The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Cattle => Topic started by: SallyintNorth on March 05, 2012, 09:29:04 am
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We've had 7 calves born this year so far, of which 6 were all using AI (so we know exactly when they were served) and every single one over time. We've managed to get all of them out so far, although a couple have needed a good tug and one of them was backwards.
In chronological order, we've had 2, 11, 11, 8, 3, 10 days over, to MRI, Red Devon (3 of), Blonde, Limousin respectively. All but the Blonde calf were to heifers, some Angus x and some Hereford x. Now we have a half-Limousin cow carrying a Limousin calf (different bull to the other 10 days over Limi one) 10 days over so far and not looking like doing the deed today.
Anyone else seeing this this year?
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many years ago we used AI on heifers and one held on to 11 months before drooping :farmer:
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many years ago we used AI on heifers and one held on to 11 months before drooping :farmer:
Gulp!
Well, we use AI an a proportion of the herd every year, but this last year we haven't had a bull at all, and had a lot of heifers coming on. Perhaps it's just more noticeable with the numbers we've got this year.
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Are you sure the bulls you used all had short gestation lengths? Most bulls in the Genus stud have stats on average gestation length and it could just be that the bulls had longer than average gestations. Still, I wouldn't say that any of them are beyond what would be considered "normal".
We generally find that where a BB bull has been used , they calve pretty much on time. They tend to have shorter gestation periods.
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we used AI until it was to much bringing them in to get served running around like loons trying to get them in when that was the last thing on there mind far far easier with a bull but running an almost closed herd there comes the time that you work with two bulls or only the one for 3 years then change
handling systems have changed in the last 20 years and with the right set up and the time of year AI could be an advantage and they have been grant aided as well as necessary for both veterinary work and owners safety :farmer:
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We usually have a bull, but we just had too many heifers coming on to manage - our fences are fine for happy cattle... but we'd never have kept the bull away from the heifers and we don't like them to get bulled too young. So we didn't replace the previous bull (who would have been serving his daughters if he'd stayed) until all the heifers were in calf. In fact, we haven't got a bull yet, as we were so successful in getting all the heifers and cows in calf it hasn't become an issue. We've had a lot of fun choosing different breeds for different cattle, and the porkers have made good use of the bull pen through the cold wet winter weather... :D
We'll start looking for another bull after lambing.
Dot, I haven't managed to track down EBVs for any of the bulls in question. I think we wouldn't choose long gestation bulls, precisely because one worries about over-large calves and calving difficulties - especially with heifers.
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maybe the bulls were at stud before EBV came into play with heifers the best way is calve them in march April on a straw diet that way you are not getting huge calves and both go to the grass and thrive :farmer:
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with heifers the best way is calve them in march April on a straw diet that way you are not getting huge calves and both go to the grass and thrive :farmer:
Sounds like good advice - and for the most part, that's more-or-less what we're doing, although they're getting a bit of hay as well as straw.