getting 1st calf heifers to breed back quickly

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jt

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some time back i read an article somewhere that discussed the problem of getting a 1st calf heifer to breed back on time. it said that many times they wont breed back until the calf is weaned.

but this article said that if you will take the calf from the mother for 48 hours, the cow will most of the time start to cycling and breed back quicker.

i cant remember at what age the article said to take the calf, but it seems like it was when the calf was 2 months old.

has anyone out there tried this or know if this is indeed a fact. just wondering, because i have several heifers due and had a few heifers that calved last year come up late this year.

thanks

jt
 
jt":287dx6bz said:
some time back i read an article somewhere that discussed the problem of getting a 1st calf heifer to breed back on time. it said that many times they wont breed back until the calf is weaned.

but this article said that if you will take the calf from the mother for 48 hours, the cow will most of the time start to cycling and breed back quicker.

i cant remember at what age the article said to take the calf, but it seems like it was when the calf was 2 months old.

has anyone out there tried this or know if this is indeed a fact. just wondering, because i have several heifers due and had a few heifers that calved last year come up late this year.

thanks

jt

we don't have a problem w/1st calf heifers breeding back but pulling the calf off does work. i don't know if i'd go 48 hours. 24 probably sufficient. it works for cows, too. lots of folks use it along w/synchronizing.
 
jt":1lq0x6t5 said:
some time back i read an article somewhere that discussed the problem of getting a 1st calf heifer to breed back on time. it said that many times they wont breed back until the calf is weaned.

but this article said that if you will take the calf from the mother for 48 hours, the cow will most of the time start to cycling and breed back quicker.

i cant remember at what age the article said to take the calf, but it seems like it was when the calf was 2 months old.

has anyone out there tried this or know if this is indeed a fact. just wondering, because i have several heifers due and had a few heifers that calved last year come up late this year.

thanks

jt

One thing thing that you can do is place a gomer bull in with your heifers after they calve. Studies have shown that pheremones released by the bull will actually stimulate estrous sooner in lactating cattle. One guy in my Cow/Calf management course said instead of taking the bull to the vet to gomer him he just ran the bull in and tied a mud flap around his belly. When he went to mount the cow the business end of his tool would hit the mudflap. Now that would be something to see.
 
A gomer is a bull that has had an operation or something of the sort so that he can no longer breed cows. They are used in heat detection and such.
 
A side winder is a bull that has a penal deviation so th penis is directed out and up their side.

dun


eric":2caz8fqs said:
o k ...what's a sidewinder?
 
We have a rouhgly 45 days breeding season. With proper nutrition, i.e good pasture and good mineral supplement program, our heifers fall right into the calving rotation with the cows for their second calf. With heifers calving at the same time as the cows, they cycle and breed back within the same 45 day window. We run a horny steer with the girls and his mounting and sniffing activity you wouldn't know the difference between him and a gomer bull. Except that he doesn't get a nasty disposition and doesn't take any special handling. We refer to him as a gomer but he isn't truly. He just thinks he is.

dun


jt":32qrgp1i said:
some time back i read an article somewhere that discussed the problem of getting a 1st calf heifer to breed back on time. it said that many times they wont breed back until the calf is weaned.

but this article said that if you will take the calf from the mother for 48 hours, the cow will most of the time start to cycling and breed back quicker.

i cant remember at what age the article said to take the calf, but it seems like it was when the calf was 2 months old.

has anyone out there tried this or know if this is indeed a fact. just wondering, because i have several heifers due and had a few heifers that calved last year come up late this year.

thanks

jt
 
Hello,

We calve most of our fist calvers at or really near 24 monthes, we provide a good quality loose mineral (Vigortone) and supplament them with 6# of a custom ration that has 14% protein and 3% fat as soy bean oil, this works well for us and provides the energy to keep the heifers growing and raising great calves while getting them bred back fast with high accuracy for pregnancy.

Having them cycle and getting pregnant are two very different things, they can cycle all year long, but if they are not in a good BCS (Body conditon Score) they wont get pregnant, and even if they do they may not stick due to poor nutrition.
 
OK, I worked with an ET business for a long time, and this was the prefered method of synchrony used in addition to hormone therapy.

Yes the calves are to be pulled for a full 48 hours, and then returned to the dam, this method does work, but in my opinion causes too much stess to the calf. Works but at what cost.

Good nutrition is the best choice, and good hormone therapy with great timing and consistancy and addition to great heat detection is the key to a successful breeding program, AI, T or natural service, provided you have a fertile bull.
 

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