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

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We see dairy cows that get exceptionally fat due to extended dry periods not come back into milk like they should compared to their previous lactations and I can only attribute it to their getting fat and too much fat in the udder also. It seems to be a thing with dairy cows that go a long time between getting settled and then being dry a long time. I will not say I would bet the farm on it... but general observation and comments from farmers over the years. So, I see no reason to not assume (making an ass out of u and me) that it is a very good possibility for a cow with an extended long open and dry period before calving again; to not come back into her milk like she should.
 
Thanks Jan.

I have been using some "easy fleshing" genetics, and my bred heifers have been getting fatter while some of their calves are getting smaller. Less milk is part of the equation. I need to adjust feed.
Thanks Jan.

I have been using some "easy fleshing" genetics, and my bred heifers have been getting fatter while some of their calves are getting smaller. Less milk is part of the equation. I need to adjust feed.
Any cell in the udder that fills with fat prior to getting bred, will never produce fat. Research has proven that. But, I would feel pretty confident that open cows allowed to get fat would do the same thing.
I watch my heifers close. I depend on them being good milking moms.
 
The title of the painting is Daphnis & Chloe by Henry Woods, an English painter born 1846. He was familiar the old Park Whites and doubtless impressed by their beauty. His subject is two young lovers. According to Wikipedia Daphnis and Chloe is an ancient Greek novel written in the Roman Empire, the only known work of the second-century AD Greek novelist and romance writer Longuse. Daphnis is the man and Chloe is the woman. They were both orphans raised by shepherds, having quite a difficult time but eventually reunited and became husband and wife.

Because this is an old Greek story it is shown under olive trees with Mediterranean clothing, you were right about that. Henry Woods did live in Italy for a time and those might be the old Chianina cattle. But back in that time Chianina were enormous draft cattle, not the chunky meat cattle they are today, unlike the lean built old Park Whites.

If I raised cattle for pasture ornaments I would rather keep Ancient Whites because they don't eat as much. Old Park White stock is rare and sells for a lot of money. Perhaps the breed could be re created by crossing Chianina with Longhorn. That might be fun. Cross a Longhorn bull with Chianina cows. How dominant is that Chianina white with black points color. Longhorns seem to throw a lot of colors.
 
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I agree they are in very good body condition. The udders and teats I saw were pretty good also, no huge teats and the udders looked well nursed on all quarters. The calves are also in very nice shape and they show some good genetics and developement. Since the cows are nursed frequently, the udders will be softer and less tight and tucked so to speak.
I have to agree with @Jeanne - Simme Valley completely.... they are very nice beef cows. I look at a lot of dairy and beef cattle and find them to look like beef cattle that I wish more of mine looked like.
 
I've been reading about these Ancient Park Whites. Even on cattletoday has a discussion. They are high strung and aggressive. Sure, they came from an age in Britain when there were wolves and they have those wicked black tipped hook and toss horns. Then they were 'emparked' and enclosed by the royalty and not handled, actually hunted the bulls for sport they were so aggressive. They have not been selected for docility and tamed down. Some people imported them and bred them as calm hornless meat animals, the American Park Whites. But they still hake a hit going through auctions because they look like might have longhorn blood.

I was referring to the website of yet another strain, the British Park Whites as fat with balloon tits.
https://www.facebook.com/BritishWhiteCattle.JWest

I looked at Chianina too, some are horned. Their points are not all that black and they fade. Plus they eat a lot. Forget it.

I'll just enjoy my painting. The Ancient Park Whites in the picture would not let a lady sit on them. But they don't look like Chianina either. I guess it was Mr. Wood's artistic license.

T07562_10.jpg
 
Both @Jeanne - Simme Valley and I were also referring to the British White cattle that you said are fat with balloon teats. They are neither too fat nor do they have balloon teats. They are in very good condition and their udders and teats are decent.

Also, the name of the breed is White park, not park Whites. The breed associations for both the ancient white Parks and the White park cattle association are listed as that... not the other way around.
 
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I've been reading about these Ancient Park Whites. Even on cattletoday has a discussion. They are high strung and aggressive. Sure, they came from an age in Britain when there were wolves and they have those wicked black tipped hook and toss horns. Then they were 'emparked' and enclosed by the royalty and not handled, actually hunted the bulls for sport they were so aggressive. They have not been selected for docility and tamed down. Some people imported them and bred them as calm hornless meat animals, the American Park Whites. But they still hake a hit going through auctions because they look like might have longhorn blood.

I was referring to the website of yet another strain, the British Park Whites as fat with balloon tits.
https://www.facebook.com/BritishWhiteCattle.JWest

I looked at Chianina too, some are horned. Their points are not all that black and they fade. Plus they eat a lot. Forget it.

I'll just enjoy my painting. The Ancient Park Whites in the picture would not let a lady sit on them. But they don't look like Chianina either. I guess it was Mr. Wood's artistic license.

View attachment 24245
I think you said the painting was done some time ago... as in centuries?

If so, cattle have changed pretty dramatically in the last hundred years, much less several centuries. Today Chianina have a lot more leg than they did in years/decades/centuries past.

British cattle have changed too. But I doubt White Parks would have ever been that huge compared to the adult humans in the picture. Of course artists take some license with what they illustrate so he may have made the cattle big by comparison for any number of reasons.
 
Older pictures of cattle often showed them to have blocky almost square bodies with comparatively little heads and short little legs... Look like bricks with little legs stuck on the bottom and a little head stuck on the end.
 
I've been reading about these Ancient Park Whites. Even on cattletoday has a discussion. They are high strung and aggressive. Sure, they came from an age in Britain when there were wolves and they have those wicked black tipped hook and toss horns. Then they were 'emparked' and enclosed by the royalty and not handled, actually hunted the bulls for sport they were so aggressive. They have not been selected for docility and tamed down. Some people imported them and bred them as calm hornless meat animals, the American Park Whites. But they still hake a hit going through auctions because they look like might have longhorn blood.

I was referring to the website of yet another strain, the British Park Whites as fat with balloon tits.
https://www.facebook.com/BritishWhiteCattle.JWest

I looked at Chianina too, some are horned. Their points are not all that black and they fade. Plus they eat a lot. Forget it.

I'll just enjoy my painting. The Ancient Park Whites in the picture would not let a lady sit on them. But they don't look like Chianina either. I guess it was Mr. Wood's artistic license.

View attachment 24245
I have to ask, and I'm not being snide about it, but were they once called Park Whites? Because I've always seen them called White Parks, but I know Americans also take liberties with language regarding some things.

Edit: nevermind, I read down.
 
:) Lately I have been reading so much about white cattle my eyes have crossed. Sure those are are all White Park Cattle whether they are the Ancient, British or American variety.

Farmerjan, You are right, those fat cows have nice udders. I emailed that ranch in east Texas that has those fat cows. If they are not born polled I might be hooking up the trailer and bring back a heifer. It was that big outfit in Montana where they have horrible udders.

I wonder if the lady with the fat half American White Park cow would come back here and compare those fat cows with with hers?

The Old pictures of cattle with square bodies and small heads-- Horses used to be drawn with all four legs stretched out off the ground, both fore and hind, I guess it was the fashion.

https://www.cattletoday.com/threads/ancient-white-park.122626/
 
I read somewheres that the actual Plummers (bucking stock) by name bred by Mr. Plummer were bred out of White Park stock but everyone I've ever asked have all said that Plummer means longhorn x brahma. I read a pretty good thing on it, but I have no clue if there's any substance to it.

I used to ride bulls some, and really only rarely with most run of the mill deep south stock contractors could you get a real honest bona-fides on what a bull really was, genetically. I ask every one of them or their workers that I meet what breeding it is that I'm looking at, but rarely get a straight answer in terms of breed rather than breeding. I offered to help one fix a jacked up trailer a while back and shot the breeze, but all he could really certify was that there was Spanish blood somewhere in the mix. I used to ride at some practice pens that bucked out a few straight longhorn bulls with uncut horns and I always pulled my name out of the running when I drew them. They whipped those big horns around real good and my mother has always prided my smile, when it comes to losing teeth I've always figured there's got to be a better use of my time.
 
Update on the failed AI British White cow: After contemplating everything (we couldn't get her to the bull 'til June, she gained weight on air, huge, 2 years of failed AI, the vet couldn't even lift her uterus when he checked her), we decided to finally cut our losses. We sent her to the butcher Monday. Sigh. We'll start over with a better fit and approach it differently so we don't repeat the problem.

She had a hanging weight of 1,314, which meant she was about 1,700–1,800 lbs. live weight. For comparison's sake, the 16-month old Angus heifer we took in with her had a hanging weight of 714.

We're keeping the steaks and brisket, and the rest hamburger. I'm very curious on the flavor and marbling, as she certainly didn't exercise much, but ate plenty of high quality hay/pasture and had corn in her background. We'll know next week. I bet the T-bones will be huge.

Thanks for your input, everyone!!
 

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