Cull question

[mkranch]

Will you guys cull a cow that has aborted a her calf, or wait and try and see if she will rebreed? The reason why I ask is because we have always culled cows as they abort calves or at least before we turn bulls out... but we recently expanded our cow herd and have new cows that have changes in diet, geography, mineral, ect. So far we have taken a handful to the sale barm that noticeably aborted, but I wanted to make sure this was the best practice.

Thanks!

MK

 

[Bigfoot]

I always sell one that aborts. Sounds like you have a handle on things, but to have very many abort is certainly cause for alarm. The external factors you mention, wouldn't really cause too terribly much abortion.

 

[Silver]

We've never culled for that specifically, and our herd average for abortions is lower than industry average.

 

[bird dog]

So Silver, what is the industry average? I did not have any for years and then I have had three in 10 months. Two older cows which were culled. One nice mid-age cow was kept. She was the first one to abort. Two of the three were late term, the third I never found the calf but it should have been late term.

 

[Silver]

The data the nutritionist at a seminar I was just at claimed 3% or more according to the last published information dated about 2001. We generally stay under the 1%. But if they don't breed back, they get culled. I have yet to see a repeat offender. If I did she would have to leave.

 

[Ky hills]

We haven't that issue much knock on wood. In one case it was a young cow that had her first calf at well under 2 yrs of age and had gained time rebreeding quickly ever year, so I kept her thinking that she had earned her keep enough to give her another chance and she has had several calves since. The other couple that slipped calves were heifers and I did cull them.
The fact that you have indicated having several to abort, would have me concerned about Leptospirosis as a first guess.

 

[ccr]

We haven't that issue much knock on wood. In one case it was a young cow that had her first calf at well under 2 yrs of age and had gained time rebreeding quickly ever year, so I kept her thinking that she had earned her keep enough to give her another chance and she has had several calves since. The other couple that slipped calves were heifers and I did cull them.
The fact that you have indicated having several to abort, would have me concerned about Leptospirosis as a first guess.

is that something you can do a blood test for?

 

[darcelina4]

Have you tested for lepto? Listeria? Trich tested? What is your mineral program? If you have several than it is not the cows but a management issue.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Have you tested for lepto? Listeria? Trich tested? What is your mineral program? If you have several than it is not the cows but a management issue.

Don't forget neospora as well.

https://afs.ca.uky.edu/dairy/neospora-caninum-abortion-cattle

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Are the new cows the only ones that have aborted?
Late gestation abortions can be Lepto.
Unless you are running a few hundred cows, "a handful" is way too many. I disagree that several means a management problem - I would "assume" several means health issues. Vets call it abortion storms.