Cow Breeding Back Question...

[Big Cheese]

I have been noticing a couple of our older cows(short and solid cows) that aren't breeding back on time and when I say on time I mean not breeding back until the current calf is around 8 months old. As most of you know that is not acceptable but my question is what could be causing this? We did have a drought for about 3 months right after the cows in question had their calf could that be a reason? What could be a reason in this happening besides maybe they are just getting up in age?

 

[M-5]

could be a multitude of problems. Nutrition, mineral deficient, disease, age, and the list goes on. IMO its best to move them on out , they are costing you money.

 

[SteppedInIt]

I would suggest nutrition and mineral to be the first thing to look at as well, especially after a drought because the nutrition and mineral in grass and local hay has likey been impacted. This is a subject I have spent a lot of time studying lately.

 

[Big Cheese]

We keep mineral out at all times so they never ran out of that. I know it has to be because of the drought but we had everything that they needed during it nutrition wise.

I agree they are costing money but I'm just trying to figure out what could be the cause of this besides old age so that maybe I can figure out a way to keep it from happening in my other cows.

 

[dun]

We keep mineral out at all times so they never ran out of that. I know it has to be because of the drought but we had everything that they needed during it nutrition wise.

I agree they are costing money but I'm just trying to figure out what could be the cause of this besides old age so that maybe I can figure out a way to keep it from happening in my other cows.

Good luck with figuring it out. Nutrition, minerals, genetics and age are usually the culprits in my mind.

 

[Bigfoot]

You'll always have a few go long. Could be anything mentioned, as well as cyst. Cull long enough, and hard enough, and it will become more rare.

 

[WalnutCrest]

How are the bulls?

 

[Muddy]

Definitely not bulls, since he has lot of new calves on ground.

 

[Big Cheese]

Yea its not the bulls. I don't know its one of my best Longhorn cows that is doing this so it really upsets me

 

[M-5]

She's not the best if she goes 20 mths between calves. Just because she may look good does not mean she is profitable.

 

[True Grit Farms]

Could it be Trichomonas? Most of the time it's food - mineral related. There's a real big difference between bagged minerals. If your mineral is less than $20. dollars a bag, it's probably lacking in something. Good mineral is expensive, but not nearly as expensive as having open cows.

 

[Nesikep]

My heaviest producing cow was the one coming up late, and after doing blood tests I found out she was very low on phosphorus, copper, and selenium.. she did fine after she got the *right* minerals.

The drought stresses the weakest animals first... if it's possible, move your breeding season so that it's unlikely to be coupled with drought

 

[Big Cheese]

Our mineral is $25 a bag and we add extra selenium to it. When I say best cow it's because she raised the biggest calf this year and one of the biggest last year.

We run bulls year round so moving the breeding season isn't an option. I'm hoping this is just a false heat or something because I have seen that happen before and the cow have a calf 2 or 3 months later.

 

[greatgerts]

Our mineral is $25 a bag and we add extra selenium to it. When I say best cow it's because she raised the biggest calf this year and one of the biggest last year.

We run bulls year round so moving the breeding season isn't an option. I'm hoping this is just a false heat or something because I have seen that happen before and the cow have a calf 2 or 3 months later.

You could always call your vet to come out and sleeve her to see, then also to do some blood work if she is open to see what is going on.

 

[M-5]

Our mineral is $25 a bag and we add extra selenium to it. When I say best cow it's because she raised the biggest calf this year and one of the biggest last year.

We run bulls year round so moving the breeding season isn't an option. I'm hoping this is just a false heat or something because I have seen that happen before and the cow have a calf 2 or 3 months later.

Cheesy , Im only saying that when a cow has 20mths to prepare and raise a calf she should do well. She is never considered a 3in1 where she has to provide for herself , calf and fetus. That may not necessarily be true science but in my simple mind it is everything needs nutrition to thrive . she may give you a good calf but a cow that raises 2 avg calves in the same time period is more profitable

 

[Big Cheese]

I agree with about raising two averages calves. That's definitely more money in your pocket. That's why im upset about it if she did just breed.

 

[Bigfoot]

Keep holding back heifers from your cows that are working out, and culling cows that aren't. Some day you will have a herd acclimated to your area, and your management style. Even if that's zero mangement. Eventually the herd will adjust to that.

 

[Big Cheese]

That's what I was thinking. Keeping heifers from the bloodlines of our three Charolais bulls should improve our cow herd greatly. I just hope that these couple that I saw breed this late are the only two and its just a fluck with these two. If its more then her then I will be pretty much skipping a calf crop and that hurts badly.

 

[Stocker Steve]

I have been noticing a couple of our older cows(short and solid cows) that aren't breeding back on time and when I say on time I mean not breeding back until the current calf is around 8 months old. As most of you know that is not acceptable but my question is what could be causing this? We did have a drought for about 3 months right after the cows in question had their calf could that be a reason? What could be a reason in this happening besides maybe they are just getting up in age?

They don't fit your system...