Update on Flush Cow

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

I posted some time ago about flushing a cow. Well, she took one year off (so to speak) was flushed 5 times (each flush 60 days apart) and has been bred back for a January calf. (had a March bull calf in 08).
She averaged 19 good embryos! Yup, she produced 95 GOOD embryos!! Yahoo! She was a real fertile myrtle!
Here's a pic of her - and this was "as is" out in winter lot March 08. Jeremy Ruble & Doug Parke saw her - loved her - and took her pic while walking around our lots. Convinced us to flush her. She was born in 2000 - so she was 8 years old in the pic - prior to going into a flush program with a calf on side. She raised a set of twin heifers without assistance (no creep for calves, no grain for cow) in 2006. We have two working daughters (2-yr old & 3-yr old) in the herd now. Sold one of the twin daughters last spring as c/c for good money.

 

[jkwilson]

Nice looking cow. Doesn't look nearly that old. If you wouldn't mind, I'd love to see the flush data on her with good and bad embryos and the dates. I've been told that heat reduces the numbers of good embryos and I'd like to see if it held for you.

John

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Recovery Date --- Total Recovered --- Number Frozen
7-16-08 23 18
10-1-08 40 20
11-23-08 40 26
1-14-09 18 15
3-2-09 16 16

Only had 1 flush in what you would call Hot weather. She IS very youthful. Great big round foot with good legs. Embryologist LOVED her :banana:

 

[bigbull338]

she is 1 heck of a flush cow thats for sure.how meny calves do you have of hers on the ground.an how meny bulls did you flush her to.

 

[Loch Valley Fold]

A beautiful cow Jeanne I liked her the first time you posted her pic, She is a good looking & productive flush cow & she holds her age well. :clap: :clap:

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Bigbull - thanks. She was flushed to 5 different bulls, one being our Macho As U bull. The heifer twins were by him, and we sold the one last year for $6000 - so we figure that was a good click. We've already sold some of the embryos & have more in the Stars & Stripes Sale next month.
We purchased her as a bred cow in 2004. She had a fall bull calf (steer - too heavy BW), and we held her over to spring. She had the twins 2-06 (we still have one, who is raising a beautiful heifer calf this year) and we have a 2-07 2nd calf heifer (just bred). She had a "steer" last year (also heavy BW). She is an extremely easy keeping cow, and her daughters are proving to be the same. Previous owners also sold a daughter for $6000. So, we have high hopes with these embryos. We have two cows pregnant (out of 4) with fall calves, and we just implanted 6 head this past Tuesday. (fingers crossed).
LochValley - thanks for the nice comments.
The only reason I actually put the sale prices is because they were at public sales and are being repeated in the sale catalogs promoting her embryos.

 

[bigbull338]

she sure is a proven money maker thats for sure.

 

[TexasBred]

Looks like Fertile Myrtle is earning her keep big time. Way to go.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Here's two pictures of her 2-year old daughter we sold last year (just prior to calving)
(you can see my "tool" to get them to pick their head up :banana: )View attachment 1View attachment 1

oops - somehow I got two pics the same. Anyway, as you can see, she is not on halter (no photoshop)
That's several plastic bags stuffed inside of another one. It makes noise when you move it. The noise and/or the ribbons usually can get their attention.

 

[Loch Valley Fold]

A very nice heifer never thought about using bags & ribbons like that before.
Just of topice slightly how do the head locks work in the background of the 2nd photo work? do they automatically close once the cows head goes through? how do they open up again?

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

The bags & ribbons work great. Sometimes I put something "smellie" on the ribbons.
The headlocks are slick. You can set them to stay open or to auto lock. I was afraid I wouldn't be able to "unlock" one after I caught her if they fought, but there is absolutely no pressure against the release. It's a bar at the end that controls all 5. Across the alley from that big pen, I have two smaller ones (12 x 14) and each one has a headlock. If I am at all in doubt of a cows temperament. I offer her a little grain & voila - she's caught. My cattle may not be on grain, but they were raised up as heifers on grain and they sure know what it is.