11/10/06, 11:23 AM
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Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: SE Ohio
Posts: 2,174
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I would run her with a bull for two or three heat cycles as well.
Has her reproductive health been checked by a vet? Is she cystic?
We have a heifer on her 6th or 7th AI, through little fault of her own. I am the one AIing afterall. (I just learned to AI last November and am still mastering the whole getting the gun through the cervix...though I have three calves on the ground so far with 3 more due that indicate it isn't a neccesity..lol) For that matter, I have a large number of animals recycling after breeding. Quite discouraging actually.
This past summer, in our area at least, only about 10% of breedings on most farms took. These are experienced breeders that still had horrible conception rates. This according to the vet.
The concern, as pointed out, is, if she is having trouble as a heifer, what does her reproductive future hold? Is she going to be a hard breeder every time?
We had a heifer who was cystic. She was AIed twice (couldn't catch as she was out of her mind). She then was run with a herd bull for 6 months or so. He corrected her cystic issues and settled her his very last day here. She calved Christmas Eve of this past year and I settled her first service AI this lactation. She's due in January.
We had a cow who would take about 8 or 9 AIs to take, but put her with a bull and she took first cycle. Her cycles were long and we just weren't nailing the timing. We've had others just like that.
There was a wonderful four year old cow at the school farm that was being culled because she would not take to AI. I knew her problem. Same as Loren..long cycles. I sold her, brought her home ran her with our herd bull and she took first time around (he was about 11 months old). She headed to her new home in Kansas. She calved at 12 months again this year and is already settled back. She's been bred naturally and takes first service. First time was AI.
Each cow is different and you need to figure out what you are willing to do.
We don't jump to drugs but we don't throw the baby out with the bath water either.
Our heifers are AIed when we can and every couple of years we run a clean up bull to catch the ones that don't take. Everything 4+ that is open is then beefed.
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