Cow aborts AI embryos

[slick4591]

There's a lot said in this thread that I agree with and some I don't.

Firstly, I don't get to make a decision for a customer about culling his animal. Secondly, I have to wonder if this is a fluke about one certain individual. I owned the dam this female was out of and she had no problems conceiving and carrying AI calves to term as this girl is proof.

By unanimous responses here no one has ever heard of the condition before I posted and there seems to be no logical answer to it so far. I would certainly understand if his reproduction vet pinpointed a reason, but he's left perplexed.

Myself, I would keep a heifer calf out of her and see if the same condition popped up before shipping her. I have a breeding guarantee built into my receipt when I sell and I have discussed this with the buyer.

 

[WalnutCrest]

If you keep her and sell her offspring as breeding stock and do not disclose her issues before the sale is consummated, you are behaving unethical.

I see no issues with keeping / selling as long as it accompanies full disclosure.

 

[slick4591]

Like I've said...It's my customer's cow. Not mine. I agree with what you said, but what if her heifer retains and births an AI calf. Do you need to disclose that the grand dam had problems?

 

[WalnutCrest]

Like I've said...It's my customer's cow. Not mine. I agree with what you said, but what if her heifer retains and births an AI calf. Do you need to disclose that the grand dam had problems?

I say the offspring from each animal stands on its own ... yet, if one would brag about a grandparent or GG parent, then disclosing may be a good idea.

 

[slick4591]

Like I've said...It's my customer's cow. Not mine. I agree with what you said, but what if her heifer retains and births an AI calf. Do you need to disclose that the grand dam had problems?

I say the offspring from each animal stands on its own ... yet, if one would brag about a grandparent or GG parent, then disclosing may be a good idea.

Sounds like good rule to use.

 

[Chocolate Cow]

From research at University of Nebraska-Lincoln:

"Producers should realize that stress to heifers and cows early in pregnancy can result in loss. Research has shown a pregnancy loss of 1-3.5% when palpation or ultrasound are used for pregnancy diagnosis at 40 - 75 days of gestation."

Maybe if she wasn't checked until she was farther along, she'd keep the pregnancy?

 

[slick4591]

My understanding is ultrasound was used to check for pregnancy. I'll ask a few more questions. Thanks!

 

[WalnutCrest]

Draw blood at one month ... quit fiddling around with the uterine tract.

 

[slick4591]

No way to be sure but it sounds like the stress thing is going to be the problem. In every case of AI pregnancies he either used ultrasound or palpation in the early stages, but not so with the natural service that produced a live calf.