randiliana
Well-known member
For those of you who remember, or are interested, here are the results.
Last spring, we syncronized 40 heifers by giving them a shot of Estrumate when we vaccinated, then turning the bulls in with them 15 days later. We separated them into 2 different groups, because a number of them were sired by one of the bulls that we were using. We had 3 drys and also sold another 8 head. One more turned up dry this spring. With what we had left, 14 were bred to each bull. Because of pasture problems they were taken up to were our cows were summered, and the bulls destroyed fences shortly thereafter. So as of May 27(about 12 days after we turned bulls in with the heifers) they can be bred to any bull.
Group #1 (bull #2046)
Out of 14 heifers, we had 12 calve from Feb 20 to Mar 3. 1 of those was to a different bull and approx 15 days early. So we had 11 out of 14 calve within a 10 day period. Or about 80%. We are still waiting on 1.
Group #2 (bull #2146)
Out of 14 heifers we had 4 calve from Feb 25 to Mar 1. One more calved to a different sire on Mar 7. So we had 4 out of 14 within a 7 day period. or about 30%. We are still waiting on 8 more to calve.
To the best of my knowledge, there was nothing wrong with the heifers. They are all bred, and are going to calve within the next month. As it turns out when I looked back on my records from last year the 2146 bull didn't have a calf born before March 20th. We start about March 5th. It could have been that his cows were not cycling, but I have my doubts on that.
I think that syncronizing the way we did works quite well. However, you sure want to know your bulls are doing their job. Not just semen tested, but make sure that they are actually working. This bull found a new home last summer due to handling problems, but in hindsight should have found one long before breeding season started. Ah, well, live and learn.
I would go ahead and syncronize this way again. We only had to handle them once, when we vaccinated and the results on Group #1 make me think it worked just fine.
Last spring, we syncronized 40 heifers by giving them a shot of Estrumate when we vaccinated, then turning the bulls in with them 15 days later. We separated them into 2 different groups, because a number of them were sired by one of the bulls that we were using. We had 3 drys and also sold another 8 head. One more turned up dry this spring. With what we had left, 14 were bred to each bull. Because of pasture problems they were taken up to were our cows were summered, and the bulls destroyed fences shortly thereafter. So as of May 27(about 12 days after we turned bulls in with the heifers) they can be bred to any bull.
Group #1 (bull #2046)
Out of 14 heifers, we had 12 calve from Feb 20 to Mar 3. 1 of those was to a different bull and approx 15 days early. So we had 11 out of 14 calve within a 10 day period. Or about 80%. We are still waiting on 1.
Group #2 (bull #2146)
Out of 14 heifers we had 4 calve from Feb 25 to Mar 1. One more calved to a different sire on Mar 7. So we had 4 out of 14 within a 7 day period. or about 30%. We are still waiting on 8 more to calve.
To the best of my knowledge, there was nothing wrong with the heifers. They are all bred, and are going to calve within the next month. As it turns out when I looked back on my records from last year the 2146 bull didn't have a calf born before March 20th. We start about March 5th. It could have been that his cows were not cycling, but I have my doubts on that.
I think that syncronizing the way we did works quite well. However, you sure want to know your bulls are doing their job. Not just semen tested, but make sure that they are actually working. This bull found a new home last summer due to handling problems, but in hindsight should have found one long before breeding season started. Ah, well, live and learn.
I would go ahead and syncronize this way again. We only had to handle them once, when we vaccinated and the results on Group #1 make me think it worked just fine.