Rebreeding dairy cow in 2 years

rancher1913 · #1 06/09/13, 12:39 PM

Our bull is um,.. very busy this year, and we may not be able to put him in with our dairy cow. So far, we've been unable to borrow another bull, and I don't want to do AI (for a variety of reasons). Can we let our dairy cow go two years before rebreeding (just plan on doing this once)? I know she will probably go dry, but any other issues you can think of?

Miss Kay · #2 06/09/13, 02:44 PM

Putting on too much weight which effects fertility and increases the likelihood of cystic ovary. Going in heat every month and trying to get out. Not something you can't overcome or turn around but just more to deal with.

DJ in WA · #3 06/09/13, 07:57 PM

In addition the Miss Kay's good comments. you will be feeding a non-productive cow for quite a while.

Not sure why you don't want to do AI, but if you can get it done, would be cheaper than feeding a cow that is doing nothing.

rancher1913 · #4 06/09/13, 09:40 PM

Have never done AI before, unsure of how to tell if she's in heat (she is in a pen by herself - most articles I have seen recognizing heat by the cow's behavior with other cattle).

I'd love to have someone teach me, but around here most folks do things the old fashioned way with a bull. I'm sure the dairies don't but I doubt they are willing to teach. None of the local vets AI.

MARYDVM · #5 06/09/13, 09:54 PM

Breeding for a calf every year is a commercial practice. A good producing home dairy cow can milk for 2 years without having to be rebred. I know two different families in the area who have each milked their Jerseys for a couple of years in between calves. Maybe just a gallon a day at the end, but they get enough for their needs.

rancher1913 · #6 06/09/13, 10:28 PM

the wife hijacked my account. all I wanted her to research was if holstiens had body temp fluctuations like horses so we could AI her ourselfs. I know how to AI just never done it and had planned on the older bull taking care of this so I wouldn't need to bother.

rancher1913 · #7 06/09/13, 10:31 PM

marydvm does that hurt the cow in the long run because that was a thought if I can't find a short term loaner bull.

sammyd · #8 06/10/13, 07:10 AM

breeding every year is a natural thing, not just a commercial practice.
Not being bred every year is unnatural.

Allen W · #9 06/10/13, 08:10 AM

Why can't you just breed her later when you can get her with the bull?

nduetime · #10 06/10/13, 09:19 AM

As long as you keep milking her she will give some. She may eventually go dry but that would be a ways off. I would milk her until the bull is rested up and then let them breed . As far as telling when she is in heat... my cow is all by herself and when she is in heat, she is so darn loud and obnoxious... everybody knows it. I am pretty sure that is her plan!

MARYDVM · #11 06/10/13, 09:25 AM

If you feed the cow correctly for its level of production she won't get fat. If your cow does not already have reproductive issues (age, poor conception rate...) not choosing to breed back on a yearly basis should not cause any harm. The two families I've mentioned are continuing to milk the cows, not just drying them up and turning out to pasture. Both of these cows bred back to AI without a problem at 9 months and 12 months into their lactations.

I have a very small Jersey heifer who will freshen in August with her second calf. I bred her at 7 months into her lactation after she lost a lot of condition due to unexpectedly high production as a new freshener. By the time I got her to an acceptable weight, a breeding would have had her calving in the worst of the desert summer weather. So I waited, and she settled the first time I bred her. In a commercial production model, you can't afford to have an open cow. In a family cow situation where longevity is a desirable factor you don't have to push a cow for maximum production. You can manage things to fit your own needs.

SueMc · #12 06/10/13, 02:26 PM

Since AI was mentioned, I wanted to post this video (a three parter). It's one of the best, straight-foreward "lesson" on AI that I've seen.

CJBegins · #13 06/10/13, 06:59 PM

I am milking a cow 13 months into her lactation. She shows no signs of drying up. Her condition is good and she will not be rebred until our little bull is big enough to accomplish the task. My hopes are that by the time the my other two freshen, the bull will have grown enough to do his job.

I wouldn't just dry your cow off before she is rebred.

Crowson2000 · #14 08/28/14, 03:25 PM

Thanks SueMc that was a great video series. I just had paid to have my second cow AI and was wondering how much it would cost to do it myself and how hard it was.

willow_girl · #15 08/30/14, 09:03 PM

Check with the company you're planning to buy your semen from -- they may have a technician available to help you.

Jennifer L. · #16 09/01/14, 09:32 AM

You might be able to milk her for two years, but the quality of her milk is going to be going down during that time. The longer they go in a lactation, the higher the cell count is going to be, just natural. Not going to kill anything, just the udder cells are going to continually shed.

My big worry would be how well she would breed back after that long. If you don't breed her for two years that means nearly three years between calves, that's a long time.