Heifer not coming into heat

[Ashton V]

I have two heifer calves. One is a year and five months and the other is a year and two months. I have fed them good hay and been giving them plenty of grain a day and i put them with the pull about 20 days ago or so and they still havent came into heat. Idk why they havent yet. They are getting plenty of protein. Does anyone have any ideas about why they arent? Or any suggestions?

 

[fargus]

How do you know they haven't come in to heat yet? I very rarely see any of my bulls breed but our preg rate is better than industry average.

Heat cycles are 21 days... give the bull a couple months to do his job then get the heifers preg checked a month after that.

 

[Ashton V]

Well mainly because of the bulls behavior. I have a pen right in front of my house that they are in so i can constantly watch them. Usually you can tell when the bull is interested in them.

 

[dun]

There are these people that can palpate a heifer/cow and tell if she is mature enough to cycle, if she is cycling and even if they are pregnant. You may have some in your area, they're called vets. There are also people that are just experienced that can palpate them and tell the same things.

 

[jkwilson]

Maybe they were already bred. I learned my lesson on that trick several years ago. Calved at 13 months and lost both.

 

[Santas and Duhram Reds]

A vet will be able to tell you if their ovaries are functioning by seeing if there are any cysts. What breed are they? of couse by that age they should be cycling no matter what breed.

 

[novatech]

A vet will be able to tell you if their ovaries are functioning by seeing if there are any cysts. What breed are they? of couse by that age they should be cycling no matter what breed.

With Brahman you are doing well to have them cycling at 18 months. Many do not start until they are 2 years old.
I don't understand the part about the cysts.

 

[redcowsrule33]

Are these heifers you raised or bought? A lot of freemartins get dumped on the baby calf market. Regardless I'd get them palpated so you know where you're at.

 

[cattleman99]

My experience with cystic ones are they usually are constantly cycling. Like every week to 10 days. It could be they are already in calf. It could be they are just no darn good and need to become hamburger. Get a vet to check them out. Fertility is very heritable.

You also say they are getting grain. How fat are they? That can be a problem as well.