young heifer bred

[nocows]

I know this has been discussed many times on here but here it goes anyway......... :deadhorse:

This morning I seen the bull breed a 4 month old heifer she fell down after a bit but got back up and seems to be fine the best I could tell anyway but.... there's no doubt he got her.

I still have about 2 months before I wean this group, typically I don't ever witness any breeding but I'll give all the heifers a lutalyse shot when I wean them just in case.

Is there a recommended window or preferred time when it is best to lute them? In reading other posts on here I found that it's recommended to wait at least 10 days after the breeding before administering lutalyse. I'd prefer to wait as long as I can I'm afraid if I lute her now she'll cycle again and this will likely take place again before weaning time.

Oh and these will be sold as feeder calves none of them are replacements, either way I still don't want them to get hurt by the bull.

 

[Katpau]

I would pull the bull now if he's been in 45 or more days. They should be mostly bred and it will make a nice tight calving window. Cows that don't breed in two heat cycles should be culled in my opinion. You should be fine waiting until you wean in two months for the lutalyse. My problems occurred when I waited until I did the Bangs which was more like 4 months pregnant on a heifer bred at 4 months.

 

[TCRanch]

Yes, theoretically you should be fine but . . . . Lutalyse is 93% effective up to 100 days. I Luted my bred heifer at 49 days and she did not abort. Vet preg checked her when he pelvic measured/BANGS prob 6 weeks later & saw no signs of pregnancy. Except she was. I'd either hit her in a couple weeks (after you pull the bull) or do a combo Lute/Dex when you wean.

 

[nocows]

I wish I could pull the bull he's been running with the cows for 48 days now I just don't have the space to do so at the moment. I usually wean the calves then winter the bull with the cows until spring calving then I pull him out while the cows are calving.

When we preg check we will cull the ones that aren't bred or that bred too late to fit in our spring calving window. The situation isn't ideal but we are working on that.

I guess I will wait about 30 days then hit her with a lute shot then maybe follow up with with a lute/dex combo at weaning time? WIll that work TC?

 

[Buck Randall]

Yes, theoretically you should be fine but . . . . Lutalyse is 93% effective up to 100 days. I Luted my bred heifer at 49 days and she did not abort. Vet preg checked her when he pelvic measured/BANGS prob 6 weeks later & saw no signs of pregnancy. Except she was. I'd either hit her in a couple weeks (after you pull the bull) or do a combo Lute/Dex when you wean.

Keep in mind that dexamethasone is an immune suppressant, so weaning isn't the best time for this. Any vaccines given at the same time are also less likely to be effective.

 

[TCRanch]

Good point, Buck. And thanks for your input. Nocows, giving lute in 30 days should be fine but if you aren't weaning/moving her away from the bull in 60 days you're potentially setting her up for another chance of getting bred. Can you wean her early since moving the bull isn't an option in your situation? Plan B is to cross your fingers and hope for the best. I don't know how long you wean your calves but I wouldn't sell her as guaranteed open unless you have her pregged first.

 

[Redgully]

Wow, four months is really young to be cycling. Earliest here i have seen is 6 months. Before i was a look in me old mans eye, he had a calf get bred at four months. He didn't know until she started making an udder. Vet checked her out and said she'd calve no worries, and she did unassisted.

 

[TCRanch]

Wow, four months is really young to be cycling. Earliest here i have seen is 6 months. Before i was a look in me old mans eye, he had a calf get bred at four months. He didn't know until she started making an udder. Vet checked her out and said she'd calve no worries, and she did unassisted.

Lot of it depends on the breed. Eight years ago I lost a beautiful 6 month old Angus/Hereford. I had weaned her 2 weeks prior and I always Lute the heifers. When I found her it was clear she was trying to abort. Not sure how far along she was but the fetus was the size of a large kitten/small cat.

 

[nocows]

When I sell them they will be long time weaned and I want to make sure she is guaranteed open. What's the best option for checking that early blood test?

 

[TCRanch]

When I sell them they will be long time weaned and I want to make sure she is guaranteed open. What's the best option for checking that early blood test?

I've never tried using a blood test, just old fashioned palp by my vet. That said, the sale barn will generally preg check if you're selling G-O.

 

[ClinchValley86]

Had a 6 month heifer bred in front of me a couple weeks back. She too collapsed under the bull. So I weaned every calf born around the same time. We do not have space for a bull either. Not a secure space anyhow.

Had an oops calf this spring. To a 15 month old. We are gonna start giving every heifer a lute shot from here on out.

 

[Son of Butch]

Had an oops calf this spring. To a 15 month old.
We are gonna start giving every heifer a lute shot from here on out.

Far less than ideal, but on the bright side... you got an early calf to sell to cover some costs.
How's the momma doing size wise, BCS and did she breed back?

 

[TCRanch]

Had an oops calf this spring. To a 15 month old.
We are gonna start giving every heifer a lute shot from here on out.

Far less than ideal, but on the bright side... you got an early calf to sell to cover some costs.
How's the momma doing size wise, BCS and did she breed back?

Hopefully ClinchValley had better luck than me. My baby girl raised a whopper but didn't breed back with the others and her growth is definitely stunted. Held her back with the '18 heifers and she should be bred by now, back on track to calve spring '20.

 

[Son of Butch]

Early wean and selling an oops calf at 30-45 days, so as not to stunt the mamma too much and
getting her to breed back is better than her raising a whopper.