percentage of sterile cows..what percent of cows are sterile? read it could be 1 out of 10
- Thread starter RNW
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Lucky_P
Well-known member
Subfertile...I think 1 in 10 is high.
Sterile... much lower.
I can count on 2 fingers the number of cows we raised in 40 years that I would classify as having been 'sterile'.
Sterile... much lower.
I can count on 2 fingers the number of cows we raised in 40 years that I would classify as having been 'sterile'.
Travlr
Well-known member
In my An Sci classes they said we should expect to average an 87% calf crop. But that included all reasons including birthing losses, etc. Of course that was in the early seventies...
Still, I doubt stats have changed much. I think with the selection procedures employed most often today I'd be surprised if the percentage hasn't declined.
Ebenezer
Well-known member
Depends on the sire and in some cases the level of inbreeding. The first AI bull I ever bought and used: zero heifers would breed.
Caustic Burno
Well-known member
Depends on if you got hogs and vaccinate for leptospirosis!
Could be almost the entire herd like my neighbors, when we we're blessed with the invasive plague.
Could be almost the entire herd like my neighbors, when we we're blessed with the invasive plague.
I have never seen any where near that amount. I can probably count on one hand how many sterile cows, heifers, etc that I have seen.
BritishWhiteGal
Active member
I've never had a sterile cow... We had a cow have twins and the heifer was perfectly normal and produced well for us. We banded the bull so I can't say about him.
Hpacres440p
Well-known member
If they're cows, they had to be fertile once at least, right?
BritishWhiteGal
Active member
Good one!!If they're cows, they had to be fertile once at least, right?
Ebenezer
Well-known member
As kids we showed in 4H. We showed against a big named family at the time that had a "heifer" that they paid a lot for as a show animal. They showed her for 4 years as a heifer because she was sterile. The judge was a buddy of theirs and the "heifer" won most years.If they're cows, they had to be fertile once at least, right?
I remember that every time an outfit is reluctantly selling one of their great donor cows as "open and ready to flush". Fool me one, shame on you. Fool me twice... No thanks!
BritishWhiteGal
Active member
Eek. Not cool.
When I went to the AI class they talked about how many show cattle had very poor fertility. People kept trying to ask about how to AI their show animals and they finally had to adress it and say... these stats do not apply to show animals. 
They had a little side class for them. It was wild to hear how the stories from show people.
They had a little side class for them. It was wild to hear how the stories from show people.
