Natural breeding or drug induced ?

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leboeuf

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I have 23 heifers that I am going to expose to a bull this weekend for the first time. I only have the bull for 2 months before he has to be returned. A friend of mine recommended I give half the girls a shot of lutalyse now and the other half in 2 weeks. This is my first breeding (hands on calling the shots) and I want to get all the girls covered in my timeline. Any advice would be greatly appreicated.

(All heifers, black angus crosses, avg 16 months of age & average weights #800)
 
Always seems if I can get one to cycle the others just fall in line and you have almost nonstop breeding, especially with heifers.
 
If they are with the bull constantly for two months there's no reason why most of them shouldn't get bred. But if you want to know exact dates of heat and/or want them to calve at a certain time or all at once, then you want to use the lute.
 
Unfortunatly, I need ALL of them covered, not most. Guess I'll check with the vet about luts today Thxs for the replies.
 
Lute will only catch some of them. If they aren;t cycling it won;t do jack, if they have just finished a heat cycle it won;t do jack either. A shot of GnRH followed 7 days later with lute will get them all synched as long as they are already cycling.
 
How much time do you have to get them bred?? You certainly don't want all of them coming in at the same time.
 
Lut will only work if they are currently cycling and within a certain time frame in that cycle (days 6 thru 14??). Anyway, if they are naturally cycling, the bull will get them bred as they "naturally" come in. 60 days is MORE THAN ADEQUATE time for a bull to get them ALL bred.
16 months at 800# sound a little light to me, but even at that, if they are receiving good nutrition, mineral & water - they should be cycling.
One shot to 1/2 the heifers will make only a portion of them come into heat - only the ones that are within that time frame.
The proper way to use Lut is :
1. "Know" when they cycled & give shot 6 days after.
2. Breed for 5 days, give a shot to those that you did not catch in heat, the rest should cycle.
3. Give 1 shot - those in the right time frame will cycle about 2-3 days later, which you can breed those cycled heifers - than, 11 days after first shot, you give a shot to those that did not cycle & get bred.
4. Give 1 shot - don't breed anything - give 2nd shot 11 days later - all should be in heat 2-3 days later. All of these options work IF, AND ONLY IF they are already cycling.
Also, if you have a bull running with them, you won't REALLY know if they got bred by the bull, so you don't want to give anything exposed to the bull a shot of Lut, because Lut also ABORTS pregnancy.

So, sounds like to me you're only option with the bull coming this weekend, is give them all Lut shot before they go out with bull - which will kill the bull :lol:
or, leave them alone. Like I said 60 days should be more than enough time. If they are not bred in that time frame - they are poor quality - poorly raised - or poor breeders and should be culled.
 
Jeanne - Simme Valley":3ci3974j said:
60 days should be more than enough time. If they are not bred in that time frame - they are poor quality - poorly raised - or poor breeders and should be culled.

Or the bull is a dud
 
The bull has fathered 19 calfs from 19 heifers this season (11 bulls & 8 heifers). He is sound.

The 800# is a guess, I don't have scales on site. I have been going to the sales for a few weeks and lots or heifers in that age group are weighing in @ 800 lbs and they look good. Not fat, but healthy and athletic. I assume my herd is on track and sound. (or at least thats what the mentors say)

Thanks for feedback. I'll try the natural approach and see how this first season treats us.... :dunce:
 

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