We've used CIDRs for several breeding seasons now. The past 3 years we've been having some problems. The CIDRs get put in around this time, the cows get AI'd, and we have about 98% respond with a strong heat. Our AI conception rates the last 3 years have been 75-80%. We follow the instructions given to us by our ABS rep. for shots.
The problem is, we've had several cows take to AI, and then they end up being bred in the last 2 weeks of our allowed breeding season by the herd bulls, making them the last to calve. I've had discussions with the vet, and the only conclusion we can make is the cows get bred AI, but the breeding/heat isn't strong enough to continue supporting the fetus. Then the cows abort, come into another heat and get bred by the herd bulls. The first year this happened we looked into our pasture quality and mineral, but all check out. We also made sure nutrition was adequate leading up to breeding season by checking the nutrition quality of the hay we feed and have supplemented the cows with corn.
My concern is I have a 3 year old cow (picture posted in Random pics thread) who was the 2nd to last to calve this year. She was a show heifer (so she is special to me), who I bred her first time around AI in May with a natural heat. Her calf last year was born in February, and she took AI with the help of CIDRs last May, showed no signs of heat for almost 2 months, but ended up being bred the last day the bulls were out. She was put out with bulls this year right away, hopefully she can play catch-up with the rest of the cows so she can be AI'd next year (her AI calf was very good looking).
Has anyone else had this happen? We'd like to continue with CIDRs, but if we have several of our better cows get bred so late this isn't going to work.
The problem is, we've had several cows take to AI, and then they end up being bred in the last 2 weeks of our allowed breeding season by the herd bulls, making them the last to calve. I've had discussions with the vet, and the only conclusion we can make is the cows get bred AI, but the breeding/heat isn't strong enough to continue supporting the fetus. Then the cows abort, come into another heat and get bred by the herd bulls. The first year this happened we looked into our pasture quality and mineral, but all check out. We also made sure nutrition was adequate leading up to breeding season by checking the nutrition quality of the hay we feed and have supplemented the cows with corn.
My concern is I have a 3 year old cow (picture posted in Random pics thread) who was the 2nd to last to calve this year. She was a show heifer (so she is special to me), who I bred her first time around AI in May with a natural heat. Her calf last year was born in February, and she took AI with the help of CIDRs last May, showed no signs of heat for almost 2 months, but ended up being bred the last day the bulls were out. She was put out with bulls this year right away, hopefully she can play catch-up with the rest of the cows so she can be AI'd next year (her AI calf was very good looking).
Has anyone else had this happen? We'd like to continue with CIDRs, but if we have several of our better cows get bred so late this isn't going to work.