Heifer not carrying a calf to term

Ok, I know what needs to be done but I just want to vent a little bit!  We have this heifer that has aborted twice about 5 months into gestation.  Of course she is always the one that everyone asks about when they come look at our herd.  She was a past show heifer so I just figured getting drug around put under the stresses that we introduce them to caused her to slip the calf.  We had the vet check her out and he said she felt fine and no noticeable problems with her.  I am just sick right now.  We did buy her and I know the people that we did business with will stand behind their product but still....this sucks!

I feel your pain.  Been there done that with my daughter's first show heifer.  She'd come in, we'd breed her, she'd pass over the next one, two, or three cycles and then come back in.  We finally got her stuck (we thought) and then she aborted at 6 months.  By this point, we'd been messing with her for longer than we would have on any other heifer - but it was Daisy and she was a good heifer.  The breeder stood behind her 100% and replaced her but we always wondered what was going on. 

is ET an option for you?

without knowing a cause that's not genetic, it's pointless to propagate infertility.

knabe said:

without knowing a cause that's not genetic, it's pointless to propagate infertility.

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My thoughts exactly.  I'm by no means a strict rancher cattleman.  By this I mean the big guys don't mess around with infertile females.  If they mess up they are gone.  I gave a second chance because she was shown and because she was a heifer.  If I would get a calf...and that's a big IF, I would worry the entire time that her offspring would be as infertile as she is.

send her down the road

Have you vaccinated for Lepto. In our area we have had cows abort because of that. YOu need to vaccinate for it. DL or some of the others might know better, but we try to use the live vaccine.

If you are at all worried about your Lepto vaccine -- I would most deffinately be most worried about Hardjo Bovis -- this is the one that will be most sticky -- and most costly if you have a problem.

Most current vaccines will have the Hardjo in them, but it is well worth checking it out. Also, shemay very well have been exposed to IBR -- which as most know will cause alot of repro problems. If she is a PI, then you'll have some serious issues!!

Best of luck to you -- there is deffinately something going on there, just need to find it!

Terry

I guess I don't really agree with most, if she has carried a calf to 5 months she doesn't really have fertility issues, I agree with Cowboy, she has a problem and depending on how much you like the heifer I would sure think that it would be worth finding out what is causing her to abort before I shipped her.

That is a sure sign of some type of disease.  Get your vet to test her for everything under the sun.  If everything comes back ok, then ship her.

chambero said:

That is a sure sign of some type of disease.  Get your vet to test her for everything under the sun.  If everything comes back ok, then ship her.

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And if everything comes back "not okay", ship her.  But I think you've already decided on that or, at least, to return her to the breeder. I'd have her tested for IBR for sure before she goes for the sake of the rest of your herd.

I had my vet test for anything he could think of the first time she aborted.  She came back clean.  We also have a very strict vaccination program.  Some people think that I am a little obsessive for everything I vaccinate for.  I think she does have a problem and the problem is she isn't having any calves.  I think that we just have a case of a non-calver.