Stag in a mixed herd

[Stocker Steve]

I pulled a 600# "steer" that I purchased this spring and found an undesended testicle. I know what to do with him. What is the best timing and approach to abort the 500 to 600# heifers that were grazing in the same herd?

 

[msscamp]

You've got two choices - abort them or calve them out. I don't know what you're planning on doing with these heifers, so I can't advise as to which one would work better for your operation, although I think I am fairly safe in saying that a 5-600# bred heifer is not anyones ideal calving prospect. I wish you the best of luck in this unfortunate set of circumstances.

 

[Running Arrow Bill]

Abort the 500-600# heifers. IMO they are too small, too young to get pregnant. Your Vet can sell you a "shot" that you can give them to abort (e.g., "Lutylase"). IMO the heifers are about equivalent to a 13-14 yr old girl getting pregnant. Good luck with what you decide!

 

[Hippie Rancher]

Are you sure they are bred?

how many?

 

[sidney411]

Would a bull w/ one undecended testicle be able to breed? Wouldn't the sperm be 'damaged' from not having the testicle outside the body ie. heat source?

 

[dun]

Would a bull w/ one undecended testicle be able to breed? Wouldn't the sperm be 'damaged' from not having the testicle outside the body ie. heat source?

While the fetility is (maybe) decreased they're far from sterile. Friend of mine in IL had number of heifers calf from a one nutter that he was finishing when he turned the heifers to be fed out in with him.

dun

 

[jcarkie]

yeah don't you know if you bought a one nutter (not that you should, just being sarcastic) to breed he would be sterile, but if you get one that is snuck in he will breed everything he gets near. that is how it works.
i would have heifers check and given a shot (3 weeks - 3 months) if it is not to late. cheaper than pulling calves or tending to little bred heifers. (been their done that) calved out a sixteen month old this year.

 

[Hippie Rancher]

Dun:

While the fetility is (maybe) decreased they're far from sterile. Friend of mine in IL had number of heifers calf from a one nutter that he was finishing when he turned the heifers to be fed out in with him.

Was that one nut decended? OP said "steer" so assume the other was decended and removed. That would affect fertility more, I would think. One free, decended should be quite fertile, but one removed plus one undecended might not be.

 

[dun]

Dun:

While the fetility is (maybe) decreased they're far from sterile. Friend of mine in IL had number of heifers calf from a one nutter that he was finishing when he turned the heifers to be fed out in with him.

Was that one nut decended? OP said "steer" so assume the other was decended and removed. That would affect fertility more, I would think. One free, decended should be quite fertile, but one removed plus one undecended might not be.

One removed one retained inside the body.

dun

 

[ENNOT]

If you are going to give Lutalyse or some other drug to abort the heifers, you need to do it within the first cycle they may have been bred. Otherwise it may not work.