Cow aborts AI embryos

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slick4591

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I was messaging with 2012 customer that bought a heifer from me back then. I had known previously the heifer had aborted a fetus and knew she was bred by AI, but didn't know he had a strange situation with her. He said it was okay to quote him to see if anyone had ever heard of this:

Jan is still doing real well. I finally gave up on A.I.ing her. She just never would keep it so I have put her in the pasture with the bull again. She would consistantly conceive but would abort between 50 and 60 days. The vet had no explanation for it.

I'll add that she has carried live cover breeding full term and I'm not exactly sure if she's had one or two calves via live cover. I'll add the vet is pretty well known for his work with bovine reproduction.
 
I had a heifer many, many years ago that wouldn't carry full term. We ended up giving her a hormone shot every week (I believe). She carried full term - dead calf - so I shipped her. Lot of work for nothing.
 
Long shot - but stress related? Breeding her in a chute and checking her for bred earlier. VS Leaving her out with a bull, and then checking her once it's more established?
 
WalnutCrest":3p8kr0bf said:
Neospora?

It's a simple blood test.

That wasn't explicitly said, but I would hope it was thoroughly explored by the vet.

Supa Dexta":3p8kr0bf said:
Long shot - but stress related? Breeding her in a chute and checking her for bred earlier. VS Leaving her out with a bull, and then checking her once it's more established?

I think it's all a big guess right now. My first thought is stress would be out because it's occurring 50 to 60 days after insemination. I think the guy has made a pet out of her as this was a very calm calf in my pasture.
 
Any animal doing this is to much trouble - down the road she goes.

Time and money are easily wasted upon animals like this.

And if she does carry to term and it is a heifer - what happens if the heifer is the same.

Far too many good ones out there to bother with a trouble maker.

We sell them and use the cash to replace.

Best to all.
 
Logar":2tv85gjd said:
Any animal doing this is to much trouble - down the road she goes.

Time and money are easily wasted upon animals like this.

And if she does carry to term and it is a heifer - what happens if the heifer is the same.

Far too many good ones out there to bother with a trouble maker.

We sell them and use the cash to replace.

Best to all.

Sounds easy enough if you don't mind setting fire to 5 grand. Cows like these get a few chances due to their value.
 
I'll often get one come back 6-8 wks after insemination, very annoying and I think I just missed her at 3 wks. This year I have a heifer that returned at 6 wks and did her again, she was ultrasound in calf at 7 wks after 2nd insemination and I saw it on the screen so I am sure it was not operator error, she came back in about 8 days later. I have done her again but last chance, she goes next time.

Ken
 
slick4591":2opu9mmf said:
Logar":2opu9mmf said:
Any animal doing this is to much trouble - down the road she goes.

Time and money are easily wasted upon animals like this.

And if she does carry to term and it is a heifer - what happens if the heifer is the same.

Far too many good ones out there to bother with a trouble maker.

We sell them and use the cash to replace.

Best to all.

Sounds easy enough if you don't mind setting fire to 5 grand. Cows like these get a few chances due to their value.
Our local UGA vet went to Nebraska and did some AI and embryo work on Piedmontese last month. He goes every year for a week, must be a big deal.
 
slick4591":2nzwirq8 said:
Logar":2nzwirq8 said:
Any animal doing this is to much trouble - down the road she goes.

Time and money are easily wasted upon animals like this.

And if she does carry to term and it is a heifer - what happens if the heifer is the same.

Far too many good ones out there to bother with a trouble maker.

We sell them and use the cash to replace.

Best to all.

Sounds easy enough if you don't mind setting fire to 5 grand. Cows like these get a few chances due to their value.

I fully understand the owner's and your thoughts. I do agree with Logar that she should be culled regardless of value. No matter what, like begets like.
 
Sounds easy enough if you don't mind setting fire to 5 grand. Cows like these get a few chances due to their value.[/quote]

The problem is if someone does NOT stop the line, it carries on.

That "value" is only on paper and kept high by "hiding her problems from others" so when you sell that calf you have a pedigree that says some fancy things but does not tell the truth of the cow.

I am serious when I say I have - using your words - I have "set fire to 5 grand" - because if I did not - sooner or later some other person down the road gets to inherit a piece of my problem.

And then it carries on yet again.

So when I see these lines of thought on these boards and they are here a lot, I often ask myself - "What kind of animals are they breeding?" and "Why would they put up with so much crapola?"

A darned good cow is one that breeds, raises, and breeds back - a good healthy calf and no problems of her own. Anything less - while perhaps nice for some names on a piece of paper and some "value for that name on a piece of paper" - is still less of an animal.

So that is why I talk the way I do and - yup - as much as I have hated to do it - I have fattened and eaten a cow worth many thousands - if only to keep her from giving YOU or someone else down the road a heifer calf that has the same problems as the cow (or even worse).

My best to all.
 
Sounds easy enough if you don't mind setting fire to 5 grand. Cows like these get a few chances due to their value.[/quote]

I fully understand the owner's and your thoughts. I do agree with Logar that she should be culled regardless of value. No matter what, like begets like.[/quote]

Interesting to see another in agreement - I saw this AFTER my initial response.

Hope you folks have a great day.
 
I have shipped some really, really nice/valuable females. It is a hard pill to swallow, but necessary. Although, I admit, I don't immediately ship one that misses once. Lots of reasons for a problem, not always the cows fault. I analyze each case individually if one comes up.
 
Are there any quantitative studies on the viability of frozen semen/embryos versus live service? I often wonder if the cryogenic process incorporates some diminished viability. I have not used embryos although I have a set of three in the tank. And my AI calves seem to follow the same order as live breed.
 
True Grit Farms":180r6fe8 said:
No matter how much something cost if it doesn't work it's junk.

I agree. And I would tend toward culling but I leave that for Dennis to decide. I don't know the exact details.

I have been extremely fortunate with holding pregnancies but if I had one that lost two, that is it for me personally.
 
Bright Raven":2t5o0h9r said:
True Grit Farms":2t5o0h9r said:
No matter how much something cost if it doesn't work it's junk.

I agree. And I would tend toward culling but I leave that for Dennis to decide. I don't know the exact details.

I have been extremely fortunate with holding pregnancies but if I had one that lost two, that is it for me personally.
My post was meant in general terms, not specific to this thread.
 
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