Heifer won't take

[certherfbeef]

I have a heifer that sloughed her calf at about 2 months. Now she will not settle. We tried cidrs, and breeding her on a standing heat. We ran her with the bull and saw him breed her (yes, he is getting the job done). Vet checked her and said she is open and everything is in tact and in working order near as he can tell. I was wondering...since she won't keep a calf now on her own...what if i put an embryo in her. The the egg is already fertilized and all it has to do is attach itself, right??? OK, fire away about how i should ship her and not transfer the fertility problems into my herd, bla, bla, bla. Is this idea too off the wall to work or not.

 

[rgv4]

How long has it been since she lost the calf? I know the vet said that everything is in working order, but, alot of times on heifers it takes them a while to breed back.

I do know of cows that wouldn't breed being used as recipents. Where are you located? Could you talk to some of the ranchers around you that use alot of donors and implanting?

 

[TxSimbrahShower]

Ok. My first registered show heifer we Ai'd her at 15 months and she took on the first try. She lost her calf, had problems having it. ( One of the bags didn't break, she kept getting up and down, we think the calf probably drowned or suffocated) Anyway that was Sept. 2003, we put her in with the bull for about 6 months, saw him service her two or three different times, and yes he does work, had vet check her, still open. Then
in May we attempted to Ai her, well guess what, she took on the first try.
Don't know why the bull couldn't breed her, vet doesn't know either.
Cows are funny sometime. But as far as implanting, I know a rancher that I could get you in touch with that does alot of implanting that could probably answer any question that you have.

 

[txag]

just my opinion, but i wouldn't waste an embryo on her.

 

[dun]

just my opinion, but i wouldn't waste an embryo on her.

My feelings exactly. Jack her up and put wheels under her.

dun

 

[txshowmom]

Embryo work can get very expensive. I wouldn't even try to put one in a cow unless I knew she was a fertile little thing that bred the first time every time. If she has had a few months and still won't settle I'd sell her.

 

[Running Arrow Bill]

Agreed! Embryo Transfer should only be done with your BEST cows.

 

[Bez]

Eat her or sell her - waste of time and money

Bez

 

[rgv4]

I had a rancher tell me that a cow that he has can't be bred because of some scar tissue, but she has a calf every year, he puts an embryo in her.

Most embryos cost around 300 to 500 each and it cost about 300 to get them implanted. Or shall I say that's what the cost is in my area.

 

[txag]

it cost about 300 to get them implanted. Or shall I say that's what the cost is in my area.

i think you're being overcharged for implanting unless you're including room & board as well as shots for the recip (even then it's a little high). if you set up the recip yourself it should only cost about $50 to put the embryo in.

 

[Jake]

Agreed! Embryo Transfer should only be done with your BEST cows.

Now Bill wouldn't you ET your second best cows because your BEST cows will have excellent calves in their own right?

 

[txag]

Agreed! Embryo Transfer should only be done with your BEST cows.

Now Bill wouldn't you ET your second best cows because your BEST cows will have excellent calves in their own right?

your thinking makes sense Jake, but ET is used to get more calves out of a cow than she would normally have on her own. by flushing her, you can have lots more calves per year out of her than if you would just let her have the 1 calf/year.

 

[Jake]

Agreed! Embryo Transfer should only be done with your BEST cows.

Now Bill wouldn't you ET your second best cows because your BEST cows will have excellent calves in their own right?

your thinking makes sense Jake, but ET is used to get more calves out of a cow than she would normally have on her own. by flushing her, you can have lots more calves per year out of her than if you would just let her have the 1 calf/year.

I understand all of this, plan to do some at some point of my own. I just understood Bill's comment to be that you'd implant in your best cows, not flush them

 

[txag]

I understand all of this, plan to do some at some point of my own. I just understood Bill's comment to be that you'd implant in your best cows, not flush them

gotcha. i figured he got sidetracked off the original question, but i may be assuming too much. maybe he'll elaborate & answer your question.

 

[dun]

The best cow to be a recip isn't necessarrily your best cow. A good maternal cow with lots of milk and very fertile may not have the other traits your looking for. If you have a mixed (mongrel) herd of cows that calve every year and raise a good calf you could/would implant a registered, lets sayWatusi. You would get the calf you want and the recip would do the job that she does best.
Just a thought

dun

 

[rgv4]

it cost about 300 to get them implanted. Or shall I say that's what the cost is in my area.

i think you're being overcharged for implanting unless you're including room & board as well as shots for the recip (even then it's a little high). if you set up the recip yourself it should only cost about $50 to put the embryo in.

That's with it being done by a certified tech, so that the embryo is guaranteed, plus the room and board. That way a good registered animal only cost 600 to 800 instead of 2000 to 10,000.

 

[ollie]

I have a heifer that sloughed her calf at about 2 months. Now she will not settle. We tried cidrs, and breeding her on a standing heat. We ran her with the bull and saw him breed her (yes, he is getting the job done). Vet checked her and said she is open and everything is in tact and in working order near as he can tell. I was wondering...since she won't keep a calf now on her own...what if i put an embryo in her. The the egg is already fertilized and all it has to do is attach itself, right??? OK, fire away about how i should ship her and not transfer the fertility problems into my herd, bla, bla, bla. Is this idea too off the wall to work or not.

Missi , if she sloughed off her natural pregnancy I wouldn't think she would be a good candidate to hold an egg nine months. Did the vet palpate her ovaries or is he capable of that? She could just be cystic. If you think she is ovulating and the egg is fertilizing but just not attaching to the uterine wall try hormones to make her maintain the pregnancy ( offset the c.l. suppression or something like that) Vicki would know.

 

[Campground Cattle]

Not trying to start a ruckus but why do so many of the people on this board keep hanging on to cows that wont breed back, have calving difficulties, poor milkers,big tits and etc. 99% of these animals are hamburger material. Number 1 rule ruthless culling of the herd. A cow on my place that can't stay healthy produce a live healthy calf every 12 months unassisted is sale barn bound. We do not spend money on problems we sell em.

 

[certherfbeef]

I don't remember saying that I wasn't going to ship her. I don't remember saying that I wasn't going to try to get her to settle. Maybe I ought to go back and read my post. I just wanted opinions on weather or not all of you thought this might work. My mind wanders a little while I am pitching manure. This was just a thought.

 

[rgv4]

I don't know what kind of cattle everyone has that like to send everything to the salebarn.

But, if you own the land, own all of your equipment, spend anywhere from $2000 to $10,000. on a show heifer, it doesn't hurt to give them a little extra time to breed back if they lose their first calf. I know that I'm not going to take one to the salebarn and maybe get $600 to $900 for her when she's not costing me anything to just give her some more time.

That's the way we do things at my house.