Sterile Bull?

[B Moore]

I am going to give you old timers (old in experience - not years) your laugh of the day. No such thing as a stupid question, but this has to come close.

We have a new bull now two years old. All our cows calved in Feb and March. They were bred by another bull. I had presumed that our cows would have been bred by this time. The last calf was born on March 19. Now I am seeing the bull very interested in several of the cows.

I had thought that once the cows were bred, they would no longer come into heat.

Question: right or wrong???

 

[Workinonit Farm]

All our cows calved in Feb and March. They were bred by another bull. I had presumed that our cows would have been bred by this time. The last calf was born on March 19. Now I am seeing the bull very interested in several of the cows.

That would be about right, regarding the timing from when they calved. The ones that calved in Feb, may have come into heat (calf-heat) and don't always settle on their first heat after calving. Many of us wait about 45 days or so prior to re-breeding.

The last calver, March 19 is/has probably come into her first heat after calving, and may not have settled. I would give this a little bit more time.

While there are many cows who will settle on their first heat after calving, many do not, and it is not the bull's 'fault' its due to the cow, and her reproductive system getting back to fucntional condition.

To answer your question, most cows will not show signs of heat when they are bred and in-calf. Sometimes late in the gestation period (not the case here with yours) the bull will be 'sniffing' around them due to certain hormonal fluctuations.

I'm sure others on this board can probably explain this better or offer additional info on this.

Katherine

 

[dun]

Just cause they're bred doesn;t mean they settled

dun

 

[Bez>]

I am going to give you old timers (old in experience - not years) your laugh of the day. No such thing as a stupid question, but this has to come close.

We have a new bull now two years old. All our cows calved in Feb and March. They were bred by another bull. I had presumed that our cows would have been bred by this time. The last calf was born on March 19. Now I am seeing the bull very interested in several of the cows.

I had thought that once the cows were bred, they would no longer come into heat.

Question: right or wrong???

Just because a bull jumps a cow and has a little fun - does not mean the cow is bred.

When you bought this bull you would have had the veterinarian do a semen test - what were the results?

Are the cows in decent shape? Just because they come into heat does not mean they are fertile.

When you last had a herd health check, did the veterinarian have any potential issues he wanted to discuss?

Do you have a mineral and vaccination program in effect?

Have you discussed the pros and cons of what you are doing with your local veterinarian? Did s/he make any suggestions?

Cattle will not breed back for many reasons - health - sexually transmitted disease - mineral deficiency - poor feed - genetics and a multitude of others.

I could probably go on for several pages as to the reasons the cows may not be breeding back. Most will immediately blame the bull - but the cow is always a suspect in my mind as well. It takes two to tango.

Hope you can solve the issue,

Bez>

 

[Sir Loin]

Re:

I had thought that once the cows were bred, they would no longer come into heat. Question: right or wrong???

Right, provided they breed and provided they didn’t abort after breeding.
Then there is what we old timers (in experience and years) call “false heat” to consider.

False heat is when the cow does not fully recycle and can not become pregnant, yet will stand to be breed. But will not remain standing still after the dismount, with her back arched.
Not all cows recycle within 30 days. Some may take 60 or even 90 days.
Rumor has it that false heat is caused by giving birth when another calf has just been weaned within the last 30 days prior to her giving birth.

The secret to knowing if a cow was breed is to watch the cow, not the bull, while they are breeding.
When the bull mounts, the cow should bend her rear legs slightly causing her back to arch. And should remain in that position, with tail raised slightly, for 3 to 5 sec. after the bull dismounts.
SL

 

[hillsdown]

I am going to give you old timers (old in experience - not years) your laugh of the day. No such thing as a stupid question, but this has to come close.

We have a new bull now two years old. All our cows calved in Feb and March. They were bred by another bull. I had presumed that our cows would have been bred by this time. The last calf was born on March 19. Now I am seeing the bull very interested in several of the cows.

I had thought that once the cows were bred, they would no longer come into heat.

Question: right or wrong???

I am sorry but I think I am missing something to this post?I guess I am a little rusty but;You had a bull running with your cows while they were calving to breed them back right away and less than a month after the last one calved you pulled the bull and put in your virgin 2yr old bull with it.Now you are seeing it breed some cows?How do you even know they were bred to begin with it would have been to early to preg check?JM2C's

 

[milkmaid]

I am going to give you old timers (old in experience - not years) your laugh of the day. No such thing as a stupid question, but this has to come close.

We have a new bull now two years old. All our cows calved in Feb and March. They were bred by another bull. I had presumed that our cows would have been bred by this time. The last calf was born on March 19. Now I am seeing the bull very interested in several of the cows.

I had thought that once the cows were bred, they would no longer come into heat.

Question: right or wrong???

I am sorry but I think I am missing something to this post?I guess I am a little rusty but;You had a bull running with your cows while they were calving to breed them back right away and less than a month after the last one calved you pulled the bull and put in your virgin 2yr old bull with it.Now you are seeing it breed some cows?How do you even know they were bred to begin with it would have been to early to preg check?JM2C's

Good question hill. I wondered the same thing. He's probably seeing the first heat for most all the cows.

 

[milkmaid]

Re:

I had thought that once the cows were bred, they would no longer come into heat. Question: right or wrong???

The secret to knowing if a cow was breed is to watch the cow, not the bull, while they are breeding.
When the bull mounts, the cow should bend her rear legs slightly causing her back to arch. And should remain in that position, with tail raised slightly, for 3 to 5 sec. after the bull dismounts.
SL

To be extremely frank... watch the bull and if there's extention followed by penetration, the cow has been bred.

 

[dun]

To be extremely frank... watch the bull and if there's extention followed by penetration, the cow has been bred.

But it still doesn;t mean that she will settle.

dun

 

[milkmaid]

To be extremely frank... watch the bull and if there's extention followed by penetration, the cow has been bred.

But it still doesn;t mean that she will settle.

dun

Yep... :P that's another subject; if SL thinks watching the way the cow stands when covered will indicate whether or not she's settled too...

I'll just comment that the embryo doesn't even implant in the uterus until 9 days or more past breeding, and I'll leave it at that. :lol:

 

[Sir Loin]

Re:

watch the bull and if there's extention followed by penetration, the cow has been bred.

Not necessarily. You can have both extension and penetration and if the cow is not receptive and proper depth of penetration is not reached she will not cover.
You could also have extension and penetration and a premature ejaculation and she will not cover.

It is the standing still and the arch of the cows back that indicated proper depth of penetration has been reached.

As the old saying goes, “it takes two to tango” so I watch the cow to know when the dance is over.
SL

 

[Sir Loin]

Re:

We have a new bull now two years old.

Q. How many cows are you expecting a two year old bull to cover?

A time honored rule-of-thumb is to place about the same number of cows or heifers with a young bull as his age is in months.
For instance a bull that is 14 months old going into his first breeding season should be expected to breed 14 or 15 cows; whereas as a two-year old bull may be placed with 20 - 25 cows. Mature bulls that have been examined by a veterinarian and have passed a breeding soundness exam can be placed with 25 - 35 cows and normally give good results.

 

[milkmaid]

Ever noticed that older cows may not act like they've been bred, but heifers will often stand around all day with their tails out?

BTW, how far do you think the AI tech puts the straw???

Do you think the same principle regarding the cow's behavior applies to AIing?

How about timed AI?

How about AI 12-24 hours after standing heat???

 

[Sir Loin]

Milkmain,

Re:

Ever noticed that older cows may not act like they've been bred, but heifers will often stand around all day with their tails out?

Can’t say that I have, but then again I really don’t have the time to watch either one “all day”.

Re:

BTW, how far do you think the AI tech puts the straw???
Do you think the same principle regarding the cow's behavior applies to AIing?
How about timed AI?
How about AI 12-24 hours after standing heat???

I fail to see the purpose for you to attempt to compare natural breeding to AI, as they are two totally different procedures.
One big factor is: AI is conducted in a controlled environment where as natural breeding is not and many things can go wrong.
Do you wish to discuss AI or natural breeding at this time?
SL

 

[hillsdown]

OK this whole debate is getting stupid obviously the original poster is standing back and laughing at all the different responses he/she got to the post :roll: .It was such an unrealistic post to begin with that you really have to say(huh?).Even the way the post started no one in their right mind would expect all cows to be bred within a month and half time especially the ones that just calved a week before.And the fact that it was stated that a two year old was even put in with them when they were bred; why would you put a bull in with bred cows unless they weren't bred.
I call shananagans and the joke is on all of us who responded.
And now I am going to let the banana dance
:banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana:

 

[JMichal]

OK this whole debate is getting stupid obviously the original poster is standing back and laughing at all the different responses he/she got to the post :roll: .It was such an unrealistic post to begin with that you really have to say(huh?).Even the way the post started no one in their right mind would expect all cows to be bred within a month and half time especially the ones that just calved a week before.And the fact that it was stated that a two year old was even put in with them when they were bred; why would you put a bull in with bred cows unless they weren't bred.
I call shananagans and the joke is on all of us who responded.
And now I am going to let the banana dance
:banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana:

Your Bananas are OBSCENE!!

 

[hillsdown]

I call shananagans and the joke is on all of us who responded.
And now I am going to let the banana dance
:banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana:[/quote]

Your Bananas are OBSCENE!![/quote]

They are not my bananas they belong to the forum and if a dancing banana offends you then I suggest you do not read any other posts as they are popping up everywhere. ;-)

 

[Sir Loin]

OK this whole debate is getting stupid

HUmmmmm?
Let me put it this way.
I know exactly what he/she is saying and I don’t find any of it stupid and the last I checked I am in my right mind.
Perhaps you are having a reading comprehension problem or you just don’t speak Tennessean.

especially the ones that just calved a week before

Yep, you have a reading comprehension problem all right!
He/she said on April 21 “The last calf was born on March 19.”.
To me that’s a month, not a week!
Now who feels “stupid” and “not in their right mind”?

Hillsdown, please stop being rude and go back and re-read the first post.
If you can’t figure it out, let me know and I will be happy to explain it to you. :lol:
SL

 

[preston39]

http://agnews.tamu.edu/dailynews/storie ... g1204a.htm

 

[hillsdown]

OK SL if your clarity is so great then explain the original post.Not the scewed answers you replied with.And the one week was an exaggeration but perhaps that goes to far beyond your concept.
Where is the originals posters answers to any questions I have not seen a post since before Bez. :?:
And look how far off topic you all got; you were arguing about AI and natural bred reactions to cows?

If you took offense I apologize but I really don't know why we have to debate each other over things that obviously the original poster can't seem to care less about ;-) .