Breed back earlier

[dps]

We have a few cows we would like to get bred back earlier to get them back with the rest of the herd.

I see you can place a CIDR at 20 days postpartum and remove it in 7 days.

Anyone tried this or had luck with anything else.

Thanks

 

[M-5]

do you AI or natural service .

If they are far apart it will take a couple years to get them closer

 

[dps]

Natural Service.

Unfortunately I realize it will take a few years.

We had 20 that calved from Mid Feb to Mid April.
12 of them have backed up to December and early January over the past 2 calving seasons.
the other 8 are not backing up at all, not getting later just calving consistently
every 355 - 365 days.

Would like to get them all back to December.

They are having their 4th calves this year so they are 6yo

 

[M-5]

I assume you run bull year round , If so you will never get them all together. To get a tight precise calving season you will need to only run the bull for 45 to 60 days , Then you cull the ones that did not breed on that schedule. those 8 most likely will never stay on schedule if there avg post partum is consistent .

 

[dps]

We have 2 calving seasons. we started years ago with 75 fall and 25 spring.

These cows are later because they were spring heifers bred to calve at 24 months
so they have not gotten behind just have not gained like the rest.

This year we had 84 born from 10-15 until 12-31
4 born Jan 5-17 and last 8 calving now.

We put out our bulls around Christmas and anything calving after that date
are immediately put in with a bull.

We pull the bulls from the fall groups March 10-25th each year.

We will leave the cows that calved after Jan 1st with bull until May 1st.

 

[Lucky]

If you are wanting them to breed in 30 days after calving this is hard to do, I've only had a few cows that would do this every year. I bit the bullet and sold all my late calvers this year. It just tales too long to get them in sync and some will never move up. I would think it would be especially hard to get them to breed sooner if you are turning the bulls out in January with no green grass on the ground. Hopefully someone has the secret to doing this though.

 

[Lazy M]

Only way to possibly make them breed back sooner is to get the late calvers up and supplement them with grain as soon as they calve. You'll need to make sure that they are in excellent body condition to have a shot at an early breed back. Many/some probably won't even do it then.

 

[Ebenezer]

Feed is key, especially fat and especially a type of bypass fat. Protein is a great thing but mixed with a source of bypass fat it is synergistic.

 

[NEFarmwife]

I would just get them bred and then sell just before pasture. People will be looking to get some extra head in their pastures if their numbers aren't there and these cows may be bred to calve when the new owners calve out so they'll fit better.

Then go buy you some pairs that fit your herd better.

 

[dps]

Thanks everyone for your thoughts.

I talked to a Veterinary Theriogenologist and he said that some people have had good luck using the CIDRs at 20 days and removing them in 7 days, others have not had much luck.

I have decided to deworm them with Fenbendazole and give them a shot of Multimin when they calve, feed them wet wrapped alfalfa, and possibly some grain (they are all in really good shape already) and 20 days post calving put in a CIDR for 7 days and remove and see if we have any luck.

If they not breed earlier they will be sold.

 

[dps]

Well we have tried it on a cow.

She is a 10 yo that calved 02/19/2018
Put Cidr in on 3/11/2018, dewormed her with injectable Ivermectin and gave her Multimin.
Pulled Cidr on 3/18/2018 put out with bull.
Bred 03/21/2018.

Now to see if she sticks.

Put in another one this past Friday and 3 to put in Wednesday.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

I've heard of that program, but have not needed to try it. Keep us posted.

 

[Stocker Steve]

If you are wanting them to breed in 30 days after calving this is hard to do, I've only had a few cows that would do this every year. I bit the bullet and sold all my late calvers this year. It just tales too long to get them in sync and some will never move up. I would think it would be especially hard to get them to breed sooner if you are turning the bulls out in January with no green grass on the ground. Hopefully someone has the secret to doing this though.

With good pasture, you can move up most cows, but as others said there are some that are just not that fertile. I can move up about 2/3 of gate cut English cows with good forage. Once you cull the less fertile, or buy in some Hereford x cows, this percentage will go up.

i don't understand why you would want to supplement during an off season and fight with mother nature. Sounds like a way for a commercial operation to lose money.

There is some info on the web on using CIDRs. They can help, but a trailer works better. Another related approach to trigger cycling is to pull the calf for 24 hrs.

 

[cattleman99]

I find the spring calves, later half of the May-June calves will breed back quicker as a group, a lot of that has to do with environment. Green grass don't show up til around the first of June here most years. With the proper mineral program it helps too.

Am anticipating a poor start to my January calves next year with a slower start, it's still cold with a lot of snow on the ground. Cows just aren't cycling like they did last year when it was warm by now. Genetics definitely play a role but in my experience environmental factors like a late spring are just as influential. As soon as it warms up to above freezing consistently the cows will get active quick.

 

[Lucky]

A good mineral program is key to getting them bred. Allot of folks think it's just an added expense and don't do it. I've had good luck with Multimin 90 and use it every spring too.

 

[Nesikep]

I find they usually catch up by a good month every year on their own

 

[Double R Ranch]

I have put Cidr's in for 10 days to get late calvers bumped up. Recommend years ago and have had fantastic results doing it.
Cidr & GNRH at 20'ish days post calving. After 10 days pull Cidr and give Lute. Bred back via AI every time. Don't see why it would be different with a live bull.

 

[Stocker Steve]

I have put Cidr's in for 10 days to get late calvers bumped up. Recommend years ago and have had fantastic results doing it.
Cidr & GNRH at 20'ish days post calving. After 10 days pull Cidr and give Lute. Bred back via AI every time.

Timed AI or ?
"Fantastic results" is 100% settled ?

 

[Double R Ranch]

I have put Cidr's in for 10 days to get late calvers bumped up. Recommend years ago and have had fantastic results doing it.
Cidr & GNRH at 20'ish days post calving. After 10 days pull Cidr and give Lute. Bred back via AI every time.

Timed AI or ?
"Fantastic results" is 100% settled ?

Cidr, GNRH wait 10 days, pull cidr, lute, heat detect for 80 hours. Breed all that show heat 12 hrs after detection. TAI all remaining at 80 hrs. GNRH at breeding.
I can't quote numbers off the top of my head but I would say high 90% have settled right off. Same as regular for us. It not something I hesitate to use if needed it's been that successful.

 

[Tbrake]

I pulled some cidrs today on some of these cows that are 30 days past calving. Problem is they smelled bad pulling out of these cows? Rotten smell, I have never noticed that before.
I imagine this is not good. I did not do anything different than usual