Third failed AI... Fat cow... now what?

[Red Boots Farm]

We're on our third failed AI on our huge Holstein x British White (now 4.5 years old) that took perfectly her first time, birthed at 95-lb. robust calf unassisted with zero problems, and was the perfect mother.

Then began 2 frustrating years of trying to breed her back.

I know now we made the big mistake of initially over-graining her, when now we realize she could actually get fat on air.

For the past year she has gotten NO grain but since she shares space with our beef heifers, she also pigs the premium hay. We were sure she was pregnant this go-round as she didn't appear to go back into heat and was getting bigger (the blood test was delayed, which is a point of contention with the DH but I digress... no need to vent here). Now we discover she is STILL open again and fatter than ever.

Vet said he can normally lift the uterus during an internal exam but yesterday he was not able to. Not sure what this indicates -- fatty uterus?

Options are bringing in a friend's bull (logistical challenge of sequestering them from beefers), selling her as-is to someone with the right setup, or butcher and retail the beef like with do with the others.

If the latter, we would have the option to start over, for instance with a bred British White heifer or BW cow with 1 mo old calf. Then later put a nurse calf on her, plus give her more exercise. The shorter stature would also be a plus.

It's a bit hard because she was the perfect mama first time around (even "offered" to nurse a weaned feeder we brought in), has a mild temperament, and was a 4-H project for one of our club girls as a calf/yearling.

So... Opinions? Diet and bull (fencing/shelter logistics challenge), sell outright, or stew?

(Photo from November)

 

[50/50Farms]

I didn't know people were keeping BW primarily as milkers.

I'd try a bull first and if she doesn't take, well, she's living comfortably and would eat well.

 

[Silver]

I have never kept a cow that did not breed back on time, so I can't help. Other than to suggest you give my method a go. My experience is that once they leave it's sad for a minute then you never look back.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Sell the cow and buy a better one. If you have fed that cow over 12 months without a calf she is a CULL.

 

[greybeard]

you're a year late carrying her to town.

 

[Dave]

Either sell or butcher but do one or the other soon. She is just costing you money to produce nothing.

 

[50/50Farms]

I'd still try a bull first if a bull came borrowed. Then cull or kill.

 

[moses388]

Vet said he can normally lift the uterus during an internal exam but yesterday he was not able to. Not sure what this indicates

Did you ask your Vet what s/he meant? When was the blood test taken... After your Vet checked her?

Not to get your hopes up, but the reproductive tract can be hard to manipulate if there is weight on the end such as a fetus. Long as it was 30 days since the last breeding, the blood test is correct. The cow is open.

 

[Stocker Steve]

What are your goals with this cow?

 

[ClinchValley86]

Beef that girl. She looks like good eating.

 

[Ebenezer]

Not my specialty but maybe cystic ovaries? A Vet can tell you about it but seems that I have read that a shot of Lut can make them breed back. But I would cull as that is inherited and a fat open cow might have just slipped into early menopause. That is not discussed much but Dr. Bonsma was big in noting the base issue of proper hormones.

 

[bird dog]

It seems like you know the answer, just want confirmation. When you have a screw up from the animal or the animals owner, its best to just start fresh and chalk it up to a learning experience.

 

[C-Ranch]

Butcher, sell the meat and start over. She has already cost you money by only raising 1 calf.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

If she is 4.5 years old, she should be raising her 3rd calf and it should be about 5 months old. I don't know how old she was when she had her first calf, but she SHOULD have been 24 months old (2 years old). How long ago did she have her first calf?
She is freezer beef.

 

[Red Boots Farm]

I didn't know people were keeping BW primarily as milkers.

I'd try a bull first and if she doesn't take, well, she's living comfortably and would eat well.

She wouldn't primarily be a milker, but as 1/2 Holstein I had hoped to milk her for bottle calves or have her as a nurse cow.

 

[Red Boots Farm]

Did you ask your Vet what s/he meant? When was the blood test taken... After your Vet checked her?

Not to get your hopes up, but the reproductive tract can be hard to manipulate if there is weight on the end such as a fetus. Long as it was 30 days since the last breeding, the blood test is correct. The cow is open.

Unfortunately a blood test was never taken. By the time we got it back she'd be at, or past, her due date anyway. Her not bagging up 5 days before due date -- that is a telltale sign nothing's happening.

Vet thought maybe the internal fat was preventing him from lifting up on the uterus.

 

[Red Boots Farm]

If she is 4.5 years old, she should be raising her 3rd calf and it should be about 5 months old. I don't know how old she was when she had her first calf, but she SHOULD have been 24 months old (2 years old). How long ago did she have her first calf?
She is freezer beef.

She had her first calf August 2020. First AI was Dec. 17, 2020. Second AI was Sept 24, 2021. Third AI was March 15, 2022. I asked my DH to blood test her months ago but wasn't done.

Unfortunately lots of opportunity to just gain weight.

 

[Red Boots Farm]

It seems like you know the answer, just want confirmation. When you have a screw up from the animal or the animals owner, its best to just start fresh and chalk it up to a learning experience.

Right, this feels like a screwup on our end and she's getting the hammer for it. But I have to stop the losses at some point.

A wise farmer told me once that mistakes are just life's "tuition."

 

[Red Boots Farm]

Not my specialty but maybe cystic ovaries? A Vet can tell you about it but seems that I have read that a shot of Lut can make them breed back. But I would cull as that is inherited and a fat open cow might have just slipped into early menopause. That is not discussed much but Dr. Bonsma was big in noting the base issue of proper hormones.

Hmmm very interesting.

We've had great luck with bottle calves, especially when we milked goats and fed them goat milk verus powder. (We've since sold the high maintenance goats). We're thinking we might just get a dairy type cow for the milk; they don't fatten up as easily as the BWs and we'd keep her milked.

 

[Red Boots Farm]

What are your goals with this cow?

Initially it was to raise beef calves AND provide extra milk for bottle calves. She's milk-stand trained but the farm did not have xtra funds for a milk machine at the time of her first calving. We do now, but a bit too late.