with dun that the blood test or waiting for the feet to stick out is the only sure-fire method.

 

[Red Bull Breeder]

You can always find someone to do a ultrasound on them. Just another way to tell if they are bred.

 

[hayrack]

If you can check them early morning at daylight or late afternoon you should see signs of heat then. With it hot like it is they wont show much signs in the day. Breed of cattle will have alot to do with that too.

 

[dieselbeef]

which will make it two full 22 day cycles.

Two full 22 day cycles since when?

since 44 days ago

 

[vclavin]

Stickers work fine......except during silent heat cycles. Last fall, we time bred as not one cow/heifer showed any signs of cycling. 50% took to the timed AI.
Valerie