Using a dexter bull born a premie?

Dirtslinger · #1 06/10/08, 12:15 AM

A bull I'm looking at was born 2 weeks premature. Sounds like he's grown up just fine.

I'm waiting to hear back WHY he was premature. Would you have issues with bringing him into your small herd?
Are there genetic predispositions for this? Or would it likely be nothing of the sort?

He's registered and completely unrelated- there's a benefit! He's also red, cool as well.

Thanks again!!

Ronney · #2 06/10/08, 05:14 AM

Was he premature or did somebody get their dates wrong. And even if they didn't, there is an allowable margin on either side of the due date. Admittedly it's not usually as wide as two weeks but if he's grown well and everything is fine I would have no problems about introducing him into my herd.

I milk a cow that had been an induced calf. She was born nearly a month early so very premature. She is now a R12, one of my better producers, produces fantastic calves to my Angus bull. I also milk her daughter and her grandaughter.

Cheers,
Ronnie

tyusclan · #3 06/10/08, 05:31 AM

I agree with Ronney.

The "days" given for gestation on all livestock are the averages. There are always going to be individuals that go shorter and longer than the average.

Two weeks early would not be considered preemie.

Dirtslinger · #4 06/10/08, 11:15 PM

OK thanks. Still waiting for an answer from the breeder- seems once I'm home it's too late to call him up.
It sounds like he was born small, I know nothing more, other than he did catch up after a few months (long time isn't it?)
Anyways I'll continue looking into him, hoping for the best.
Thanks!

randiliana · #5 06/11/08, 11:41 AM

2 weeks really isn't considered premature. It isn't surprising though that he would be born smaller though, when you consider that most of the calf's growth is put on in the last 3 months of pregnancy. In beef cattle we figure about 1 lb/day. So for every day early you can expect a pound lighter. As for the length of time it took him to catch up, well, he started out quite a bit lighter, and if you consider that really, he should have grown about the same as the other calves it is not unexpected that it took months for him to catch up.