Temperatures too high to get cows bred?

[ANAZAZI]

Current temperature thread and change-to-stockers thread got me wondering: at what temperature does getting the cattle bred become a problem? Before going on CT I had never even heard about it being a problem breeding in summer heat, then again we seldom get more than 90 fahrenheit.
So tell me what temps are a problem? The more input, the better.
I realise most of you avoid breeding in summer heat, but any experiences are welcome.

 

[inyati13]

Current temperature thread and change-to-stockers thread got me wondering: at what temperature does getting the cattle bred become a problem? Before going on CT I had never even heard about it being a problem breeding in summer heat, then again we seldom get more than 90 fahrenheit.
So tell me what temps are a problem? The more input, the better.
I realise most of you avoid breeding in summer heat, but any experiences are welcome.

ANAZAZI,
My spring breeding season is May and June which gives me spring calves in March and April. I AI on natural heats. That requires them to be in estrus behavior to schedule the approprite time for insemination. It got very warm in June 2014. The estrus behavior diminished. Nevertheless, I got it all finished and am waiting on those calves with excited anticipation. That is the only experience I have had where temperatures affected me. I think that getting cows bred depends on other factors more than temperature such as mineral program, vaccinations, etc. :2cents:

BTW: My other breeding season is December/January. The problem there is nasty weather. My chute is not covered and I sometimes am standing behind a cow/heifer with only one dry, warm arm.

 

[highgrit]

I've read about the heat affecting getting the cattle bred. But here in middle Ga I haven't seen a problem. We run a bull year round with the cows. And so far no matter what the breed of bull, he's got the job done. Our cows calve every year or their gone, the heifers get a chance or two. The age of the bull might have a lot to do with them not getting the cows bred because of the heat. We've never had a bull over 5 years old in the herd. Just food for thought.

 

[Red Bull Breeder]

When it gets hot enough the bull can't regulate the temp of the sperm. If it cools down of the night cows get bred then.

 

[highgrit]

Redbull, there's probably something to that. I know a buddy that had to wear boxers instead of briefs to get the job done. But once the doctors figured the problem out, he finally stopped after 3 girls.

 

[dun]

I think the night heat has the most affect, not only on the bull but the cows core temp too. We lately have been getting into the high 90s by late June and the night temps are staing in the high 80s. When we did 100% AI I got most of the cows bred with the temps like that. Since we've been using a bull more anything past mid june is a surprise and is usually a fall calf. When it's going to be a fall calf the cow finds a new home.

 

[ANAZAZI]

I've read about the heat affecting getting the cattle bred. But here in middle Ga I haven't seen a problem. We run a bull year round with the cows. And so far no matter what the breed of bull, he's got the job done. Our cows calve every year or their gone, the heifers get a chance or two. The age of the bull might have a lot to do with them not getting the cows bred because of the heat. We've never had a bull over 5 years old in the herd. Just food for thought.

With year round calving, do you notice if there are gaps in the calving pattern that has anything to do with heat 9 months earlier?

 

[Bigfoot]

Could be a lot of factors to work besides the heat. I have often suspicioned that the switch to Hi Mag slows consumption of mineral. That slowed consumption might catch up to the cow about mid summer. I don't know if there is any validity to that, but it has crossed my mind.

 

[highgrit]

Anazazi, we are prone to have temperatures in the 100's from June through September. And most of our calves are born in the spring or fall. I think flies and bugs might have an effect on when the cows want to have calves. I know that sounds crazy but we have very few calves in the heat of summer.

 

[tom4018]

I have always been told the fescue in our area affects a cows temperature and hurts the breeding in the summer. That may only apply to the endophyte infected varieties of fescue.

 

[dun]

I have always been told the fescue in our area affects a cows temperature and hurts the breeding in the summer. That may only apply to the endophyte infected varieties of fescue.

Yes it's the old KY31 type of endophyte enfected fescue that causes the problems. That's why the novel (friendly) endophyte varieties were developed. It's always in the KY31 but it is more concentrated in the seed heads. That's why keeping it in the vegative stage rather then the reproductive state helps.

 

[tom4018]

I have always been told the fescue in our area affects a cows temperature and hurts the breeding in the summer. That may only apply to the endophyte infected varieties of fescue.

Yes it's the old KY31 type of endophyte enfected fescue that causes the problems. That's why the novel (friendly) endophyte varieties were developed. It's always in the KY31 but it is more concentrated in the seed heads. That's why keeping it in the vegative stage rather then the reproductive state helps.

I have heard it is hard to get a stand of the true friendly pasture established because of the seed bank of the infected still there, was told it would be good to crop it then seed back. I try to always keep the pasture clopped and cut hay as early as the conditions permit.

 

[dun]

I have always been told the fescue in our area affects a cows temperature and hurts the breeding in the summer. That may only apply to the endophyte infected varieties of fescue.

Yes it's the old KY31 type of endophyte enfected fescue that causes the problems. That's why the novel (friendly) endophyte varieties were developed. It's always in the KY31 but it is more concentrated in the seed heads. That's why keeping it in the vegative stage rather then the reproductive state helps.

I have heard it is hard to get a stand of the true friendly pasture established because of the seed bank of the infected still there, was told it would be good to crop it then seed back. I try to always keep the pasture clopped and cut hay as early as the conditions permit.

That KY31 seed bank with persist for years. We have one field that was burned down to get rid of the fescue many years ago. The guy planted sudan/sudex for for or 5 years, we planted winter wheat 2 years then burned it down again and planted WSG. It's been 5 years and now there is as much or more fescue as there is WSG. You can dilute the toxicity some by planting either mixed grasses or clover/lespedza. This place was planted with fescue 90 some years ago so it's a pretty sure bet that it was the high endophyte variety. We don;t have many issues with the fescue because we keep the clover component to almost 50% in all of the pastures. Hay fields have a little clover but they are mostly pure fescue. There is a lab you cna send clippings to (the clipping and getting ready to ship is a real PITA) that will analyze it and give you the toxicity levels.

 

[Nesikep]

Our breeding season spills over into the heat of the summer, I have usually not had a problem except with a couple cows, but found out that my problem was lack of mineral. If you're running a year round program and the bull doesn't have to sometimes service 3 cows in 1 day when it's in the 100's, he should be able to do it in the summer as well.. if you're going for a tight calving season summertime isn't the time to breed

 

[Bigfoot]

A person should pick their battles. Getting rid of an established stand of Ky31 is probably a battle that will be hard to win. Add white clover, and keep the seed heads down, that's about as good as your going to do.

 

[dun]

A person should pick their battles. Getting rid of an established stand of Ky31 is probably a battle that will be hard to win. Add white clover, and keep the seed heads down, that's about as good as your going to do.

When we first moved to MO I hated the stuff. After learning how to deal with it I've come to love it. After a severe drought, the first and in some cases the only thing that will come back is the nasty old KY31. People around here graze it to the dirt and the following year will still have a decent enough stand to graze.

 

[branguscowgirl]

The AI techs here claim that once our temps get over 100 degrees their AI conception rates drop 50%. Though my vet says, "they're Brangus. They should be ok!"

 

[cow pollinater]

As Dun said it's the night-time temps that make the difference. If a cow can cool off at night she can make it through the day's heat stress even in the triple digits.
I always laugh at my customers. They start acting like their cows are all heat stressed the first time that it hits one hundred but it's still nice and cool at night and then when the nights are in the high eighties in July and august they can't figure out why their cows are suffering as by then they think the cows should be used to it or something.
Production plays a huge role as well. Lower and slower metabolisms breed up just fine during hot weather but cattle on hot feed cranking out milk can't handle heat stress.

 

[lithuanian farmer]

When we were AI'ing hot temperature in the summer was quite a problem. We usually AI'ed in the morning or in the evening, but never in the day time. Many times tried to inseminate different cows when it was very hot, but never succeed and all cows were in heat after 20 days. Now keep the bull with cows and he does his job well.

 

[Brand]

A person should pick their battles. Getting rid of an established stand of Ky31 is probably a battle that will be hard to win. Add white clover, and keep the seed heads down, that's about as good as your going to do.

Yes this is correct. Some here hay the pastures and over seed with red clover with white clover helps
Some cows will come in heat for only a couple of hours in the middle of the night.
Many are going to fall breeding. Most of the AI done here is in the coldest days around thanksgiving.
Never AI after the first of June.
When its real hot the bulls semen count gets low as well.