Is my heifer bred?

livinzoo · #1 09/12/12, 06:25 PM

I bought and bottle raised a Jersey heifer in Dec 2010. On Dec 14 2012 I had her AIed to a Jersey Bull for a heifer calf. After that I haven't seen any signs of heat. She is usually very verbal and you see the strings of mucus and a few days later blood. So I assumed that it took. About 5 months into the pregnancy I noticed her teats were longer and much more prominent than before. Now she is due in 2 weeks and I haven't see anymore udder development. When I press in behind her ribs I feel something that feels like a leg. The cow moves away from me when I do this so I haven't felt it move. How late can a heifer make her bag?

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/phot...eat=directlink

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/phot...eat=directlink

SpaceCadet12364 · #2 09/12/12, 07:03 PM

she is not bred! if due in 2 weeks teats should bee the size of a finger by now.

**gone-a-milkin** · #3 09/12/12, 07:19 PM

I dont think she looks bred either.

Her shape is not really round behind the ribs.
She should be showing some width and that udder is flat as any itty bitty heifer titties I have ever seen.

Time to have your AI tech back.

G. Seddon · #4 09/12/12, 07:21 PM

Doesn't appear to be building an udder. Did you have her pregnancy confirmed by a vet?

livinzoo · #5 09/12/12, 07:29 PM

It costs $80 to get a vet here. So no I didn't get it confirmed. But her lack of mooing, riding the pigs and goats and lack of heat really made me think she was bred.

**gone-a-milkin** · #6 09/12/12, 07:44 PM

Still, $80 is cheaper than feeding an unbred heifer for 8-9 extra months.

Also, I believe there are labs you can send blood to (draw it yourself) and get a test done.

livinzoo · #7 09/12/12, 08:05 PM

We have had plenty of grass which is free. And what can be done if a cow isn't cycling after being AIed but isn't carrying a calf. In people its called a blighted ovum.

AI guy was only $50 with the sexed semen.

**gone-a-milkin** · #8 09/12/12, 08:14 PM

Only around 60% of cows settle after only one AI breeding.

What can be done is to give her some hormones and go again with the AI.
She is plenty young and looks to be in great health.
Glad to hear you arent out a lot of cash for holding her over.

thequeensblessing · #9 09/12/12, 08:30 PM

We had our jersey heifer AI'd, and it didn't take, so we put her with our dairy farmer neighbors bull and watched the union. She didn't take again. We decided we'd have a talk with her and explain what happened to heifers who refused to conceive after so much attention from the bull, and that she had one final chance if she wanted to maintain her sweet spot as a homestead milk cow-to-be. We put her with the bull again, and again, we witnessed a successful union. This time, she took and she too is due in 2 weeks. Her udder is full and tight and her vulva is very swollen. There's no mistaking that she's pregnant. Her udder hasn't looked like your heifer's udder since well before she was bred. I'd have the AI tech out again, or find a neighbor with a good bull.

sammyd · #10 09/12/12, 09:31 PM

Quote:

On Dec 14 2012 I had her AIed

since you didn't breed her till 3 months from now I don't know why you would believe her to be bred...

seriously though if she was 9 months along I would expect a bag to be showing and I would expect that body to look a lot different as well

DWH Farm · #11 09/13/12, 09:03 AM

If you send in a blood sample yourself it is around 2.50 plus shipping. Lab Services | BioTracking.com