I thought my heifer was pregnant

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Preston - not so sure tapeworm is being derogatory. If you read all his posts, he sounds the same in all of them. Usually derogatory shows up in just a few posts so that you know they are intending it. Have an uncle that sounds just like tapeworm. He uses a "workin' mans" language instead of an "educated mans" language. Not all people have the same way of talking or the same sense of humor or the same anything. Just need to listen for a spell before you judge.
 
Since I have not traveled far from Tennessee, when I think of Rhode Island, I think of one big city. I need to get out a bit more.
TR, when I looked at the picture of your heifer, it reminded me of how I must look every morning when I get up.
It is hard to tell when they are pregnant sometimes when they have good body condition. They just look like they are filled out really well. It will be harder to tell if you haven't been around cattle a lot since you get used to what they did look like before. Some of the changes they go through are a slow process, and it just takes so long, you don't realize it is happening. Sometimes they spring later on and the bag begins to show a few months before they calve. And then there are those that swell up fast and they bag early. The only way for sure to tell is to have her palpated. But sounds like the bull is just testing things. If it is on your mind a lot worrying about if she is pregnant or not, have a vet check her to ease your mind.
 
As the other attackee in tapeworm's post, I must admit, the delivery was less than gentle. I can not say I have studied his wording/speech style & as such maybe it was not intended as derogatory. If the objective was to inform rather than belittle, it certainly could have been worded such that those that he was correcting didn't feel like they were being scolded for poor advice.
 
Mr. Preston,
Chill Brother. I frequent this site because I have a few cattle and like to read & learn in order to improve on my animal husbandry. I've read enough of Tapeworm & others to believe they know cattle. They may come across as a little rough to some at times, but what I read of their posts makes sense to me.
 
lancemart, listen to dun and have it palpated by a vet to see if it is knocked uh pregnant.

Dick
 
Chuckie":1lw7c3is said:
Since I have not traveled far from Tennessee, when I think of Rhode Island, I think of one big city. I need to get out a bit more.
TR, when I looked at the picture of your heifer, it reminded me of how I must look every morning when I get up.
It is hard to tell when they are pregnant sometimes when they have good body condition. They just look like they are filled out really well. It will be harder to tell if you haven't been around cattle a lot since you get used to what they did look like before. Some of the changes they go through are a slow process, and it just takes so long, you don't realize it is happening. Sometimes they spring later on and the bag begins to show a few months before they calve. And then there are those that swell up fast and they bag early. The only way for sure to tell is to have her palpated. But sounds like the bull is just testing things. If it is on your mind a lot worrying about if she is pregnant or not, have a vet check her to ease your mind.

Thanks Chuckie, and I have to agree with you. I've got two more heifers left to calve out out of 6, and they've all been different with their springing. The waiting's enough to drive one to drink too! :D

Maybe I read the post wrong, but I thought there was reference to how you could tell when a heifer had been bred or should I say covered, and how they'll stand all hunched up just after breeding. The heifer in the pic had just been covered about a half hour before the pic was taken, so I thought that maybe a pic would help illustrate the "just after" look they have after being bred. Now, whether the breeding takes is a whole 'nother story. That particular breeding did take, and she calved this April right on time according to that breeding date.

However, I do have another heifer here that I watched being bred too, and I'm still waiting for a calf. According to the breeding date I observed, she should have calved around the end of April. Obviously that breeding that I watched didn't take, nor did the next one, and I have my doubts as to whether the one after THAT took too! By her signs, she looks to be a month to 6 weeks away from calving, and she's in great condition. Actually, she's bordering on obese. An extremely easy keeper, that one, and like you said, its been very difficult to tell if she's pregnant because of her condition. So you're right again, just because they've been covered doesn't necessarily mean the breeding took.
 
TR, When I said that I look like the heifer in your picture, I meant that when I get up, I feel like my back won't straighten up and I walk like she looks. They definitely walk with their back arched and their tail out like you posted. I have to agree with you on all points about knowing if they are pregnant or not. I wish I had a whole pasture of easy keepers like the one you talk about. Even if they were hard to look and tell if they were pregnant or not because of body condition. If she had a tendency to pass that trait to her calves, I wouldn't let her heifers get away, unless they were missing body parts or had a major defect. There was an article in the "Beef" magazine that supported the theory of "easy keepers" being the most economical to keep.
 
Chuckie":2bde0thm said:
TR, When I said that I look like the heifer in your picture, I meant that when I get up, I feel like my back won't straighten up and I walk like she looks.

Me too Chuckie, me too! Takes at least one cup of coffee for me to straighten up! They say it doesn't get better with time either......

Chuckie":2bde0thm said:
They definitely walk with their back arched and their tail out like you posted. I have to agree with you on all points about knowing if they are pregnant or not.

Boy, its all a learning game at this point, but it does make a good arguement for learning how to palpate just so you can be sure. Especially when you're running a bull year round. So far we're small enough that I can remember the calving dates of the previous year in order to extrapolate the expected due dates of the current year, provided they all took. But, there have been one or two cases where palpating would have determined a cull months earlier than what waiting did.

Chuckie":2bde0thm said:
I wish I had a whole pasture of easy keepers like the one you talk about. Even if they were hard to look and tell if they were pregnant or not because of body condition. If she had a tendency to pass that trait to her calves, I wouldn't let her heifers get away, unless they were missing body parts or had a major defect. There was an article in the "Beef" magazine that supported the theory of "easy keepers" being the most economical to keep.

I'm glad you said that! I kind of thought that the easy keepers cost less to feed as well.....I mean, it only makes sense, right? But here's a question for you; The easy keepers here are small-framed heifers/cows. I like them because I think they eat less than the bigger-framed cattle, and I have limited space here at the home pasture, but what do buyers and packers think about the smaller framed cattle? I expect the ones here are running at about 900 to 1100 lbs, and that's only because they're in great condition. I expect they'd run about 800-1000lbs if they weren't so fat. They're all first calvers this year, so I haven't taken any calves to the sale barn yet to see what they'll sell like.

As far as retaining heifers, I sure wish I had more space to do that. I expect Bubble's calf will head on to the sale whether its a bull or heifer. It'll be real interesting to see what she produces and how she milks though. Maybe I could sell it privately if its a good 'un? What concerns me the most at this point is that it took 3 breedings for her to take. That's not good, but it could be the heat as she was moved to a totally different pasture 70 miles away in July of last year, the change in diet and pasture, as she went from heavily fertilized native grass here to not fertilized Bahaia out there, or that she was just too fat to conceive. All of which are management issues. I spect most would have culled her by now, but she's an awfully good looking heifer, an easy keeper, and very, very gentle. So far, she has a nice udder too, so except for the not taking on time, and her being a short cow, I just couldn't ship her based on what might or might not have been my fault. What are your thoughts?
 
preston39":d6p7xmps said:
tapeworm":d6p7xmps said:
Jeez...they guy says he is new to cattle and from Rhode Island. Some of you think he should be able to tell when a heifer is bellied up at 6 months?? Or tell when a bull deposited semen in her?? How do you tell that?? How do I know if a bull put it in her??I can tell if he gets it ON her...not IN her. LOL Have your heifer palpated son
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Tapeworm,

Thats what the person was looking for..advice.

Are we to understand that this is your advice..criticising everyone? :(

Further, to a non experienced person...you would advise them to palpate? :shock:

You let us know when it is proper time to give this person advice...and please tell us what advice we should extend and how to give the advice. Would that make you happy?

Your inference that Rhode Islander's don't have the ability to discern application of advice to their situation is appalling...not to speak of your reference to everyone else who posted with advice...as being wrong. Go tell!!!

Be aware if you are going to criticise ME ..unfairly.....be prepared. :eek: All constructive reviews welcomed! :D

Hello again presto. Hows it going back east??? Let me see if i can get through all the funny faces and fancy pants eastern dialect to figure out what your trying to say

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:( presto sez: "Are we to understand that this is your advice..criticising everyone? :(

Further, to a non experienced person...you would advise them to palpate? :shock: "

tapeworm response: No sir presto...my advice is to give people advice they can USE. If you want to joke around, joke around. I do plenty of that to. But this guy needs advice he can use...dont give him useless advice just to hear yourself talking. LISTEN instead of always yapping so much and you would know what I said....if you didnt spend so much time trying to figure out fancy ways to say nothing at all and seeing how many silly faces you can use in aposting you would have seen that I said to HAVE the heifer palapated. *HAVE THE HEIFER PALPATED!!* Do you tell newcomers not to do that?? Not to take advantage of vets and other people that can palpate?? Just use presto's magic bellied up method to determine when heifers are bred?? How does somebody new to cattle know the difference in a heifer bellied up and one that is just full??? How about your other advice??? I didnt even mention that but now I will...you saying that he would have seen the bull breeding her....thats not always true. I dont see bulls breed many of my cows but always have plenty of calves. Do you watch your bulls breed ever cow?? If you can do that presto you either need more cows or need more work to do. Do you even know if this guy sees his cattle ever day??

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:( presto sez: "Your inference that Rhode Islander's don't have the ability to discern application of advice to their situation is appalling...not to speak of your reference to everyone else who posted with advice...as being wrong. Go tell!!!"

tapeworm response: Sorry that I appalled you presto. Had nothing to do with where he is from except that you easterners dont get to see as many cattle as the rest of us....hard to draw on experience if you dont have any...guess you ought to know that. Go tell!!!!!

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:( presto sez: "Be aware if you are going to criticise ME ..unfairly.....be prepared. :eek: "

tapeworm response: presto I'm not scared of you..you have made threats here before and I'm sure you will do it again...maybe you should do it in a personal message to me so that we dont take up everbodys space. The guy from Road Island wants to know about his heifer being bred...he doesnt want to here this garbage between me and you

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Remember presto....I'm not the one that made this personal...I didnt even call your name in my posting. You started that so I'll tell you one more time...try to make sure your postings make sense instead of just looking for fancy new ways to talk and trying to see how many faces you can use. I cant speak for everbody here but you sure dont impress me none. I know I dont impress anybody either...not why I'm here anyhow. I'm here to learn stuff and hope to share stuff that I have learned over many years...if how i say it makes you cry I am sorry...I say whats on my mind and what needs to be said....I dont worry much about how it sounds. You may not like what I say but you dont never have to worry about knowing what I mean or where I stand....sorry to all who I offend...I will try to be more careful, okay?? Also thank you to all of you who took up for me. Sorry to be so much trouble. presto I will try to be better at how i say stuff if you will try to be better at not saying so dang much stuff. Deal????



In summary presto....who gave better advice here for the guy to be able to use?? My advice to have the heifer palapated to see if she is bred??? or your advice...for the guy who is new to cattle to tell by looking at her belly??
 
TR":36mpmh9i said:
Chuckie":36mpmh9i said:
TR, When I said that I look like the heifer in your picture, I meant that when I get up, I feel like my back won't straighten up and I walk like she looks.

Me too Chuckie, me too! Takes at least one cup of coffee for me to straighten up! They say it doesn't get better with time either......

Chuckie":36mpmh9i said:

?
Makes three of us. What changes with time is that it takes more cups of coffee.
 
Tapeworm - well said. I also do not have a lot of time to hold someones hand and make sure their feathers stay unruffled. If someone wants to learn - great! I'll do all I can. If I got to tip toe around that person to do it - go somewhere else. Not saying this means I'll bully that person while doing it. Just got a lot of work to do and I'm not going to waste time molly-coddling someone while I do it. You gave good advice. It's to bad some couldn't see it. And it wasn't any trouble - I was happy to jump in. Good day to you.
 
TR, When you say it took Bubbles three times to stick, did you AI her or did a bull cover her? It sounds like maybe she was young and went through some changes that might have made her miscarry or not take. Some problems may arise that we create, not the problem of the cow. After her calf is born, and she remains in the same area, then you will be able to tell more about her. I hope she does just fine. I don't think that the height of your calves will bother the price unless they were stunted, that is something that you don't have to worry about. I imagine the people that buy the calves want the ones that stop putting on height too since feed dollars do better in calves that mature early. Your calves sound like they are where they are supposed to be. As far as the shorter cows being more economical, it makes sense. They stop growing frame and start putting on muscle earlier at the stage when we want to sell them. Sounds like you are doing things right.
 
Chuckie":186pvhh3 said:
TR, When you say it took Bubbles three times to stick, did you AI her or did a bull cover her? It sounds like maybe she was young and went through some changes that might have made her miscarry or not take.

She was live covered by a bull. She went out to him on July 2nd and was just going out of heat at that time. I watched him cover her on July 22nd which would have put her due on April 30, only that's come and gone, and no calf. So, here we are, 4 weeks later, and no calf, so that would mean she didn't take on her 2nd cycle with the bull. Her teats are just now beginning to swell a little bit, so I would say she's at least a month away, as she doesn't seem anywhere close to being 2 weeks away which would have been her 3rd cycle with the bull. So, I would say that it took her til her 4th cycle with the bull for breeding to take. That kind of concerns me, as the bull is proven.

Chuckie":186pvhh3 said:
Some problems may arise that we create, not the problem of the cow.

That's what I'm hoping...that the move from here out to the bull, 70 miles away and a completely different diet in the middle of the summer had something to do with it. However, I also took 2 other heifers out there with her, and one calved on time, and I'm still waiting on the other one as well as Bubble's. The 2nd one is closer than Bubbles is though.

Chuckie":186pvhh3 said:
After her calf is born, and she remains in the same area, then you will be able to tell more about her. I hope she does just fine.

I think you're right, and I should just bring the bull out here for 60 days or so instead of move the cows to him. I just have that feeling that it was all that management stuff that buggered the breeding, and not the heifer.

And thanks for the well wishes. She's a favorite of mine if you can tell. :oops:

Chuckie":186pvhh3 said:
I don't think that the height of your calves will bother the price unless they were stunted, that is something that you don't have to worry about. I imagine the people that buy the calves want the ones that stop putting on height too since feed dollars do better in calves that mature early. Your calves sound like they are where they are supposed to be. As far as the shorter cows being more economical, it makes sense. They stop growing frame and start putting on muscle earlier at the stage when we want to sell them. Sounds like you are doing things right.

The one calf so far out of this group is doing well. That's the one that Sidney 411 delivered. He's not too framey, but he's chunky, and sure makes me want to eat steak.

And thanks, I have to admit, I know about which end of a cow to feed and which end to clean up after. So, if I'm doing things right, then its the direct result of folks like you who patiently answer my questions when what you'd really like to do is roll your eyes and laugh hysterically!
 
Rhode Island is a very small state not all City, some farmland, a 10-20 acre parcel here is huge. Just a little info. Thanks for all the advice. I got my answer, but did not expect to start a raucus. I have learned a lot in just a few weeks. Thanks to everyone.
 
lancemart":32xvw3hx said:
Rhode Island is a very small state not all City, some farmland, a 10-20 acre parcel here is huge. Just a little info. Thanks for all the advice. I got my answer, but did not expect to start a raucus. I have learned a lot in just a few weeks. Thanks to everyone.
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lancemart.

You didn't. A few on this board attacks anyone who posts advice. Mostly because they don't know...so they criticise those who know and post. No biggie.

How's your situation...did you determine pregancy?
 
preston39":u8tv3co7 said:
A few on this board attacks anyone who posts advice. Mostly because they don't know...so they criticise those who know and post. No biggie.

I guess it good they've got you.
 
Wewild":3hb1shem said:
preston39":3hb1shem said:
A few on this board attacks anyone who posts advice. Mostly because they don't know...so they criticise those who know and post. No biggie.

I guess it good they've got you.

Boy thats right need a little cheese to go with all the whine.
 

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