New Brangus Heifer

[Dsteim]

I need to do my homework on bull selection! I'm not sure why he didn't AI after the embryo didn't stick, but it was also something I was wondering about.

 

[Rafter S]

I'm not sure why he didn't AI after the embryo didn't stick, but it was also something I was wondering about.

It might not be a bad idea to get a vet to check her before you spend a bunch of money trying to AI her.

 

[branguscowgirl]

I'm not sure why he didn't AI after the embryo didn't stick, but it was also something I was wondering about.

It might not be a bad idea to get a vet to check her before you spend a bunch of money trying to AI her.

That, and maybe just turn her out with a LBW bull this first year, just to see if she will stick and carry a calf.
She is really nice, but I sure hope the guy didn't sell you something that he couldn't get bred. I also kind of wonder why he would be putting an embryo in a first calf heifer. That is not something that I would do, but maybe I am wrong. With the price of embryos, I would want to know more about the cows ability to raise that calf.

 

[Jessica06]

I need to do my homework on bull selection! I'm not sure why he didn't AI after the embryo didn't stick, but it was also something I was wondering about.

I don't think I'd worry too much about that. Embryos are pretty hot right now in some breeds, and for a lot of people they just don't want to mess with an AI calf. Wagyu, for example. Which you can absolutely put in a heifer! If they thought she was sound enough to put an expensive embryo in, she's probably going to be fine to AI. What I would watch for is that she doesn't get too fat. You could AI her, or you could try to save some time and just put her with a bull, like branguscowgirl suggested. She's definitely a good place to start!

 

[Dsteim]

Are those embryo calfs really worth that much money? It seems like you spend around 700 for the embryo for about a 50% or less chance for the pregnancy to take.

 

[Jessica06]

Fullblood Wagyu's are bringing 10-20K in the sales pretty consistently, from what I hear. Even in Brangus, some of those bull sales are averaging $7,500-10,000/head. If you figure 50% conception and end up with $1500 in one embryo calf, there's still a lot of room for profit.

 

[Nesikep]

I could see it if you have plans for showing, etc.. either way it's 'straw chasing', and we've beaten that to death already.

50% conception rate still leaves a 25% chance of not having a calf after 2 attempts too... And then there's still the 50/50 chance of getting a bull out of it, if that's what you're going for, and the work of raising the animal in such a way that someone actually wants it.. temperament, feed, etc all come on top.

 

[Dsteim]

I think the only way I personally would embryo is if I flushed the top quality of my stock and planted that into recips, I'm not currently at that juncture yet, do any of y'all have experience with that? It seems like if you get a good flush the price is about the same as if you did a traditional AI, except you're using one of your best cows.

 

[branguscowgirl]

Yep, just flushed my favorite cow. My reason was to carry on her genetics after she is gone. She's going on 14 now and I currently only have one retained heifer out of her. As far as I am concerned she is a "once in a lifetime" cow. She has had a long, successful show career.

 

[Dsteim]

If you don't mind my asking how, how many embryos did you get out of her? I was talking to my AI guy about flushing and he said you can get anywhere from 3-25 on a flush.

 

[ALACOWMAN]

She a nice one, but anything over a frame 6 . is way to much..shorter and soggy..

 

[Jessica06]

If you don't mind my asking how, how many embryos did you get out of her? I was talking to my AI guy about flushing and he said you can get anywhere from 3-25 on a flush.

I would correct that to say 0-25. Not every cow makes a good donor. We are 0/2, but still tryin!

 

[Kingfisher]

If you don't mind my asking how, how many embryos did you get out of her? I was talking to my AI guy about flushing and he said you can get anywhere from 3-25 on a flush.

I would correct that to say 0-25. Not every cow makes a good donor. We are 0/2, but still tryin!

Say it ain't so! I'll give you a tip of the hat for bearing your shortcomings! I'm not batting well in my AI program either.

 

[branguscowgirl]

If you don't mind my asking how, how many embryos did you get out of her? I was talking to my AI guy about flushing and he said you can get anywhere from 3-25 on a flush.

I would correct that to say 0-25. Not every cow makes a good donor. We are 0/2, but still tryin!

Very true ricebelt!
Dsteim I sent you a pm re my recent experience with my cow. We also talked about it on a thread that I started, "How old is too old when you look like this."

This time I got 2 of "excellent" quality.

 

[branguscowgirl]

ricebelt long story short, we had to experiment with the FSH dose a bit on my Brangus cow.
The first Embryologist gave her too much and she had produced too many, poor quality embryos. He said that he dosed her as a Jersey cow, knowing that Brangus can be sensitive.
This last time, we greatly reduced the recommended dose and got 2 of excellent quality.

I do not know if you are having similar effects with the FSH or not. Just wanted to throw it out there just in case.
I would be interested in hearing your experience.

 

[Jessica06]

The first cow came in heat late...we had synced up a group of recips to do a fresh transfer, and waited as long as we could, but we think it was still a little early. In hindsight we probably should have nixed the recips and flushed her the next morning. She might need a tad more FSH, also. The second cow had a lot of follicles, but we think she'll need a shot of gnrh to help her ovulate, next time. We are learning that flushing cows requires a lot of science, although it is absolutely NOT an exact science! It just takes time, flushing a cow for the first time, to figure them out. Every cow is different! We have a bunch more that we want to try. We're stubborn, if nothing else. 8)

 

[branguscowgirl]

Yes it does require a lot of science.
Good luck with your future try's!

 

[midTN_Brangusman]

Just curious what you ended up breeding to. Had a heifer calf born by Stonewall yesterday, I didn't breed to him bought her dam as bred. If your still looking for an A.I. sire, I have a Mound Creek bull that will add bone and size to your herd.

 

[Dsteim]

I got her Ai'd to Coronado but she didn't stick, she calved about 4 months ago to a Coronado son that I bought from Ricebeltrancher. I sold her and the rest of my commercial herd on Friday so right now I just have 3 Registered mamas one calved about two weeks ago and has a pretty little heifer calf and my other two will calve this month one is bred to the Coronado son and the other is bred to Gamechanger. I saw Gamechanger in person when I bought the cow I have that is bred to him he is a beast, hoping for a bull calf out of her. I'm getting 4 heifers from Hayman 711 next month that are bred to an Ultrablack Chillfactor son.

 

[midTN_Brangusman]

I got her Ai'd to Coronado but she didn't stick, she calved about 4 months ago to a Coronado son that I bought from Ricebeltrancher. I sold her and the rest of my commercial herd on Friday so right now I just have 3 Registered mamas one calved about two weeks ago and has a pretty little heifer calf and my other two will calve this month one is bred to the Coronado son and the other is bred to Gamechanger. I saw Gamechanger in person when I bought the cow I have that is bred to him he is a beast, hoping for a bull calf out of her. I'm getting 4 heifers from Hayman 711 next month that are bred to an Ultrablack Chillfactor son.

I really like the Gamechanger bull, a little high for me on bw, but other than that he is a beast!