Skipped a year of breeding...OK or trouble?

[Little Cow]

Hello,

Haven't been around in awhile so I am providing some background first before I get to my questions.

Always enjoyed working with cattle when I was in college. I had several jobs (dairy, cow/calf operations) that taught me a lot.

After saving money while in the military, I was finally able to buy some land of my own about five years ago. I started out with commercial cattle and learned on them (we did pretty well, too!). Then, I bought registered Dexters (my favorite breed) with the money earned at the salebarn. I only bought three weaned heifers as I knew I would be getting married and moving to Florida. Luckily, my dear husband has become a very good hand. :cboy:

Fast forward to when my heifers were bred and gave us two nice heifer calves last year. The one that did not throw a calf was NOT culled as she has the best conformation of the three. We figured we'd give her another chance.

Last summer, we decided not to breed because of a long drought here in North Florida. Hay prices were climbing sky high as well and, with my husband just starting up his new business, money was tight.

Finally, the questions:

1) Now, I remember my animal science classes harped about not skipping a year because conception rates go down. Have you guys found this to be true? Is it harder in older cows or do even the younger ones drop in conception rates?

2) We plan to try AI this year on our cows and heifers. As far as the cows go, do you think the now three and a half-year-old cow that has never had a calf will have trouble?

BTW, there will be an addition to the farm this year, just not out in the pastures. We are expecting our first child this August (a boy). :banana: Probably a good thing that we didn't breed the cows or else I would've been out there trying to help with a big belly in the way!!

 

[dun]

The only problem I've seen in skipping a year is the tendency for the cow to get fat, in some cases overly fat. We've allowed a cow to skip a year due to outside influences and haven't had a problem getting them bred. Most will settle first service AI and calve with no problems. The overly fat ones may have a problem calving, it just seems logical to me that they would.

 

[I luv herfrds]

We've had cows come up open. Most will tell you to cull them. We like to give them another chance and they normally come up bred the next year.

Good luck and Congradulations on the upcoming baby. Don't worry about a big belly around the cows, been there. My son rode my back as we cut calves for shipping and worked cows. Chased and cussed cows too.
Pretty sure the other women have some tales too.

 

[Little Cow]

Thanks, guys!

Yeah, Trudi, the one that's never calved, is a little heavier than the others, but I don't know, would you say too heavy? She is more the 'beef' style Dexter while the other two cows have more of a 'dairy' structure.

 

[Chi-man]

Congratulations on the impending new arrival!! Our first born is now six months old. I don't know what we did with our time before we had him. Suggestion for the baby crib - get an Angel Monitor (I think that is the name). It goes under the mattress and monitors the baby's breathing. If he stops breathing/moving for 20 seconds, it sounds a very LOUD alarm. It has gone off for us a couple of times when our little bundle scooted too close to the edge of the bed. It gave us lots of comfort and made for better sleep in those first few months. He had reflux and the first two months were the pitts!!! After that, it has been complete joy - and he started sleeping through the night after the second month. Get him on a schedule ASAP. We learned the hard way - not fun.

As for the cows, I agree with Dun. They should breed fine, just be careful with the fatness and calving.

 

[Little Cow]

Thanks, Chi-man Never heard of an Angel Monitor. I'll look into it!

 

[milkmaid]

Do the rest of y'all realize this isn't a cow, it's a heifer? and that the heifer will be 4 1/2 years old when she has her first calf?

I have found it to be true that the longer a cow is open the harder it is to get her to settle. I think I remember reading an article that said after 120 days (after calving) conception rates start to drop.

Personally, I'd be really careful what I bred her to, keeping in mind also that she may not settle. (In other words, don't spend too much $$$ on semen for her!) Not only is she older, but she doesn't have a very good track record behind her.

 

[mnmtranching]

Congrats!
That is 1 old first calver, I haven't had experience with a 4 1/2 year old heifer.
Seems to me, as long as you have kept her this long, go ahead and breed her. Should be OK.

 

[hillsdown]

I just wanted to add to MM's post that if a cow does not settle to a bull (natural service) she usually has a lesser chance that she will settle to AI unless there was a known problem for not settling from natural services. Have you had her palpated by a vet yet as I would do that first to make sure she indeed is cycling and developed properly before I waste money on semen on her.

Congrats on your new arival.

 

[Little Cow]

Thanks, MM and Hillsdown!

I didn't think about her as a heifer, but you're right. When the vet is out to AI them, she can palpate her then. These little guys can have long, productive lives. Twenty calves is not that uncommon. I really hope she comes through for us this year.

I'm hoping her time with the bull wasn't successful because of an early loss. The bull's owner reported seeing her covered at least twice and she shows the proper behaviors indicting she's cycling. I'm hoping it was just a fluke. We don't have the room or the desire to use a "clean up" bull, so if she is palpated after AI and has not settled, we may try once more, but only if she isn't the only one that hasn't settled. Otherwise, she goes in the freezer. Typical AI success rate is, what, about 60%-70%? Straws aren't too expensive for our little ankle biter cows.

BTW, this cow is already on borrowed time. She tried nursing from the mama cows last year. Saw her twice and swore if I saw her again she would get culled. I was standing right there the second time and kicked her in the belly. Wouldn't you know, she stopped. I watched her like a hawk, but...nothing. Hubby was already eyeballing his steaks...

it's harder to cull one when you only have five!

 

[hillsdown]

Little cow you had better have all your culls gone before your new arrival is old enough to grow an attachment to them because if you think it is hard now imagine how hard it will be looking into those precious eyes when he says "mommy please can't we keep her?" :heart: :lol2:

Good luck with your girls and I hope you have an easy labor and a healthy ,happy little boy.

 

[Little Cow]

Good point, HD! Thanks for the kind thoughts.

If our little boy listens to his daddy, he'll just see walking steaks when he looks in the pasture... :lol:

I'm the softy, but man, I was so ready when I saw her reach under one of our 'productive' cows. Kinda wish I didn't give her another chance back then.