question

scholtefamily · #1 09/06/10, 10:22 PM

I recently had my cow AI'ed and I'm hoping that it took. Does their milk supply usually drop when they first get pregnant? Thanks, Stacey

Creamers · #2 09/06/10, 10:28 PM

You can draw blood and test through Biotracking very cheaply, I believe. I test my goats through there. It is $7 a test.

BlackWillowFarm · #3 09/07/10, 07:26 AM

My cow dropped production about 35-40 days after being bred. She went down about 1/2 gallon a day. It could be due to the pastures getting tired, or maybe because she's bred. The guy who AI'd my heifers seemed to think it meant she was bred. She hasn't come back into heat. It's been almost three months.

linn · #4 09/07/10, 07:32 AM

How long ago was your cow AI'd? A drop in milk production is sometimes an indication of a cow coming into heat. If your cow has not come into heat for several weeks, then maybe the drop is because she is bred.

scholtefamily · #5 09/07/10, 12:50 PM

we had her AI'd On July 18th. I thought she came into heat again 3 weeks later and we missed it and then we just had her AI'd again on the 29th of Aug. The guy who did is said she seemed more in heat in July when he did it than this last time. If she did take back in July, then she has had at least one false heat. If she's not bred..........I don't know what to do. She has been giving a gallon less a day og milk all of the sudden. We have checked her over for ticks and found none, and she has as much hay as she desires. I was hoping it was an indication of pregnancy.
Thanks, Stacey

linn · #6 09/07/10, 12:56 PM

Is she pastured with another cow or steer? The best way to tell time for AI is to see the cow in standing heat. I usually try to AI about 10-12 hours after first observing standing heat. Are you giving her free choice mineral? Here is a link about mineral requirements for dairy cows:

http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/pubs/ansci/dairy/as1271w.htm

scholtefamily · #7 09/08/10, 07:59 AM

Linn, thanks for the link with the handy chart. That is good to know. We do have 2 mineral blocks out there that they don't seem to bother with too much. She is out there with another cow. i have only seen her in standing heat once. Usually around that time (when I'm counting days) she is alot more vocal. could just be a coincidence.