TheBullLady
Well-known member
For you registered breeders, I have a question.
Bought a heifer at a sale over a year ago.. third high selling lot, excellent pedigree, etc. etc. Hauled her to Denver, then to Alabama, then here to Texas. AI'd her to an easy calving bull. In April, she got sick (discussed awhile back on a different board) hauled her to A & M, where they found she had a big calf inside that was laying on an intestine and blocking her. They induced labor, she couldn't calve vaginally, so they did a C-section. The calf was 90 lbs 5 weeks early. The calf only lived a couple of days.. the cow spent a week there. Brought her home, she developed a uterine infection, went back to A & M for a week of treatment. Long story short.. about $2100 in vet bills.
Subsequently, I had her DNA profile run because I was suspicious at this point as to why the calf would have been so big, especially after closely matching EPDS. She doesn't match to her AI sire.
I called the breeder last night, he of course was apologetic, said he was going to talk to his dad and call me back and try to work something out. My question is this.. what do you think is fair and equitable as far as what he owes me? The cow was going to be a donor cow, so I'm actually glad this happened now, as opposed to after she'd been flushed and had progeny on the ground from that! I want to be FAIR, but I'm so emotionally involved in this now I don't know if I'm being reasonable.
He mentioned last night that perhaps that same dam had a heifer calf last year that was available, but frankly, I don't want to deal with them on another animal. I'd like my $$ back so I can lick my wounds and go on. Is this fair? Do you think they should be responsible for anything besides the replacement value?
Thanks for your help and suggestions!
Bought a heifer at a sale over a year ago.. third high selling lot, excellent pedigree, etc. etc. Hauled her to Denver, then to Alabama, then here to Texas. AI'd her to an easy calving bull. In April, she got sick (discussed awhile back on a different board) hauled her to A & M, where they found she had a big calf inside that was laying on an intestine and blocking her. They induced labor, she couldn't calve vaginally, so they did a C-section. The calf was 90 lbs 5 weeks early. The calf only lived a couple of days.. the cow spent a week there. Brought her home, she developed a uterine infection, went back to A & M for a week of treatment. Long story short.. about $2100 in vet bills.
Subsequently, I had her DNA profile run because I was suspicious at this point as to why the calf would have been so big, especially after closely matching EPDS. She doesn't match to her AI sire.
I called the breeder last night, he of course was apologetic, said he was going to talk to his dad and call me back and try to work something out. My question is this.. what do you think is fair and equitable as far as what he owes me? The cow was going to be a donor cow, so I'm actually glad this happened now, as opposed to after she'd been flushed and had progeny on the ground from that! I want to be FAIR, but I'm so emotionally involved in this now I don't know if I'm being reasonable.
He mentioned last night that perhaps that same dam had a heifer calf last year that was available, but frankly, I don't want to deal with them on another animal. I'd like my $$ back so I can lick my wounds and go on. Is this fair? Do you think they should be responsible for anything besides the replacement value?
Thanks for your help and suggestions!