Preg checked our cows too

[randiliana]

And the result could have been better. We run cattle in 3 different pastures, 1 we own, 1 we rent and the other is Community Pasture (govt run).

On the pasture we own we had 70 pair and 30 heifers. 2 cows were dry and 3 heifers.

On the one we rent, we had 14 cows and 11 heifers, had 5 cows and 1 heifer dry, but the cows were pretty old and/or late calvers, and the bull decided he didn't want to be around.

But, in the Community Pasture we had 40 cows, ended up with 10 dry and 7 late (May).

Not sure what was going on with the CP cows, they were mostly 3rd and 4th calvers, vaccinated like the rest of the herd, and I just can't think of a reason for them to be any different than the rest of the herd.

So tomorrow, we will take about 23 cows to town. 1 of course had to come down with pinkeye a few days ago, and since we had to treat her she gets to wait until the withdrawl is over.

With the cost of feed, and the fact that we are needing to cut down on the herd size this winter, the late girls are heading to town too. Right now bred cow prices are around $600-$700 and no-one is interested in late calvers, they are selling for even less than the dry cows are......

 

[Stocker Steve]

What is wrong with a late (may) calver so that no one is interested?

 

[KNERSIE]

Not sure what was going on with the CP cows, they were mostly 3rd and 4th calvers, vaccinated like the rest of the herd, and I just can't think of a reason for them to be any different than the rest of the herd.

Most likely incorrect bull/cow ratio (too many bulls) in the community pasture or not enough spread in age difference between the bulls there.

If the bulls are mostly of similar age they are so pre-occupied by trying to prevent another bull breeding the cow in season that some just don't get bred.

 

[Stocker Steve]

Not sure what was going on with the CP cows, they were mostly 3rd and 4th calvers, vaccinated like the rest of the herd, and I just can't think of a reason for them to be any different than the rest of the herd.

Most likely incorrect bull/cow ratio (too many bulls) in the community pasture or not enough spread in age difference between the bulls there.

If the bulls are mostly of similar age they are so pre-occupied by trying to prevent another bull breeding the cow in season that some just don't get bred.

I have a neighbor that runs 6 to 8 mature bulls with 110 to 140 cows and also has a lot of opens every year. How many bulls is too many?

 

[KNERSIE]

Not sure what was going on with the CP cows, they were mostly 3rd and 4th calvers, vaccinated like the rest of the herd, and I just can't think of a reason for them to be any different than the rest of the herd.

Most likely incorrect bull/cow ratio (too many bulls) in the community pasture or not enough spread in age difference between the bulls there.

If the bulls are mostly of similar age they are so pre-occupied by trying to prevent another bull breeding the cow in season that some just don't get bred.

I have a neighbor that runs 6 to 8 mature bulls with 110 to 140 cows and also has a lot of opens every year. How many bulls is too many?

The ratio we use for multiple sire herds is 3 bulls for every 100 cows. The spread in age is equally important, one mature, one 2 or or 3 year old an one yearling. Typically most herds just add a yearling every year and sell the oldest bull.

In such a breeding system expect the mature bull to sire the bulk of the calves (about 60) the two year old about 30 and the yearling about 10. The pecking order should be established well in advance so that they don't have to sort that out first when the first cow comes in season.

Bored bulls also tend to fight more, so depending on the length of the breeding season its usually good practice to reduce the number of bulls after the first 28 days or so.

It is also believed that bulls should also be turned out in unequal numbers, if two fights the third one gets a chance to breed, etc. How much this is the case in reality I don't know, from my experience once they start fighting everyone joins in.

 

[randiliana]

What is wrong with a late (may) calver so that no one is interested?

There aren't that many people up here that calve in May. The sales are in Oct and Nov and May calves are generally a lot smaller, and this year with the prices of the small calves being so low (most of them aren't making $500) and feed being so expensive, it really isn't cost effective to keep the cow around, and/or feed the calf til spring.

I know I don't want May calving cows, other than the CP cows, our bulls are all pulled so that they are done calving by the end of April.

 

[randiliana]

Not sure what was going on with the CP cows, they were mostly 3rd and 4th calvers, vaccinated like the rest of the herd, and I just can't think of a reason for them to be any different than the rest of the herd.

Most likely incorrect bull/cow ratio (too many bulls) in the community pasture or not enough spread in age difference between the bulls there.

If the bulls are mostly of similar age they are so pre-occupied by trying to prevent another bull breeding the cow in season that some just don't get bred.

Well, there were 4 bulls for 120 head. You could be right on the age spread, our 2 and at least one of the others were 2 year olds. I know we didn't have any problem last year though.

There were 3 patrons in this CP field, we had 10 dry, 7 late, the next door neighbour, who is in the same field had 0 dry out of 40, and I don't know what they other guy had for drys.