Workinonit Farm
Well-known member
Dave":2pkl4bc7 said:
Absolutely.
Nice forum/rude forum
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Absolutely.
boondocks
Well-known member
Getting back to the issue of Hero's marginal breeding, this newbie wonders: isn't one of the problems from the get-go that the bull was left in too long? (Yes, I realize a BSE and STD screening should be done each time it's put in. The bull, not the...well, maybe both :lol2: :lol2: )
Or stated more broadly, that when the cows didn't all calve within a reasonable time, it wasn't picked up on even then?
(Sorry, Hero, not trying to pile on, just learn)
Or stated more broadly, that when the cows didn't all calve within a reasonable time, it wasn't picked up on even then?
(Sorry, Hero, not trying to pile on, just learn)
backhoeboogie
Well-known member
boondocks":124t2xo8 said:
I calve year round and expect my cows to calve around 11 months in between the previous calving. Mineral and feed make a big difference.
You pull the retained heifers, put them in another pasture, and a neighbor bull gets to them. I cannot imagine going to a calving season. I can only assume people who do that have no neighbors running cattle The place I had adjoined 7 other people with cattle. Bulls. Some bulls were quality and some were way beneath my standards. I wouldn't dare pull my bull.
Caustic Burno
Well-known member
backhoeboogie":21aabytg said:
Ran the bull year around with mine as well Boogie till I downsized.
Our climate and the way the barns sell here there is no discount makes no sense
other than record keeping and preg checking.
Now I lease Obama to my neighbor for six months.
Bred cows and and fence chargers made to keep out bears and saber tooth tigers and such keep my other
neighbor problems out.
boondocks
Well-known member
Interesting point about the neighbors' bulls, thanks.
Still, though, even if you leave a bull in year-round, you're testing the bull (or watching for issues); culling those cows that aren't calving after 11 months (or whatever your cut-off is); and hitting the panic button if you have a bunch not calving at (say) 11-12 months, right?
Still, though, even if you leave a bull in year-round, you're testing the bull (or watching for issues); culling those cows that aren't calving after 11 months (or whatever your cut-off is); and hitting the panic button if you have a bunch not calving at (say) 11-12 months, right?
OP
OP
herofan
Well-known member
I realize I have brought up this "cows not calving" several times. I suppose this problem has just stunned me; I feel like a deer in headlights. This is an issue that I never heard anyone else talk about in the past, so I never expected it. The opposite issue is what I've heard of: keeping the neighbor's bull from getting in and breeding your cows or your heifers too early, or the herd bull breeding the young heifer calves too soon is usually the issue. The problem is typically, "how do we hold them back until it's time, not "how do we make them breed."
I'm not doing this for a living, or even depending on it in any way for income, although any extra income is nice, so I'm sure that is why I haven't acted with more urgency. I suppose I just hope it will be better the next time. For example, according to when I put the bull with them the first time, they could have calved in September. Instead, they strung out from September to March.
Still, if they had bred back within reason, the majority could have all calved by December the next time; I could live with that assuming they would then breed back on time. Instead, the next round they were strung out from August until May. So, I let that go because I've been told "heifers sometimes have trouble breeding back." This time, with the addition of 3 new heifers, I should have 12 calves by now, instead, I have 4.
When I first posed the issue on the forum, I hoped it might be something simple that I have overlooked, or that it might be a small list of things, after all, I'd never heard of anything like this before. I didn't realize it could be a billion possibilities: nutrition, mineral, infertility, cysts, trich, bull with bent penis, and the list goes on.
Of all the problems I considered and could have imagined, I never thought of this one. I assumed I would have unexplained dead cows; I assumed I would have to bring in a calf in January at the point of being frozen and have to baby it until it got well; I assumed I would lose calves at birth and have cows experiencing trouble giving birth at the most inconvenient times, but I never thought I would have a herd that wouldn't breed in a reasonable time period. I don't recall anything putting a damper on a cow and bull's sex drive when I was younger.
Anyway, I am changing bulls, and if this group of cows doesn't calve in a short while, I'll sell and replace them. I'll try not to bring this specific topic up again.
I'm not doing this for a living, or even depending on it in any way for income, although any extra income is nice, so I'm sure that is why I haven't acted with more urgency. I suppose I just hope it will be better the next time. For example, according to when I put the bull with them the first time, they could have calved in September. Instead, they strung out from September to March.
Still, if they had bred back within reason, the majority could have all calved by December the next time; I could live with that assuming they would then breed back on time. Instead, the next round they were strung out from August until May. So, I let that go because I've been told "heifers sometimes have trouble breeding back." This time, with the addition of 3 new heifers, I should have 12 calves by now, instead, I have 4.
When I first posed the issue on the forum, I hoped it might be something simple that I have overlooked, or that it might be a small list of things, after all, I'd never heard of anything like this before. I didn't realize it could be a billion possibilities: nutrition, mineral, infertility, cysts, trich, bull with bent penis, and the list goes on.
Of all the problems I considered and could have imagined, I never thought of this one. I assumed I would have unexplained dead cows; I assumed I would have to bring in a calf in January at the point of being frozen and have to baby it until it got well; I assumed I would lose calves at birth and have cows experiencing trouble giving birth at the most inconvenient times, but I never thought I would have a herd that wouldn't breed in a reasonable time period. I don't recall anything putting a damper on a cow and bull's sex drive when I was younger.
Anyway, I am changing bulls, and if this group of cows doesn't calve in a short while, I'll sell and replace them. I'll try not to bring this specific topic up again.
True Grit Farms
Well-known member
I think it's a good topic myself and some folks can learn from it. You just ruffled a few feathers Herofan right of the bat. I think you have a bull problem myself.
It's a good topic. I lost my calving/breeding records about 10 years ago. I had a hot mess after that for at least two years. I also went through a spell just a couple of years ago. Back to back, I got ahold of two bad Bulls, that had both passed a BSE. One had a crooked penis, and the other one almost zero sex drive. In both instances, they would occasionally get lucky and breed a cow. A BSE is not always something to hang your hat on (come to find out). I got lucky, and caught both fairly quickly. It still cost me. Your deal may be something like that. my calving records qued me in both times, in conjunction with having a few 7 and 8 month old bull calves in the field. I wouldn't rule out some of those young bulls being the ones that bred the few cows I had bred.
Nesikep
Well-known member
Neighbor of mine is having the same problems, he feeds mineral, he had a bull go bad a couple years ago, messed up his calving, got a new bull, and he seems to not be doing his job either.. For this coming year he's got 2 bulls and we'll see what comes of that
I would have the bull checked for trich. If there are any cows that are/were active with it, the bull will just keep spreading it. The new bull sticking a cow with it will then spread it all over again. Or maybe he just has ugly cows and the bulls don;t find them attractive.Nesikep":1b664l3n said:
M-5
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I really think its a culmination of problems. Mainly the winter of 2014 . I experienced a delayed breeding season and can point to several people that had same thing. 2014 threw off 2015 .
hurleyjd
Well-known member
Buy virgin young bulls at about 18 months of age. They are just like teen age boys and will get the job done. Two calving seasons and they are sold and a new bunch of boys bought. They should be checked for viability at the time of purchase. A good chance they will be clean if no exposure to older cows by the previous owner.
greybeard
Well-known member
It's the 'almost zero' that screws things up. They breed just enough to make you think they're doing there job...
Been there with a beefmaster bull. more of a kaitlan than a bruce jenner, tho he did suddenly turn into Chuck Norris when I went to load him for his final ride. Just now getting the pen repaired but it will be another few months before I get caught back up right with the breeding and calves on the ground.
Nesikep
Well-known member
I will see the fellow on Tuesday and suggest he get a trich test done on the cows before putting the bull in
We had a shorthorn bull with a crooked penis.. he bred about 4 cows in 4 weeks.. he was a miserable SOB.. he's the one that nearly tore the sale barn down and the handlers there remember him 7 years later.
We had a shorthorn bull with a crooked penis.. he bred about 4 cows in 4 weeks.. he was a miserable SOB.. he's the one that nearly tore the sale barn down and the handlers there remember him 7 years later.
JMJ Farms
Well-known member
On a cow that has trich, how long before she "sheds" it?
Ryder
Well-known member
4-5 months if she is kept away from bull.JMJ Farms":3jxthzhd said:
Infected bull stays infected.
You can use google or start page to read more.
JMJ Farms
Well-known member
I've always used virgin bulls. But I haven't tested bred cows that have been bought.
M-5":3m2b62jr said:
Similar situation but we had a drought for 3 years - which is when we began Spring and Fall calving instead of 2.5 months done :bang:
