cold weather effect on synch

[NCSU Maverick]

We pulled cidrs and gave lut shots on saturday to 12 heifers, some of which had been cycling, some maybe not. None have stood yet and no stickers have been rubbed. It got cold here the last few nights, down in the teens. Has anybody had any experience with cold weather affecting synchronization?

 

[novaman]

How cold is cold? I don't do a lot of synchronizing, especially in the winter but I did do a couple last week when it was cold, below zero, in order for them to be ready to breed today (watched the forecast and picked the warmest days for them to come into heat as I use an outdoor setup to breed). They came into heat right on schedule and I couldn't be happier breeding them in a short sleeve shirt with 30 degree weather today!

 

[vclavin]

We synch and then time breed in the winter. Patches rarely get rubbed in the cold...maybe cold prevents the patches from working properly? Anyway, this fall the heifers showed signed the cows did not.
Valerie

 

[bigag03]

Several years ago, we set up about 75 head of recips. Cold front came through 2 days before we pulled CIDRs, then we had about 4 or 5 days of freezing temps with rain and sleet. We had about 15% show heats. We ended up scrubbing the whole thing and re-synched 2 weeks later, and got about 90% heat response inside our 48 hr window that we were looking for. As always with reproduction, there are many variables and it is hard to determine specific reasons for some things, but I was convinced that the cold had an affect. To the question of how cold is it...I think it is all relative. In central TX when it drops from from 70 to 30 that is a problem. In South Dakota 30 probably isn't a problem, but I bet -10 is if 30 is the norm.

 

[gizmom]

Our embryologist said that a cold front will sure mess up a flush. We had some cows set up one year and a cold front came through and sure enough it messed up the flush. I am a believer that weather plays a big part in the success or failure of sync.

Gizmom
http://www.gizmoangus.com

 

[angus9259]

Mine have been standing great - patches rubbed almost clean off - Got two out there going at it right now that I'll breed tomorrow. I have a lot better luck getting standing heats at freezing then I do in June/July.

That said, I'm sure weather fronts - of all types - play a factor.

 

[angus9259]

4 more in rip roaring standing heat right now and it's 17 degrees out with a windchill of 6.

 

[cow pollinater]

In almost all of the herds that I've worked with where getting healthy cows synchronized was a problem, medicine handling/storage was a problem. Usually it is gnrh getting hot on someones' dashboard but I supose it could just as easily be lut getting frozen on someones dashboard.

 

[gizmom]

I am still a beleiver that a cold front can have an impact on sync. But that said we don't plan our sync around weather we just pick the dates that will work with our schedule and get it done.

Day 1 CIDR in 2CC Combo
Day 7 CIDR out 5CC Lute or 2CC Estro Plan before 9:00 a.m.
Day 9 Estrodial 1CC before 9: 00 a.m.
Day 10 Check for heat a.m. Breed after 2:00 p.m.

We are starting on Tuesday and hope no big weather changes come in during the process.

Gizmom
http://www.gizmoangus.com

 

[upfrombottom]

Day 1 CIDR in 2CC Combo
Day 7 CIDR out 5CC Lute or 2CC Estro Plan before 9:00 a.m.
Day 9 Estrodial 1CC before 9: 00 a.m.
Day 10 Check for heat a.m. Breed after 2:00 p.m.

We are starting on Tuesday and hope no big weather changes come in during the process.

When using this schedule, do you breed all if only a few show signs of heat?

 

[gizmom]

To be honest the protocol calls for us to look for heat we don't we just breed on the time schedule. We have had great success with this protocol for the past two years.

2008 - bred 48 cows & heifers got 80% settled

2009 - bred 66 cow & heifers got 78% settled

We changed to this protocol in 2008 and needless to say we don't want to change a thing. These conception rates are the best we have ever experienced with other set ups. What I love is no heat watch, because it never failed when it was time to go out and look for heat using the old protocol it was always either raining or freezing or both. I guess I am getting old and lazy!!!

Gizmom
http://www.gizmoangus.com

 

[bigag03]

I am still a beleiver that a cold front can have an impact on sync. But that said we don't plan our sync around weather we just pick the dates that will work with our schedule and get it done.

Day 1 CIDR in 2CC Combo
Day 7 CIDR out 5CC Lute or 2CC Estro Plan before 9:00 a.m.
Day 9 Estrodial 1CC before 9: 00 a.m.
Day 10 Check for heat a.m. Breed after 2:00 p.m.

We are starting on Tuesday and hope no big weather changes come in during the process.

Gizmom
http://www.gizmoangus.com

I completely understand the philosophy of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it", but if you will move your day 9 and 10 to day 8 and 9, I think you will improve even more. By not giving Estradiol until day 9, you are probably missing several that should be in heat that morning anyway (and should be bred on the evening of day 9). Don't worry about being too early...if the cows are ready (and judging by your conception rates, they are) then the estradiol will make them come in.

 

[gizmom]

Thanks for the input, but I don't beleive I am going to change anything. Your right its that fear of if it ain't broke you may very well be right but I don't want to take any chances of a smaller % settled.

Gizmom
http://www.gizmoangus.com

 

[bigag03]

I understand, and don't blame you. If you ever get an opportunity with a smaller set, try it out. Actually I am quite impressed with your conception rates using your protocol. That is the first time I have ever seen that timeline. Good Luck!

 

[gizmom]

bigag03
I just took a look at the weather, tomorrow high's in the 60's then changes to 40's about midway through the sync work they are saying it will go into the 30's but be back to 40's or 50's by the AI date. So hopefully nothing that should hurt us. My biggest concern right now is that our embryologist retired about three weeks ago. He sends me the drugs for our flush work, recips and also my AI. I don't know where I will get the custom mixed stuff now, and dang it the stuff works. I talked to a friend of mine today that is a doctor he gave me the number of a lab in TN that he said might be able to recreate the drugs I am getting. Where do you get yours? I am set for this year but am going to have to find a new set up or new source for next year.

Gizmom
http://www.gizmoangus.com