How Inheritable is Mothering Instinct??

[Running Arrow Bill]

Just wondering.

We have a 3 yo cow out of a top bull & dam...aka "high dollar" parents. She had her 2nd calf this year (2013 and 2014). Cleaned up both, last year and this, let it nurse once. First one last year she rejected & allegedly stepped on and broke calve's hip which we had repaired and then bottle fed her. This year, no injuries to calf, but wife pulled her away same day and is bottle feeding her. This cow was bred each time to our top bull (the bull's calves have had no problems from several of our other cows).

A major breeder friend of ours may consider embryo flushing her for transplanting in a recipient cow.

My general question, then, "What is the probability that her egg implanted in a "motherly cow" would end up with another heifer that turned out to be another rejecting cow?" Having to bottle feed another rejected calf is a real pain in the wazoo...

Ideas? Comments?

P.S.: Wife won't hear of getting rid of this "rejecting" cow...at least not at this point in time.

 

[skyhightree1]

Just wondering.

We have a 3 yo cow out of a top bull & dam...aka "high dollar" parents. She had her 2nd calf this year (2013 and 2014). Cleaned up both, last year and this, let it nurse once. First one last year she rejected & allegedly stepped on and broke calve's hip which we had repaired and then bottle fed her. This year, no injuries to calf, but wife pulled her away same day and is bottle feeding her. This cow was bred each time to our top bull (the bull's calves have had no problems from several of our other cows).

A major breeder friend of ours may consider embryo flushing her for transplanting in a recipient cow.

My general question, then, "What is the probability that her egg implanted in a "motherly cow" would end up with another heifer that turned out to be another rejecting cow?" Having to bottle feed another rejected calf is a real pain in the wazoo...

Ideas? Comments?

P.S.: Wife won't hear of getting rid of this "rejecting" cow...at least not at this point in time.

I can't answer your question directly but I will say this I am not fooling with cattle to collect pets and keep cows with issues. If the cow is rejecting and causing unnecessary work for me she would be on the way to the sale barn if she were on my place no matter if the wife liked it or not. When farming I understand having a favorite cow or bull what have you but let me tell you bottle feeding calves is a ..... and its expensive. If you retain the cows heifer calves I would be worried about genetics and maybe the heifer do the same. I try to eliminate problems if I can.

 

[Taurus]

The beef price is good and its perfect time to sell her via sale barn. No reason to keep a problematic cow around and spreading HER genetics around. Longhorn cows are supposedly to be very good mothers, this one isn't.