Freemartin heifer in heat ?'s

[redneckcowgirlmn]

Sorry in advance, these are supposed to just be feeder calves, going to butcher them both...eventually.

So, my 8 month old "Freemartin Heifer",(was a twin to a bull, not the same one as I have) is aparrently in heat. The bull calf keeps trying to breed her, about every 2-3 minutes. Yes, I seperated them. (Long soap opera story on why the vet hasn't been there to castrate him yet)
Do heifers bleed during their heat cycle, like dogs? Or did he damage her? She's got a little blood coming out of her vulva. Also, since it's been averaging a high temp of about 10, do I just try to brush the "Stuff" off her tail, or leave the frozen mess on her? Kids are pretty grossed out.

 

[randiliana]

Sorry in advance, these are supposed to just be feeder calves, going to butcher them both...eventually.

So, my 8 month old "Freemartin Heifer",(was a twin to a bull, not the same one as I have) is aparrently in heat. The bull calf keeps trying to breed her, about every 2-3 minutes. Yes, I seperated them. (Long soap opera story on why the vet hasn't been there to castrate him yet)
Do heifers bleed during their heat cycle, like dogs? Or did he damage her? She's got a little blood coming out of her vulva. Also, since it's been averaging a high temp of about 10, do I just try to brush the "Stuff" off her tail, or leave the frozen mess on her? Kids are pretty grossed out.

A freemartin can come into heat. Depends on what parts of her reproductive tract were affected. Or it is possible that she is one of the 10% that are "good". Heifers will bleed after the heat cycle I think 2-3 days afterward. Unless she is bleeding a lot I wouldn't worry about it. It is very unlikely that the bull damaged her. I would just leave her alone. It will be a learning experience for the kids...

 

[dun]

Freemartin and mixed sex twins 101. Not all heifers born twin to a bull are freemartins althoug hte majority (90% plus) are. A freemartin can have varying degrees of influence from the bull if she is in fact a freemartin. It can range all the way from visually screwy repro organs to just lack of enough hormones to maintain a pregnancy. So she may come in to heat as a freemartin, rare, or she may not be a freemartin. Unless the organs are visually screwed up or has a blind vagina the only 2 surefire ways to find out are a DNA bloodtest or if she calves.
A cow/heifer will bleed a couple of days after she has ovulated.
Is she standing for the bull or is he just riding her?

dun

 

[redneckcowgirlmn]

Dun,

She's not only standing for him, she's backing up and positioning herself for him.

Thanks for answering, guys. Now, 1 more question... if she's standing for him, AND bleeding, is she past ovulating, thus past "heat", or just a happy girl?

I swear, I'm gonna raise goldfish instead, lol!

 

[dun]

if she's standing for him, AND bleeding, is she past ovulating, thus past "heat", or just a happy girl?

I swear, I'm gonna raise goldfish instead, lol!

If she's bleeding from ovulating she's past heat, also past standing heat. The blood coud be anything. If it's not a big amount I wouldn;t worry about it. But I would keep an eye on the heifer in 16-21 days to see if she does it again.

dun

 

[redneckcowgirlmn]

She's back in heat again! How big do they have to be before I can butcher them? Just saw what the male half of us paid for 3.22# of sirloin steaks last night...certified herford...$24.90.

 

[bigbull338]

She's back in heat again! How big do they have to be before I can butcher them? Just saw what the male half of us paid for 3.22# of sirloin steaks last night...certified herford...$24.90.

if they are 8 months old.you could butcher them now.or wait 4 more months.alot depends on how much you think they weigh now.if they was at 800lbs i feed 60 days an butcher.

 

[redneckcowgirlmn]

How accurate would a horse weight tape be on a holstein?

 

[cfpinz]

How accurate would a horse weight tape be on a holstein?

I don't know but I tried a cow weight tape on myself and got within 5 pounds!

Measure the heart girth in inches and post it, I'll tell you what ours says.

cfpinz

 

[redneckcowgirlmn]

Okay, thanks! I'll do it tonight when I get home. You can tell what they weigh by measuring in inches? Wow! Must have slept through that day in math class. Dang it, I hate it when I run across something Dad was right about all those years ago!

 

[redneckcowgirlmn]

How accurate would a horse weight tape be on a holstein?

I don't know but I tried a cow weight tape on myself and got within 5 pounds!

Measure the heart girth in inches and post it, I'll tell you what ours says.

cfpinz

Ok... caught the bull, he's 48" tall, and 62" heartgirth. 9 month old Holstein preemie calf. My horse tape says he's 632#. Is that about right?
Couldn't catch the heifer, she's a little freak right now, didn't want her blowing through the barn wall, but she's about 4 inches taller, and a little heavier.
Bull calf:

Heifer:

:?: Thanks...

 

[cfpinz]

Here's what the tape has to say about 62":

Thin: 742lbs
Moderate: 709lbs
Fleshy: 672lbs
Very Fleshy: 636lbs

I would guess your steer to be Moderate to fleshy by holstein standards, of which I know absolutely nothing about. Hope this helps.

cfpinz

 

[redneckcowgirlmn]

Here's what the tape has to say about 62":

Thin: 742lbs
Moderate: 709lbs
Fleshy: 672lbs
Very Fleshy: 636lbs

I would guess your steer to be Moderate to fleshy by holstein standards, of which I know absolutely nothing about. Hope this helps.

cfpinz

:shock: Um... are those RIGHT???? Seems a little Bass-Ackwards to me.... :?: :?: :?: :?: :?:

 

[cfpinz]

They're right, flesh weighs less than frame.

cfpinz

 

[redneckcowgirlmn]

Oh, ok.... just seems odd to me that a 700# animal would be considered thin, and a 600# one would be considered Fleshy... unless the height is factored in somehow, I guess it would make sense then....kinda. Go easy on me, I AM female, LOL!

 

[cfpinz]

Using the 62" example, a 742lb animal would be a larger frame carrying less muscle/fat, whereas the 636lb animal would be a small frame/barrel covered in meat. Smell what I'm steppin' in?

cfpinz

 

[redneckcowgirlmn]

OOOOOOHHHH!!! THAT makes sense now! LOL, Thanks for putting it like that.

Either way, I have what, like another 200# to go before I can eat him, right?

 

[bigbull338]

OOOOOOHHHH!!! THAT makes sense now! LOL, Thanks for putting it like that.

Either way, I have what, like another 200# to go before I can eat him, right?

yes 200lbs or 60 days on feed more or less.

 

[milkmaid]

If she's actually NOT sterile, then sell her, don't butcher her. A holstein heifer at her weight is worth around $1000-1200. You can buy a pretty nice beef calf for that price to butcher; maybe two young calves or one nearly-finished steer.

 

[somn]

OOOOOOHHHH!!! THAT makes sense now! LOL, Thanks for putting it like that.

Either way, I have what, like another 200# to go before I can eat him, right?

I don't want to tell you how to run your business but your not going to get much meat off an 800 pound holstien steer. You will be much happier with a 1400 pound live weight. Killing at 800 pounds will only get you lots of bones little meat. An 800 pound holstien steer is basically still just a calf.