First time doing embryo question.

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Less than 6 weeks to go now, getting to the exciting end. I have spoken to a number of embryo people and their experience has been that embryos can come up to three weeks early and can go three weeks late. As long as a live calf i don't mind either way.
 
Redgully said:
Less than 6 weeks to go now, getting to the exciting end. I have spoken to a number of embryo people and their experience has been that embryos can come up to three weeks early and can go three weeks late. As long as a live calf i don't mind either way.
Sounds like plain old bull bred cows Red. I hope all goes well for you.

Ken
 
Ok so both calved out, first 290 days, the second today at 291, both bull calves even though ultrasound predicted one heifer.

Unfortunately we lost the first. I put that down to using heifers and will avoid that in the future. I checked her at 10pm, just grazing and no labour signs. 6:30am i found her and there was two feet out. She was full of energy and pushing hard. Didn't appear to have been in labour long but can't really know. I didn't wait for an invite and had the calf out in about 20 minutes. Fairly easy pull. Calf was alive with a good heart beat but completely unresponsive. I tried everything to get it to start breathing. Even resorted to mouth to mouth resuscitation! I worked for about five minutes after it's heart stopped but never got any response. Really not sure why, umbilical cord was still attached when it came out and placenta didnt pass for another three hours so presume was still working. Was a fairly big calf.

Second calved today with a textbook birth. 43kg or 95 pounds. Much bigger than i was expecting as my research told me 10kg lighter than this which is the main reason i was happy to use heifers. My red polls consistently go 290+ days gestation and i had thought the embryos would take 10 days off that to the average speckle gestation. I'm learning lots along the way.

Might have to do another round to try for a heifer.

Here's a photo.

 
Jeanne - Simme Valley said:
I also use heifers - or cows. Embryologists like heifers because you don't have "left-over calving infections".
All my heifers have years of history in my herd. I would never be afraid to use one.
About 40 years ago, we had a halfblood heifer that did not want her calf. Never has happened again. Hopefully I'm not jinxing myself. I know it happens, but I think mothering ability is heritable.

H
 
Well that's a bummer Red. Yeh would have been nice to get a heifer but that is how it goes sometimes. Nice strong looking calf though. Weights are probably because you looked after them too well. At least you succeeded with pregnancies so you will be much the wiser for next time.

Ken
 
12 months on he is looking great. Good set of nuts which in my observations are a weakness of the breed. We collected him at 12 months and he knocked out 200 straws with ease. I have another speckle embryo due next month, fingers crossed for a heifer.
 

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Not sure Red Poll automatically makes them milk or mother, maybe! You may have never seen a heifer jump up from calving, not know what just happened and just move on, bottle or dead calf.
4 year old is the youngest I'll make a recip, 2 calves, then I have some idea about mothering and milking, much prefer 5 to 8 yr olds. To much money involved for me to chance a heifer. Just me
At one time I tried using a wet two year old learned my lesson now wait until they have had calf no three before we use them as a recip. I agree bse it's enough of a gamble without using unproven recipes.
 
Congratulations Red, well done, when do you start flushing her?

Ken
Haha, that's exactly what a mate said, never let her have a calf, just keep flushing her and using herd cows deliver. Hopefully she grows well enough to even think of flushing. Such a shame the bull i have is her half brother. Doing embryos is nerve wracking stuff, I'll be glad to get back to conventional breeding.
 

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