it was a rodeo but blood drawn from both girls fingers crossed

farmgirl6 · #1 06/09/14, 08:38 PM

both Coop and AB have missed a heat (Coop actually has missed 2 I think), had the vet out to draw blood, why are they so bloody awful over a tiny needle! after a 30 minute drop down drag out, finally the blood flowed into the string, the vet looks at me, muddy, sweaty, and says "I don't believe I have ever been so happy to see blood flow in my life"....now I wait for the pregnancy test results, trying not to get my hopes up too much; been fooled before on AB...Coop has suddenly adopted the mini mule I acquired last year, mothering and licking..very odd = maybe a good sign?

rambotex · #2 06/09/14, 09:58 PM

Are we talking about cattle? If so, do you have a head gate and a pair of nose tongs?

G. Seddon · #3 06/10/14, 10:23 AM

Some sort of restraint system is usually recommended for shots, blood draws, castrations, etc. Getting tail blood should only take a minute or less when in a headgate.

If you don't have a headgate, you might check into obtaining one or constructing something that will keep you, your animal, AND your vet safe when doing things with the cows.

farmgirl6 · #4 06/13/14, 09:31 PM

results are back, Annabelle is still "open" despite what I felt was a very good AI..vet thinks she may have ovarian cysts, and researching it a bit she does seem to have both the symptoms and physical characteristics, so will try hormones I guess. But think I am done with AI; Walden I believe is big enough now to breed her if I can ever get her on a fertile cycle, although I still have some straws in the tank... certainly explains a lot...

Coop has a bun in the oven!, which I rather thought by her behavior, so about Christmas time I expect to have the worlds cutest miniature calf and be milking sitting indian style cause she is one short short gal. Vet says she is too fat, any suggestions on feeding her for health whilst pregnent but trimming her down would be helpful. I might start taking her on daily walks about the farm. And Walden apparently is fertile and capable, so two bits of good news to one kinda bad is not too bad...

karenp · #5 06/14/14, 05:20 AM

I'm curious about the term "in the string", what does that mean?

SueMc · #6 06/19/14, 05:18 AM

You'd love having a head gate/chute to handle your cattle. I was pleasantly surprised how easy it was to get them walk in to one (bucket of food) and none of them seemed to notice the blood draws from the underside of the tail. Also your arm won't get jerked around when you're AI'ing the cows.
I've seen nice homemade ones too just using fence posts and cattle panels.

Lazy J · #7 06/19/14, 05:42 AM

If she's cystic natural breedingwint get her anymore pregnant than she has been with AI.

oregon woodsmok · #8 06/20/14, 02:17 PM

A chute and head gate are a bare minimum for handling cattle, but if you are going to breed and do AI, I suggest that you bite the bullet and order a squeeze chute from Powder River.

Cry when you write the check and then it will last you forever and you will bless the thing every time you must do anything with the cattle.

SueMc · #9 06/20/14, 06:25 PM

We got really lucky and picket up a Priefert chute at an auction. It's in beautiful shape and nobody seemed to want it except us and a couple of other bidders. With it and a run made out of cattle panels we've been able to do everything with the cows without huge effort.
Used ones are out there.

65284 · #10 06/22/14, 02:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by karenp

I'm curious about the term "in the string", what does that mean?

I don't know for sure but I suspect she ment syringe????

COWS · #11 06/22/14, 07:48 PM

I've mentioned this before, but will repeat it in case the op didn't see it the first time.

I bought a Prifert head gate, supposed to be automatic, but I haven't been able tio get tit to work automatically. It workd quite well manually. I was given a homeade chute made from heavy steel pipe. It did not have a floor in it and the previous owner fastened it to two posts. On a type without a floor the cow caught in the headgate will lift things up. I put a floor in it and now nothing moves it.

A chute that is too wide can be made narrow with pallet like forms tied to the chute. Don't use pallets because the cow will get a foot caught between the slats in the pallets. Pallets covered with thin plywood on one side should be ideal.

COWS