Help! Heifer not settling when bred

[TwoByrdsMG]

I have an April 2017 heifer that we have Ai'd once and had with the bull for two cycles.

She has short cycled (16-17 days) after each breeding.

She was a single birth and I bought her at 6 months. She was a virgin heifer when she was AI bred at 14 months. She is now over 1000 lbs and moderate condition now (not too fat or skinny).

I noticed that when she was with the bull she would not stand for him until every other cow/heifer/steer had mounted her. She also only stood for him for one breeding each cycle. Held her tail to the side when he bred her so I am sure he bred her.

He had other cows bred and settled during the same time period and was tested free of all issues. Excellent mobility, no trich and all cattle are vaccinated 2x per year including vitamin and wormed.

The only thing that my AI tech/vet and I came up with is maybe she is not actually expelling a CL and if she is bred she will short cycle due to that-- otherwise she has normal 20.5 day heat cycles.

We are trying CIDR, GnRH, Lute sync with 2 others at the same time to see if hormone treatment will make her settle.

Any other suggestions? Has anyone else had these issues?

Really would prefer not to butcher her if there is any way I can get her bred-- she was expensive since she is AU genetics and she is puppy-dog friendly. Even if she has terminal offspring...

 

[Fire Sweep Ranch]

We had our first this year that would not breed. We AI'd her three times, then found a bull for her when she returned to heat yet again. She ran with the bull from mid June till the beginning of September, and was observed being bred. The bull she ran with had other cows he was with settle. She came in open, so I sent her to the stockyards. Way to many chances for my place, but my thought was if she stuck to the bull I would sell her in a bred cow sale.
Interesting thing, I looked at her EPD's and her sire is in the bottom 1% of the breed for stability (Voyager). I guess there is a reason you do not see his daughters in the herd for very long!

 

[pdfangus]

some lessons are expensive and hard learned....
getting her bred by extraordinary measures this time do not mean she will breed back after calving any better.
she has had ample chances and a virgin heifer should be the most fertile animal on the farm not the least...
quit throwing good money after bad...

keep daughters from the good productive cows in your herd that thrive under your environment...that is how you build a cowherd...

 

[pdfangus]

some lessons are expensive and hard learned....
getting her bred by extraordinary measures this time do not mean she will breed back after calving any better.
she has had ample chances and a virgin heifer should be the most fertile animal on the farm not the least...
quit throwing good money after bad...

keep daughters from the good productive cows in your herd that thrive under your environment...that is how you build a cowherd...

 

[Caustic Burno]

Cull her and move on, good cattle are much cheaper .

 

[TwoByrdsMG]

One hormone treatment and Excede later and she started having normal cycles. She had cysts and a uterine infection.

Still will not settle to AI but put her in with a new bull and we will see if that helps. Otherwise...

We decided she is going to make some good steaks in May once the grass is on and she fattens.

 

[TwoByrdsMG]

Well she must have known she was headed down the road. 30 days with the bull and she is pregnant. I will leave her in with the bull next time so that she breeds back right away. I feel like I lost 8 months of time so she better start popping them out.

 

[Nesikep]

I had one heifer that was turned out with the bull may 25th and didn't breed til september... I shook my finger at her and told her she has some catching up to do.. She's taken on the first cycle every time since, had the first calf of the herd this year, kept a daughter and she's been fine as well

strange that she had a uterine infection.

 

[Redgully]

I had a cow with a uterine infection, called metritis. Flushed with antibiotics and ai'd 14 days later and stuck. For a heifer to get an infection something needed to get some muck past the cervix, most likely from ai. If she had a cyst it usually stops them cycling while the cyst is active. I mucked around with a cow for a few months one time, she was with a bull and ai'd by three different people. Normally she wouldn't have lasted that long but she was the last of her line of very good fertile cows. Had put her with the culls and she was getting nice and fat ready to go, walked past one day and she was in a raging heat.....got itchy fingers and stuck a straw in, she stuck and i got yelled at by dad....and i deserved it! Then she had a bull calf anyway!!

 

[True Grit Farms]

What ever happened to checking for open cows and heifers and culling those animals that aren't pregnant?

 

[pdfangus]

What ever happened to checking for open cows and heifers and culling those animals that aren't pregnant?

Too many people fall in love with their cows....
look at the number of comments about my favorite cow or heifer in this thread.....
efficient reproduction should be the number one item on a cows job description.

 

[Redgully]

What ever happened to checking for open cows and heifers and culling those animals that aren't pregnant?

Too many people fall in love with their cows....
look at the number of comments about my favorite cow or heifer in this thread.....
efficient reproduction should be the number one item on a cows job description.

You are correct, ive been there and done that. Now days i only have a few hobby cows and I'm really interested in wanting to know a bit more. I recently had a cow calf following a cesarean last year because i wanted to see the outcome. I wanted to see whats involved with breeding after metritis. Back in the day i didn't have time for this but i also never learnt as when there was a problem it was put in the freezer or shipped. Both the above cows were/will be culled after they calved but i really learnt a lot and the whole process. Im thoroughly enjoying it.

 

[Bcompton53]

What ever happened to checking for open cows and heifers and culling those animals that aren't pregnant?

Too many people fall in love with their cows....
look at the number of comments about my favorite cow or heifer in this thread.....
efficient reproduction should be the number one item on a cows job description.

I fell into that trap this year. We typically blood test 30 days after the clean up bull is pulled, and pretty much cull what's open. However, this year the youngest heifer in the group came up open, and she's from one of my better cows. I went back and forth, and we finally decided to keep her. She shoulda been of age by the time the bull was pulled, but maybe it was just a timing thing. We will see if I regret it or not. We fall breed, so she'll just be getting free grass this summer.

 

[Dsth]

I agree with the previous advise. your AI tech/vet should have eliminated any health issues that would hinder settling. I also have favorite cows and always keep heifers from them. I have found that favorite cows don't always have favorite replacements. If you want her as a pet; keep her. If you want to keep spending money and time on her; keep her. If you don't like either of the first options; it is time to say good-bye.

 

[TwoByrdsMG]

I still have her marked down to cull/sell when able.

A little different when it's a first time heifer than if a cow would have come back open. She is registered and out of imported semen so she better be growing something good in there

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

I still have her marked down to cull/sell when able.

A little different when it's a first time heifer than if a cow would have come back open. She is registered and out of imported semen so she better be growing something good in there

Why is that different? Other than, the cow may have a good excuse. Heifer - no excuse. If people keep their hard breeders, pretty soon, their whole herd is hard to breed. I totally understand the "potential" value of a heifer out of "expensive" semen, but it's a pretty much "do or die" decision when it comes to reproduction. I occasionally, give one a free ride for a few months, because I have two calving seasons. But, they need a really good reason - like a cow that had twins.
"I still have her marked down to cull/sell when able." - does that mean you will sell her as a breeder?

 

[TwoByrdsMG]

I still have her marked down to cull/sell when able.

A little different when it's a first time heifer than if a cow would have come back open. She is registered and out of imported semen so she better be growing something good in there

Why is that different? Other than, the cow may have a good excuse. Heifer - no excuse. If people keep their hard breeders, pretty soon, their whole herd is hard to breed. I totally understand the "potential" value of a heifer out of "expensive" semen, but it's a pretty much "do or die" decision when it comes to reproduction. I occasionally, give one a free ride for a few months, because I have two calving seasons. But, they need a really good reason - like a cow that had twins.
"I still have her marked down to cull/sell when able." - does that mean you will sell her as a breeder?

I will sell her as a breeder if she proves to me that she can raise a calf and breed back right away. Otherwise she will still be good for steaks. Not sure why she got cystic and infected like she did but she is young and still has the potential to be a good cow.

I will not retain her genetics in the herd and if she calves a bull then it will make a nice steer.

 

[True Grit Farms]

I still have her marked down to cull/sell when able.

A little different when it's a first time heifer than if a cow would have come back open. She is registered and out of imported semen so she better be growing something good in there

Why is that different? Other than, the cow may have a good excuse. Heifer - no excuse. If people keep their hard breeders, pretty soon, their whole herd is hard to breed. I totally understand the "potential" value of a heifer out of "expensive" semen, but it's a pretty much "do or die" decision when it comes to reproduction. I occasionally, give one a free ride for a few months, because I have two calving seasons. But, they need a really good reason - like a cow that had twins.
"I still have her marked down to cull/sell when able." - does that mean you will sell her as a breeder?

I will sell her as a breeder if she proves to me that she can raise a calf and breed back right away. Otherwise she will still be good for steaks. Not sure why she got cystic and infected like she did but she is young and still has the potential to be a good cow.

I will not retain her genetics in the herd and if she calves a bull then it will make a nice steer.

You've kept her this long I wouldn't rush to get rid of her. A lot of times a shot of Cystorelin will fix one right up. Just don't wait so long next time.

 

[pdfangus]

Registered cattle should be held to a higher standard.....

not a lower one...