[Penninehillbilly]

My Togg male got to my boer female last year, off to the vets for Estrumate injection.
It didn't work.

My concern now is that it will have affected the unborn kids? Due in about 6 weeks.
ie. Would there be any chance of deformed kids
I know vets are on here, i would appreciate any thoughts,
also thoughts on why it didn't work?
Thanks

[Rosemary]

I had a heifer jagged last year, then she went to the bull later deliberately. She calved three months before we expected - the Prosolvin (which must be the cattle equivalent of Estrumate didn't work). Vet said it was between 97 and 99% effective but not 100%, so our Valiant was one of the 1%. He was perfectly fine.

I'm sure someone will be able to reassure you.

[fsmnutter]

The estrumate is a synthetic hormone that counteracts the corpus luteum which maintains pregnancy. This is the only thing maintaining pregnancy in cattle so is highly effective (until about 150 days in calf at which point the calf and placenta can keep pregnancy intact). In sheep and goats there are other hormones involved in maintenance of pregnancy (I shant complicate things by adding scientific names and endocrinology here) so the hormone injection is not as guaranteed. Several protocols of injecting hormone, once, more than once, with steroid, without steroid etc are listed in the literature - the more ways there are to do something in medicine, the less likely it is that any one of those ways is perfect! So it is commonly accepted that success rate of estrumate in sheep and goats is not guaranteed.
However, as the hormone acts on the mothers reproductive system, it is highly unlikely to have any adverse effect on the baby if abortion does not occur.
Hope that helps

[Penninehillbilly]

Thanks, I've been worried about 2 heads/6 legs etc.
Trust her to hold to unwanted with probably worthless kids yet her daughter has had to go to prime male twice (so far)